“But if he cannot help us, it is much to have stout-hearted friends come unexpectedly to our aid.  Have you seen fighting, friends? or are you like the bulk of our men—­inured to toil and hardship, full of zeal and courage, ready to wield any and every weapon in defence of property, or against the treacherous Indian?”

“Something like that,” answered Stark; “but we can all claim to be good marksmen, and to have good weapons with us.  Our rifles carry far, and we seldom miss the quarry.  I will answer for us that we stand firm, and that we come not behind your soldiers in steadiness, nor in the use of arms at close quarters.”

“That I can well believe,” answered the Colonel, with a smile; “I have but a score of men who have been trained in the school of arms.  The rest were but raw recruits a few months ago, and many of them have little love of fighting, though they seek to do their duty.

“Well, well, we must not sit up all night talking.  We have a hard day’s march before us tomorrow, and we must needs make all the speed we can.  Indian scouts might discover our camp at any moment, and our only chance is to fall upon the Indian town unawares.  They do not look for attack in the winter months—­that is our best protection from spies.  And so far I think we have escaped notice.  But it may not last, and we must be wary.  We will sleep till dawn, but with the first of the daylight we must be moving.  The way is long, but we have some good guides who know the best tracks.  We ought to reach the town soon after nightfall; and when all are sleeping in fancied security, we will fall upon them.”

The Rangers were glad enough of the few hours of sleep which they were able to obtain, and it was luxury to them to sleep beneath a roof, and to be served the next morning with breakfast which they had not had to kill and cook themselves.

The men were in good spirits, too.  The arrival of the little body of Rangers had encouraged them; and as the company marched through the forest, generally in single file, the newcomers scattered themselves amongst the larger body, and talked to them of what was going forward in the eastern districts, and how, after long delay, reinforcements were being prepared to come to the aid of the hapless settlers.

That was cheering news for all, and it put new heart into the band.  They marched along cheerily, although cautiously, for they knew not what black scouts might be lurking in the thickets; and if the Indians once got wind of their coming, there would be little hope of successful attack.

On and on they marched all through the keen winter air, which gave them fine appetites for their meals when they paused to rest and refresh themselves, but made walking easier than when the sun beat down pitilessly upon them in the summer.  There had been no heavy snow as yet, and the track was not hard to find.  But the way was longer than had been anticipated, and night had long closed in before they caught a glimpse of any settlement, although they knew they must be drawing near.