t was provided with
seventeen cannons, besides some mortars and swivels.

The garrison numbered at this time something over two thousand; but
there were many sick amongst these, and sickness was inclined to
spread, to the grave anxiety of the commander.

Fourteen miles away to the south lay Fort Edward, and General Webb
was there with some fifteen hundred men. He had sent on as many men
as he felt able to spare some short time before, in response to an
appeal from Colonel Monro. Disquieting rumours of an advance from
Ticonderoga were every day coming to their ears. Summer was at its
height, and if a blow were to be struck, it would certainly be
soon.

A scouting party was sent out under the command of a certain
Colonel Parker, in order to learn the strength of the enemy and
what they were about. Three days passed in anxious suspense, and as
nothing was heard of the scouting party, Fritz begged leave to go
forth with a handful of men to look for them, promising not to
expose himself or them to danger. As he knew the forest so well,
and was an experienced Ranger, leave was quickly obtained, and
Pringle and Roche were permitted to be of the company.

They started with the first dawn of the summer's morning; but they
had not gone far before they came upon traces of their companions.
Fritz's quick eyes saw tracks in the forest which bespoke the near
neighbourhood of Indians, and this made them all proceed with great
caution. The tracks, however, were some days old, he thought, and
led away to the westward. At one spot he pointed out to his
companions certain indications which convinced him that a large
number of Indians had lately been lying there.

"Pray Heaven it has not been an ambush sent to outwit and overpower
our men!" he said. "What would those raw lads from New Jersey do if
suddenly confronted by a crew of yelling Indians? I trust I am no
coward myself, but the sound of that awful war whoop thrills me
still with a kind of horror; it has been the forerunner of many a
tragedy to the white man out in wildernesses such as this."

"I have heard it once," said Pringle, with an expressive gesture,
"and I could well wish never to hear it again, did not duty to King
and country drive me willingly forth to fight against these dusky
savages, who make of these fair lands a veritable hell upon earth.

"Hark! what is that?"

It was like the sound of a faint cry not so very far away. They
listened, and it was presently