Within five minutes Willet, who was about a hundred yards away, uttered a low whistle, which drew to him Robert, Tayoga and others, and then he passed the word by them to the whole line to withdraw swiftly, but in absolute silence, knowing that the longer Tandakora and De Courcelles thought the defenders were in their immediate front the better it was for their purpose.  Seven of the thirty were wounded, but not one of them was put out of the combat.  Their hurts merely stung them to renewed energy, and lighted higher in them the fire of battle.

Under the firm leadership of Willet they retreated as a group, wholly without noise, vanishing in the thickets, and following fast on the tracks left by the wagons.  When the sun rose they stopped and Tayoga went back to see if the Indian host was yet coming.  He returned in an hour saying there was no indication of pursuit, and Robert exulted.

“We’ve come away, and yet we are still there!” he exclaimed.

“What do you mean?” asked Willet.

“We abandoned our position, but we left the great illusion there for the warriors.  They think we’re still before ’em and so long as that illusion lasts it will hold ’em.  So you see, Dave, an illusion is often fully as good as reality.”

“It may be for a little while, but it doesn’t last as long.  Within another hour Tandakora and De Courcelles will surely find out that we’ve gone, and then, raging mad, they’ll come on our trail.”

“And we’ll meet ’em with a second stand, I suppose?”

“If we can find a good place for defense.”

One of the men, Oldham, who had been sent ahead, soon returned with news that the train had crossed a deep creek with rather high banks.

“It was a hard ford,” he said, “but I followed the trail some distance on the other side, and they seem to have made the passage without any bad accident.”

“Was the far bank of the creek thick with forest?” asked Willet.

“Trees and undergrowth are mighty dense there,” replied Oldham.

“Then that’s the place for our second stand.  If we can hold the creek against ’em for three or four hours more it will be another tremendous advantage gained.  With high banks and the woods and thickets on ’em so dense, we ought to create what Robert would call a second illusion.”

“We will!” exclaimed Robert.  “We can do it!”

“At least, we’ll try,” said Willet, and he led the little force at speed toward the creek.

CHAPTER IV

A FOREST CONCERT

The deep creek with its high banks and interwoven forest and thickets on the other side formed an excellent second line of defense, and Willet, with the instinct of a true commander, made the most of it, again posting his men at wide intervals until they covered a distance of several hundred yards, at the same time instructing them to conceal themselves carefully, and let the enemy make the first move.  He allowed Robert and Tayoga to remain together, knowing they were at their best when partners.