e had believed a great flare would come at
once and that everybody would soon be in the thick of action, but
since young Washington had been defeated by Coulon de Villiers at the
Great Meadows the British Colonies had spent much time debating and
pulling in different directions. The union for which his eager soul
craved did not come, and the shadow of the French power in the north,
reinforced by innumerable savages, hung heavy and black over the
land. Every runner brought news of French activities. Rumor painted as
impregnable the fort they had built where two rivers uniting formed
the Ohio, and it was certain that many bands already ranged down in
the regions the English called their own.

Spring had lingered far into summer where they were, and the foliage
was not yet touched by heat. All the forest was in deep and heavy
green, hiding every object a hundred yards away, but from their
opening they saw a blue and speckless sky, which the three by and by
watched attentively, and with the same motive. Before the dark had
begun to come in the east they saw a thin dark line drawn slowly
across it, the trail of smoke. It might not have been noticed by eyes
less keen, but they understood at once that it was a signal. Robert
noted its drifting progress across the heavens, and then he said to
Willet:

"How far from here do you calculate the base of that smoke is, Dave?"

"A long distance, Robert. Several miles maybe. The fire, I've no
doubt, was kindled on top of a hill. It may be French speaking to
Indians, or Indians talking to Indians."

"And you don't think it's people of ours?"

"I'm sure it isn't. We've no hunters or runners in these parts, except
ourselves."

"And it's not Tandakora," said the Onondaga. "He must be much farther
away."

"But the signal may be intended for him," said the hunter. "It may be
carried to him by relays of smoke. I wish I could read that trail
across the sky."

"It's thinning out fast," said Robert. "You can hardly see it! and now
it's gone entirely!"

But the hunter continued to look thoughtfully at the sky, where the
smoke had been. He never underrated the activity of the French, and he
believed that a movement of importance, something the nature of which
they should discover was at hand.

"Lads," he said, "I expected an easy night of good sleep for all three
of us, but I'm thinking instead that we'd better take to the trail,
and travel toward the place where that smoke was start