The united bands of hunters and scouts fell back slowly, and for a long time.  Robert looked with interest at Rogers’ men.  They were the picked survivors of the wilderness, the forest champions, young mostly, lean, tough of muscle, darkened by wind and weather, ready to follow wherever their leader led, ready to risk their lives in any enterprise, no matter how reckless.  They affiliated readily with Willet’s own band, and were not at all averse to being overtaken by the Indian horde.

After dawn they met Tayoga returning with thirty-five men, rather more than they had expected, and also with the news that the train was making great speed in its flight.  Willet and Rogers looked over the seventy or more brave fellows, with glistening eyes, and Robert saw very well that, uplifted by their numbers, they were more than anxious for a third combat.  In an hour or so they found a place suitable for an ambush, a long ravine, lined and filled with thickets which the wagons evidently had crossed with difficulty, and here they took their stand, all of the force hidden among the bushes and weeds.  Robert, at the advice of Willet, lay down in a secure place and went to sleep.

“You’re young, lad,” he said, “and not as much seasoned in the bark as the rest of us who are older.  I’ll be sure to wake you when the battle begins, and then you’ll be so much the better for a nap that you’ll be a very Hercules in the combat.”

Robert, trained in wilderness ways, knew that it was best, and he closed his eyes without further ado.  When he opened them again it was because the hunter was shaking his shoulder, and he knew by the position of the sun that several hours had passed.

“Have they come?” he asked calmly.

“We’ve seen their skirmishers in the woods about two hundred yards away,” replied the hunter.  “I believe they suspect danger here merely because this is a place where danger is likely to be, but ’twill not keep them from attacking.  You can hold your rifle ready, lad, but you’ll have no use for it for a good quarter of an hour.  They’ll do a lot of scouting before they try to pass the ravine, but our fellows are happy in the knowledge that they’ll try to pass it.”

Robert suppressed as much as he could the excitement one was bound to feel at such a time, and ate a little venison to stay him for the combat, imitating the coolness and providence of Tayoga, who was also strengthening his body for the ordeal.

“About noon, isn’t it?” he asked of the Onondaga.

“A little after it,” Tayoga replied.

“When did they come up?”

“Just now.  I too have slept, although my sleep was shorter than yours.”

“Have you seen Tandakora or De Courcelles?”

“I caught one glimpse of Tandakora.  My bullet will carry far, but alas! it will not carry far enough to reach the Ojibway.  It is not the will of Tododaho that he should perish now.  As I have said, his day will come, though it is yet far away.”