astir. The men lay down in their clothes,
wrapping a buffalo robe about them for warmth. In a few seconds all
were aroused, strapping their blankets upon their shoulders and
seizing their weapons.

"What have you heard, Charles, and where?" asked Stark and Fritz in
a breath as they ran up.

"Yonder, yonder!" cried Charles, pointing in a northwesterly
direction; "it is a fight on the ice. It is not far away. The
Indians are attacking white men--English men. I hear their cries
and their shoutings. Hark--there is shooting, too! Come, follow me,
and I will take you there. There is work for the Rangers tonight!"

Yes, it was true. They could all hear the sound of shots. What had
gone before had only reached the ears of Charles; but the report of
firearms carried far. In three minutes the bold little company had
started at a brisk run through the snow-covered forest, getting
quickly into the long swing of their snowshoes, and skimming over
the ground at an inconceivably rapid pace, considering the nature
of the ground traversed.

All at once the forest opened before them. They came out upon its
farthest fringe; and below them lay, white and bare, and sparkling
in the moonlight, the frozen, snow-laden plateau of the lake.

It was a weirdly beautiful scene which lay spread like a panorama
before them in the winter moonlight; but they had no time to think
of that now. All eyes were fixed upon the stirring scene enacted in
the middle of the lake, or at least well out upon its frozen
surface, where a band of resolute men, sheltering themselves behind
a few sledges, which made them a sort of rampart, were firing
steadily, volley after volley, at a band of leaping, yelling
Indians who had partially surrounded them, and who were slowly but
steadily advancing, despite their heavy loss, returning the fire of
the defendants, though by no means so steadily and regularly, and
whooping and yelling with a fearful ferocity.

It was easy to see, even by the moonlight alone, that the men
behind the sledges were white men. A sudden enthusiasm and
excitement possessed our little band of Rangers as this sight burst
upon them, and Stark gave the instant word:

"Steady, men, but lose not a moment. Form two lines, and rush them
from behind. Reserve your fire till I give the word. Then let them
have it hot, and close upon them from behind. When they find
themselves between two fires, they will think themselves trapped.
They will scatter li