It was a cheerful army, more it was a gay army, enjoying the wilderness which it was seeing at one of the finest periods of the year, wondering at the magnificence of the forest, and the great number of streams that came rushing down from the mountains.

“It’s a noble country,” said Grosvenor to Robert.  “I’ll admit all that you claim for it.”

“And there’s so much of it, Grosvenor, even allowing for the portion, the very big portion, the French claim.”

“But from which we are going to drive them very soon, Robert, my lad.”

“I think so, too, Grosvenor.”

Often Robert, Willet and Tayoga went far ahead on swift foot, searching the forest for ambush, and finding none, they would come back and watch the axmen, three hundred in number, who were cutting the road for the army.  They were stalwart fellows, skilled in their business, and their axes rang through the woods.  Robert felt regret when he saw the splendid trees fall and be dragged to one side, there to rot, despite the fact that the unbroken forest covered millions of square miles.

The camps at night were scenes of good humor.  Scouts and flankers were thrown out in the forest, and huge fires were built of the fallen wood which was abundant everywhere.  The flames, roaring and leaping, threw a ruddy light over the soldiers, and gave them pleasant warmth, as often in the hills the dusk came on heavy with chill.

Despite the favorable nature of the season some of the soldiers unused to hardships fell ill, and, more than a week later, when they reached a place known as the Little Meadows, Braddock left there the sick and the heavy baggage with a rear guard under Colonel Dunbar.  A scout had brought word that a formidable force of French regulars was expected to reinforce the garrison at Fort Duquesne, and the general was anxious to forestall them.  Young Washington, in whom he had great confidence, also advised him to push on, and now the army of chosen troops increased its speed.

Robert came into contact with Braddock only once or twice, and then he was noticed with a nod, but on the whole he was glad to escape so easily.  The general brave and honest, but irritable, had a closed mind.  He thought all things should be done in the way to which he was used, and he had little use for the Americans, save for young Washington, and young Morris, who were on his staff, and young Shirley who was his secretary.  To them he was invariably kind and considerate.

The regular officers made no attempt to interfere with Robert, Tayoga and Willet, who, having their commissions as scouts, roamed as they pleased, and, even on foot, their pace being so much greater than that of the army, they often went far ahead in the night seeking traces of the enemy.  Now, although the march was not resisted, they saw unmistakable signs that it was watched.  They found trails of small Indian bands and several soldiers who straggled into the forest were killed and scalped.  Braddock was enraged but not alarmed.  The army would brush away these flies and proceed to the achievement of its object, the capture of Fort Duquesne.  The soldiers from England shuddered at the sight of their scalped comrades.  It was a new form of war to them, and very ghastly.