WAYNE'S SCOUTS.

973

darkness. The Indian who had uttered his suspicion about them and several others, at once arose, grasping their rifles, and levelling them at Wells and his party, who just then galloped away, and for greater security laid their breasts upon the horses' necks, so as to lessen the mark for the savages to fire at. They, however, were not yet out of the light of the camp-fire when the Indians fired a volley after them, wounding McClellan and Captain Wells, hitting the first under the shoulder-blade, so that the ball came out at the top of the arm, and the latter was shot through the arm on which he carried his rifle, the arm being broken, so that his trusty weapon fell to the ground. On their retreat they were immediately followed by some of the savages, who had at once mounted their horses for pursuit. While the scouts were crossing the river, May's horse slipped on a smooth rock and fell, and before May could recover himself, the Indians came upon him and took him prisoner. They knew him well, as he had before been among them, when he was sent by General Wayne to inquire after Colonel Trueman. At that time he had pretended to desert to the Indians, riding into their camp, where he remained some time, and was held as a prisoner, but finally had effected his escape. This time, however, his career was irretrievably destined to end. The Indians took him to the British fort, and the next day tied him to a tree, made his breast a target, and riddled his body with bullets, thus ending the life of one of the bravest rangers of the west.

The others, after having performed this act of wanton supererogation, rode at full speed to the place where they had left their captives, untied them, mounted them on the front of their horses, and set off for Fort Defiance. Captain Wells and McClellan were severely wounded, and the distance to Fort Defiance being about thirty miles, it was indeed a road of suffering before they could rest or receive the aid of a surgeon. As their march would be slow and painful, Mahaffy was dispatched at full speed to the fort for a guard and a surgeon. As soon as the messenger arrived with tidings of the wounds and the perilous