Five or six boats, each crowded with men, started in pursuit, but they were fully half a mile behind when the two English boats reached the shore.

“Now it is our turn,” Rogers said, as the men, leaping ashore, took their places behind trees.  As soon as the French boats came within range, a steady fire was opened upon them.  Confusion was at once apparent among them.  Oars were seen to drop, and as the fire continued, the rowing ceased.  Another minute and the boats were turned, and were soon rowing out again into the lake.

“There’s the end of that,” Rogers said, “and a close shave it has been.

“Well, youngster, what do you think of your first scout in the woods?”

“It has been sharper than I bargained for,” James said, laughing, “and was pretty near being the last, as well as the first.  If it hadn’t been for your taking us to the boats, I don’t think many of us would have got back to Fort Henry to tell the tale.”

“There is generally some way out of a mess,” Rogers said, “if one does but think of it.  If I had not thought of the French boats, we should have scattered, and a few of us would have been overtaken, no doubt; but even an Indian cannot follow a single trail as fast as a man can run, and I reckon most of us would have carried our scalps back to camp.  Still, with the woods full of Iroquois they must have had some of us, and I hate losing a man if it can be helped.  We are well out of it.

“Now, lads, we had better be tramping.  There are a lot more bateaux coming out, and I expect, by the rowing, they are manned by Indians.  The redskin is a first-rate hand with the paddle, but is no good with an oar.”

The man who had been hit in the shoulder had already had his wound bandaged.  There was a minute’s consultation as to whether they should continue their journey in the boats, some of the men pointing out that they had proved themselves faster than their pursuers.

“That may be,” Rogers says; “but the Indians will land and follow along the shore, and will soon get ahead of us, for they can travel quicker than we can row, and, for aught we know, there may be a whole fleet of canoes higher up Lake George which would cut us off.  No, lads, the safest way is to keep on through the woods.”

The decision was received without question, and the party at once started at a swinging trot, which was kept up, with occasional intervals of walking, throughout the day.  At nightfall their course was changed, and, after journeying another two or three miles, a halt was called, for Rogers was sure that the Indians would abandon pursuit, when night came on without their having overtaken the fugitives.

Before daybreak the march was continued, and, in the afternoon, the party arrived at Fort William Henry.

James now determined to leave the force, and return at once to New York, where his letters were to be addressed to him.  He took with him a letter from General Johnson, speaking in the warmest tones of his conduct.