back, and, as soon as
Daganoweda and the Mohawks were gone, they started, bending their
course somewhat farther toward the south. At the ford of a river
twenty men with horses carrying food, ammunition and other supplies
were to meet them, and they reckoned that they could reach it by
midnight.

The men with the horses had been sent from another point, and it was
not thought then that there was any danger of French and Indian attack
before the junction was made, but the colonial authorities had
reckoned without the vigor and daring of St. Luc. Now the most cruel
fears assailed young Captain Colden, and Robert and the hunter could
not find much argument to remove them. It was possible that the second
force had been ambushed also, and, if so, it had certainly been
destroyed, being capable of no such resistance as that made by
Colden's men, and without the aid of the three friends and the
Mohawks. And if the supplies were gone the expedition would be
useless.

"Don't be downhearted about it, captain," said Willet. "You say
there's not a man in the party who knows anything about the
wilderness, and that they've got just enough woods sense to take them
to the ford. Well, that has its saving grace, because now and then,
the Lord seems to watch over fool men. The best of hunters are trapped
sometimes in the forest, when fellows who don't know a deer from a
beaver, go through 'em without harm."

"Then if there's any virtue in what you say we'll pray that these men
are the biggest fools who ever lived."

"Smoke! smoke again!" called Robert cheerily, pointing straight ahead.

Sure enough, that long dark thread appeared once more, now against the
western sky. Willet laughed.

"They're the biggest fools in the forest, just as you hoped, Captain,"
he said, "and they've taken no more harm than if they had built their
fires in a Philadelphia street. They've set themselves down for the
night, as peaceful and happy as you please. If that isn't the campfire
of your men with the pack horses then I'll eat my cap."

Captain Colden laughed, but it was the slightly hysterical laugh of
relief. He was bent upon doing his task, and, since the Lord had
carried him so far through a mighty danger, the disappointment of
losing the supplies would have been almost too much to bear.

"You're sure it's they, Mr. Willet?" he said.

"Of course. Didn't I tell you it wasn't possible for another such
party of fools to be here in the wilderness, a