The Washington times., 1936-10-08
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ever endangered.
Briant and Gordon had gone
beyond the Zealand River to see II
it would be possible to establish a
kind of shoulder over the narrow
bank which went around between
the lake and the marshes. Shell
tered by this shoulder, it would
have been easy for Doniphan and
the good shots to hide quickly if a
signal were given Of WalSton's ar
rival.
About 300 feet beyond the river
Briant crushed something with his
foot. He thought it was a seashell
until Gordon, who was walking
behind him, called, "Wait, Briant'
wait"
whats the matter?"
Gordon bent down and picked
up the crushed object.
Look" he said, ''it's pipe!"
Indeed Gordon held in his hand
a black pipe, of which the stem had
been broken close to the bowl.
"None of us smoke" said
Gordon, $50 it's certain that this
pipe has been lost by
'By one Of the men of the
band" added Briant, unless it
has belonged to the French casta-
way )"
No! This bowl had never be-
longed to Francois Baudoin, al
ready dead more than 20 years.
The little tobacco which still ad-
hered to it showed that it re-
Gently had fallen here. There
fore, one of Walston's men had
come as far as the bank of
Family Lake.
Back in French Den, Kate to
whom Briant showed the bowl OF
the pipe. told them that she
was sure she had seen it in
WalSton's hands.
No more doubt then, that the
murderers had gone around the
extreme point Of the lake. There,
perhaps during the night they
had come as close as the bank
of Zealand River. And if
French Den had been discovered
If Walston knew who lived
in the little colony would he
not have the idea that there
must be tools, instruments, mu-
nitions and provisions, all OF
which they needed? And that
seven men might easily overcome
fifteen young boys, especially II
they were able to surprise them?
In any case, there was no
longer any doubt that the band
was getting closer and closer.
&**
Faced by these threatening pos
sibilities, Briant, did everything
he could to organize an active
lookout. A daytime observation
post was established on the crest
of Auckland Hill, so that ap-
proach from the marshes, Traps
Woods, or the lake shore could
be Immediately signaled. During
the night two of the older ones
remained on watch at the en-
trance of the hall and store-room
The two doors were strengthened
with props, and in an instant 1t
would have been possible to bar
ricade them with great stones
which were piled up inside French
Den.
AS for the narrow windows
pierced in the wall, which were
used as openings for the two
little cannons, one would defend
the front on the side of the New
Zealand River, and the other
the front facing Family Lake.
Moreover, the guns and the re-
volvers were ready to be fired
at the least alarm.
Kate naturally approved all
these measures. This energetic
woman was far from showing how
worried she was when she thought
of the uncertain outcome of a
fight with Walston's band. If they
were insufficiently armed, they
could act by surprise in spite Of
the most careful watch. And to
fight against them, only a few
boys, the eldest of whom was just
sixteen! The battle would have
been too unequal If only the brave
Evans were with them. He would
have known how to organize the
defense and put French Den in a
state to resist the attacks Of Wal
Ston.
On the Alert
Unfortunately, Evans was prob
ably under constant watch, if his
companions had not already killed
him as a dangerous witness, who
was no longer needed to man the
boat of these mutineers.
It was November 27. For two
DAYS the heat had been suffocat-
ing. It was broken about half-past
9 by a violent storm. The hall was
Illuminated by lightning, and