t as good. For a half hour the combat
was waged in the deep thickets, mere glimpses serving for aim, but the
combatants were as fierce and tenacious as if the issue were joined
by great armies. Four warriors fell, Willet's band suffered only a few
scratches, and then, at a signal from him, they melted away into the
woods, curved about again, and took up the return journey toward their
own force.

"We did enough," said Willet, when he was sure they were not pursued
by Tandakora. "All we wanted to do was to sting the Ojibway and not to
let him forget that those who ambush may be ambushed. He'll be fairly
burning with anger."

"How are you feeling, Red Coat?" asked Tayoga.

"As well as could be expected after such an experience," replied
Grosvenor with pride. But the young Englishman was very sober, too.
A warrior had fallen before his rifle, and, with the heat of battle
over, he was very thoughtful.

CHAPTER XII

THE FRENCH CAMP

They returned to the camp without further event. Colden and Strong
were gratified to learn that the retreat of St. Luc was real, and that
he was certainly going toward Champlain, with the obvious intention of
joining Montcalm.

"We owe you a great debt of gratitude, Colonel," said the young
officer, frankly, to Elihu Strong. "If you had not come I don't think
we could have held out against St. Luc."

"We did the best we could," replied Elihu Strong. "If the Governor and
Legislature of Massachusetts had done their full duty we'd have been
here earlier, with twice as many men and guns, but as it is we did our
best, and man can do no more."

They decided that they would hold the point and await the coming of
the great army under Abercrombie which was to crush Montcalm. The
outworks were built higher and stronger and the brass cannon were
mounted upon them at points, where they could sweep the forest. These
fine twelve-pounders were sources of much moral courage and added
greatly to the spirits of the troops. They had shown their power at
the forcing of the ford and at the taking of the ridge, and their
brazen mouths, menacing the forest, looked well.

Willet and his comrades considered it their duty to stay there also,
and wait for Abercrombie, and, the third day after the retreat of St.
Luc, Robert and Tayoga went into the woods to see whether Tandakora
had turned back again with his warriors. They reckoned that the
Ojibway chief's anger was so strong that he would make anothe