Beadle's Dime Novels No. 92: The Twin Scouts — page 34: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

86 THE TWIN SCOUTS. “ Let the chief rise,” said Dieskau. A brawny savage stood up, and stretched out his hand in - an unstudied and graceful attitude. “Let not my father be angry at the chief’s words. The Hurons are the friends of the French. Many have died upon the war-path, striking good blows for my father, They are willing to fight still, but they are only men. The Hurons fight with bows and arrows. Since their fathers have come _ among them, they have learned to take a rifle in their hands. They can fight well with these. But my young men come “to me and say, we will not go up to the strong places of the English. Their big thunder fills our hearts with dread. A runner has come in to say that the great Wigwam on the river is very strong. The walls are piled up to reach the tree-tops, and the big thunder is upon it. -Our young men heard this, and they were afraid. They could not go on while such things . faced them !” “ Are my brothers cowards?” said the old baron, testily. “The Hurons are very brave,” replied the chief, smiting his breast, “but they fear the big thunder of the English. Let my father hear the words of our mouths,, Other runners have come in, and they bring-us great news. The army of the Ein- glish is not far away, and they have left the big guns behind them. . They could not draw them through the woods. We do not fear to fight with them. Let us go up against them.” — The bzron looked around the circle of grim chiefs, and read ‘in their faces an unconquerable determination. Their fear of the cannon of the English had forced them to this determina- tion, and they were willtag to ‘meet the superior forces of John- _son rather than the cannon at. the fort. While they deliberated, an orderly came in with, a paper. Dieskau spoke to his officers, after looking it over. __. “T hold in my hand,” said he “a statement of our force. ‘We have two hundred and fifteen regulars, five hun : _an ten Canadian rangers, and seven hindered Hutoris. Of this fore Wwe can depend upon only the whites to stand up against can- non. With this statement, shall we proceed to the attack of this ‘fort ?” The question was debated at some length, and it was | nally decided to attack Johnson in his camp, as it was believe that * "oa aa —~ eR orn