Flight was useless, and as he and his wife took
shelter behind separate trees, he called to his son: "Niniotan, prove
yourself a warrior, the son of Oonomoo, the Huron!"
As quick as lightning, the youth was also sheltered, and his gun
discharged. A death-shriek from a howling Shawnee showed that the
training of Oonomoo had not been thrown away. The boy reloaded and
waited his opportunity.
The Shawnees, seeing they had driven their foe to the wall at last,
prudently halted, as they were in no hurry to engage such a terrible
being in a hand-to-hand contest, overwhelming as were their own odds.
The Huron wisely held his fire, believing he could keep his enemies at
bay much better by such means than by discharging it. The great point
with him was to defer the attack until the arrival of assistance, and
he had strong hopes that he could succeed in doing it.
Not Oonomoo's personal fear, but his excessive anxiety for the safety
of Fluellina, induced him now to adopt a resort that was fatal in its
consequences. Knowing that Captain Prescott and his men could be at no
great distance, he gave utterance to a loud, prolonged whoop, which he
knew some of the rangers would recognize as a call for assistance, and
consequently hasten to his aid. Unfortunately, the Shawnees also
understood the meaning of the signal, and satisfied that not a moment
was to be lost, they boldly left their cover and advanced to the attack.
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