“Then I’ll give ’em a lead,” said Willet, who lay on Tayoga’s right.

He thrust out a foot, bringing it down on a dead stick so hard that it broke with a sharp snap, but instantly drew away to the shelter of another bush.  A rifle cracked in front of them and a bullet cut the air over the broken stick.  Before the warrior who fired the bullet could sink back Black Rifle pulled the trigger at a certain target, and the man fell without a sound.

“A fine shot, Captain Jack,” said Willet, and a few minutes later the hunter himself made another just as good.  For a half hour the combat was waged in the deep thickets, mere glimpses serving for aim, but the combatants were as fierce and tenacious as if the issue were joined by great armies.  Four warriors fell, Willet’s band suffered only a few scratches, and then, at a signal from him, they melted away into the woods, curved about again, and took up the return journey toward their own force.

“We did enough,” said Willet, when he was sure they were not pursued by Tandakora.  “All we wanted to do was to sting the Ojibway and not to let him forget that those who ambush may be ambushed.  He’ll be fairly burning with anger.”

“How are you feeling, Red Coat?” asked Tayoga.

“As well as could be expected after such an experience,” replied Grosvenor with pride.  But the young Englishman was very sober, too.  A warrior had fallen before his rifle, and, with the heat of battle over, he was very thoughtful.

CHAPTER XII

THE FRENCH CAMP

They returned to the camp without further event.  Colden and Strong were gratified to learn that the retreat of St. Luc was real, and that he was certainly going toward Champlain, with the obvious intention of joining Montcalm.

“We owe you a great debt of gratitude, Colonel,” said the young officer, frankly, to Elihu Strong.  “If you had not come I don’t think we could have held out against St. Luc.”

“We did the best we could,” replied Elihu Strong.  “If the Governor and Legislature of Massachusetts had done their full duty we’d have been here earlier, with twice as many men and guns, but as it is we did our best, and man can do no more.”

They decided that they would hold the point and await the coming of the great army under Abercrombie which was to crush Montcalm.  The outworks were built higher and stronger and the brass cannon were mounted upon them at points, where they could sweep the forest.  These fine twelve-pounders were sources of much moral courage and added greatly to the spirits of the troops.  They had shown their power at the forcing of the ford and at the taking of the ridge, and their brazen mouths, menacing the forest, looked well.