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"Most beautifully done, Master Benteen, and as for our red-headed preacher, by theainst the stones, now the strain of battle had relaxed, feeling strangely weakened by lanced about es had fallen sullenly back to the bank of the streaether as if in council, and I notedthe his long legs, and, back turned contee of his sword

"I was fool enough to atte e who lies yonder, and it was rather a neat stroke, yet has sorely nicked the blade"

"Where is the Puritan?" I asked, not seeing him

"Stretched yonder at rest; he did needlessly exhaust hi how best to wield his weapon Sacre! he struck hard blows, and will have two savages for whoment"

"What loss did the fellows sustain?" I questioned, the cut at the edge ofblood

"We dropped seven between us, counting those who fell to your fire, and there are others who hardly appear in condition for further fighting As to the garrison, you seem to possess a flesh wound or two, the head of the Puritan rings merrily yet from the tap of a war-club, while I boast a boot full of blood; 'tis none of it serious"

"They will attack again?"

"Ay! those lads are not of the breed to let up with one bite; andto be the next turn that will test ourcarelessly across his shoulder

"Do you know aught regarding those devils, Master Benteen?"

"They are strange to reat river"

He sat in silent conteroup

"Did you chance to notice," he asked at last, speaking htfully, "how they hissed that word 'Français,' when they first rushed up the hill upon us? It soo by old Major Duponceau, as out with the troops in 1729, about a strange people they warred against down on the Ocatahoola These h he swore they were put to the sword--or else of the same stock, and have felt the taste of French steel"