“The rangers and Mohawks are the better marksmen,” said Tayoga.  “They aimed lower and probably hit the target much oftener.  At least they did not cut off so many twigs.”

He walked back into the open space between the two positions, his eye having been caught by something dark lying in a slight depression of the earth.  It was part of the brushy tail of a raccoon, such as the borderers wore in their caps.

“Our men charged,” said the Onondaga.

“Why do you say so?” asked Robert.

“Because of the raccoon tail.  It was shot from the cap of one of the charging men.  The French and the Indians do not wear such a decoration.  See where the bullet severed it.  I think St. Luc’s men must have broken and run before the charge, and we will look for evidence of it.”

They advanced in the direction of Champlain, and, two or three hundred yards farther on, Tayoga picked up a portion of an Indian headdress, much bedraggled.

“Their flight was headlong,” he said, “or the warrior would not have lost the frame and feathers that he valued so much.  It fell then, before the storm, as the muddy and broken condition of the feathers shows that it was lying on the ground when the great rain came.”

“And here,” said Robert, “is where a bullet went into the trunk of this big oak.”

“Which shows that the rangers and Mohawks were still pursuing closely.  It is possible that the French and Indians tried to make a brief stand at this place.  Let us see if we can find the track of other bullets.”

They discovered the paths of two more in tree trunks and saw the boughs of several shattered bushes, all leading in a line toward Crown Point.

“They were not able to stand long,” said Tayoga.  “Our men rushed them again.  Ah, this shows that they must have been in a panic for a few moments.”

He picked an Indian blanket, soiled and worn, from a gulley.

“See the mud upon it,” he said.  “It, too, fell before the rain, because when the flood came a stream ran in the gulley, a stream that has left the blanket in this state.  The warrior must have been in tremendous haste to have lost his blanket.  We know now that they were routed, and that the victory was ours.  But it is likely that our leaders continued the pursuit toward Oneadatote and up to the walls of Crown Point itself.  And if your wish be the same as mine, Dagaeoga, we will follow on.”

“You know, Tayoga, that I wouldn’t think of anything else.”

“But the dangers grow thick as we approach Crown Point.”

“Not any thicker for me than for you.”

“To that I can make no reply.  Dagaeoga is always ready with words.”

“But while I want to go on, I’m not in favor of taking any needless risks.  I like to keep my scalp on top of my head, the place where it belongs, and so I bid you, Tayoga, use those keen eyes and ears of yours to the utmost.”