“The fog was dense with them as it was with us,” said Tayoga.  “It is shown by the fact that they moved about a great deal, walking over all the ground, before they finally chose a place.  If there had been no fog or even only a little they could have chosen at once what they wanted.  Knowing that they had no enemy strong enough to be feared they kindled a fire here by this log, more for the sake of light than for warmth.  Sharp Sword did not talk over anything with his lieutenants, De Courcelles and Jumonville.  His trail leads to the north side of the camp, where he wrapped himself in his blanket and lay down.  I imagine that the Canadian, Dubois, who goes with him, as an attendant, watched over him.  De Courcelles and Jumonville slept on the other side of the camp.  There go their boots.  All the French soldiers but Dubois lay down to sleep, and only the warriors watched.  They left at dawn, not stopping to eat breakfast.  If they had eaten, birds would be here hunting shreds of flesh in the grass, but we do not see a single bird, nor has any wolf or other prowling animal been drawn by the odor of food.  We were right in our surmise that Sharp Sword did not wish to delay.  Perhaps there is some force of ours that he can catch in a trap, and he wishes to repeat his success against the Mountain Wolf.”

“And it is our business to stop him,” said Willet.

“If so, we must act promptly, Great Bear.  When Sharp Sword makes up his mind to strike he strikes, quick and hard.  After his brief camp here he continued his march toward the south.  He threw out warriors as scouts and skirmishers.  You can see their trail, leading off into the woods, and then his main force marched in a close and compact group.  Just beyond the camp a little while after they made the new start he called De Courcelles and De Jumonville to him, and talked with them a little.  Here is where his moccasins stood, and here is where their boots stood, facing him, while they received his orders.  Then the boots walked back to the end of the line and St. Luc must have spoken to them very sharply.”

“Why do you say that, Tayoga?” asked Grosvenor.

“You will notice that here where the trails of boots turn back the stems of grass in two or three places are broken off, not crushed down.  De Courcelles and Jumonville kicked them in anger with the sharp toes of their boots, and they could have been angry only because Sharp Sword rebuked them.”

“You must be right, Tayoga.”

“It does not admit of any doubt, Red Coat.  They took their places at the rear of the marching line, and Sharp Sword went on ahead.  At no time does he permit them to walk beside him.  He still regards the two Frenchmen with much disfavor, and he will continue to do so though he must use them in his expedition.”

Tayoga spoke in his precise school English, in which he never omitted or abbreviated a word, but he was very positive.  It did not occur to any of the others to doubt him.  They had seen too many evidences of his surpassing skill on the trail.  They swung along and Grosvenor noticed that many birds now appeared, hopping about in the path, as if searching among the bushes and in the grass for something.