t the provinces had
been roused at last out of their lethargy, and had pledged
themselves to some active effort to check French aggression; yet
weeks were slipping by, one after the other, and no help of any
consequence came to the army on the outskirts. No command reached
the eager soldiers for a blow to be struck there, as had been
confidently expected.

Perhaps the French might be better informed as to what was going on
in other parts of the great continent, and so prisoners were wanted
more urgently than ever.

At midday upon a steamy midsummer day, one of the young Rangers who
had been wandering about near to the camp in search of game came
back with cautious haste to report that he had seen a small party
of French leaving the fort by the water gate, cross the narrow
waterway, and plunge into the forest. He had observed the direction
taken, and thought they could easily surround and cut them off. He
did not think there were more than six in the party; probably they
were out hunting, unconscious of the proximity of any foe.

Stark was on his feet in a second. This was just the chance for the
Rangers. Seizing their arms and hastily conferring together, they
laid their plans, and then divided themselves into three companies
of three, planning to fetch a circuit, keep under cover, and thus
surround the little company, who would believe themselves entirely
overmatched, and some of whom would surrender at discretion, if
they did not all do so.

Stark, Fritz, and Charles remained together, taking a certain path
as agreed upon. They crept like Indians through the wood. Hardly
the breaking of a branch betrayed their movements. In Charles's
eyes the slumbering fire leaped into life. He always lived in the
hope of again meeting his foe face to face. He knew that he was
probably within the walls of Ticonderoga. Any day might bring them
face to face once more.

Softly and cautiously they crept through the brushwood. Stark had
made a sign of extra caution, for some nameless instinct seemed to
have told him that they were near the quarry now. He paused a
moment, held up his hand as if in warning; and at that instant
there suddenly arose from the heart of the wood the unwonted sound
of a sweet, fresh girl's voice raised in a little French song!

The men looked at one another in amaze. Were their ears deceiving
them? But no; the trilling notes came nearer. Involuntarily they
pressed forward a few paces, and then came to a