They continued a cautious advance, their moccasins making no sound in the soft snow, all objects invisible at a distance of twelve or fifteen feet.  Yet they saw one Indian warrior on watch, although he did not see or hear them.  He was under the boughs of a small tree and was crouched against the trunk, protecting himself as well as he could from the tumbling flakes.  He was a Huron, a capable warrior with his five senses developed well, and in normal times he was ambitious and eager for distinction in his wilderness world, but just now he did not dream that any one from the fort could be near.  So the three passed him, unsuspected, and drew close to the fire, which now showed as a white glow through the dusk, sufficient proof that it was still burning.  Further progress proved that the warriors had abandoned it for shelter, and they left the next task to Tayoga.

The Onondaga lay down in the snow and crept forward until he reached the fire, where he paused and waited two or three minutes to see that his presence was not detected.  Then he took three burning sticks and passed them back swiftly to his comrades.  Willet had already discerned the outline of a bark hut on his right and Robert had made out another on his left.  Just beyond were skin tepees.  They must now act quickly, and each went upon his chosen way.

Robert approached the hut on the left from the rear, and applied the torch to the wall which was made of dry and seasoned bark.  Despite the snow, it ignited at once and burned with extraordinary speed.  The roar of flames from the right showed that the hunter had done as well, and a light flash among the skin tepees was proof that Tayoga was not behind them.

The besieging force was taken completely by surprise.  The three had imitated to perfection the classic example of Scipio’s soldiers in the Carthaginian camp.  The confusion was terrible as French and Indians rushed for their lives from the burning huts and lodges into the blinding snow, where they saw little, and, for the present, understood less.  Tayoga who, in the white dusk readily passed for one of their own, slipped here and there, continually setting new fires, traveling in a circle about the fort, while Robert and Willet kept near him, but on the inner side of the circle and well behind the veil of snow.

The huts and lodges burned fiercely.  Where they stood thickest each became a lofty pyramid of fire and then blended into a mighty mass of flames, forming an intense red core in the white cloud of falling snow.  French soldiers and Indian warriors ran about, seeking to save their arms, ammunition and stores, but they were not always successful.  Several explosions showed that the flames had reached powder, and Robert laughed to himself in pleasure.  The destruction of their powder was a better result than he had hoped or foreseen.

The hunter uttered a low whistle and Tayoga throwing down his torch, at once joined him and Robert who had already cast theirs far from them.