bleeding himself from two slight wounds,
but he paid no attention to them. The need to flee pierced his soul, but
he saw that it must be done, else all the rangers would be destroyed, and,
while he still hesitated a moment or two, the silver whistle of St. Luc,
urging on a fresh and greater attack, rose above all the sounds of combat.
Then he knew that he must wait no longer, and he gave the command for
ordered flight.

Not more than half of the rangers escaped from that terrible converging
attack. St. Luc's triumph was complete. He had won full revenge for his
defeat by Andiatarocte, and he pushed the pursuit with so much energy and
skill that Rogers bade the surviving rangers scatter in the wilderness to
reassemble again, after their fashion, far to the south.

Black Rifle remained with the leader, but Robert, Tayoga and Willet
continued their flight together, not stopping until night, when they were
safe from pursuit. As the three went southward through the deep forest,
they saw many trails that they knew to be those of hostile Indians, and
nowhere did they find a sign of a friend. All the wilderness seemed to have
become the country of the enemy. When they looked once more from the lofty
shores upon the vivid waters of George, they beheld canoes, but as they
watched they discovered that they were those of the foe. A terrible fear
clutched at their hearts, a fear that Montcalm, like St. Luc, had struck
already.

"The tide of battle has flowed south of us," said Tayoga. "All that we find
in the forest proclaims it."

"I would you were not right, Tayoga," said the hunter, "but I fear you
are."

They came the next day to the trail of a great army, soldiers and cannon.
Night overtook them while they were still near the shores of Lake George,
following the road, left by the French and Indian host as it had advanced
south, and the three, wearied by their long flight, drew back into the
dense thickets for rest. The darkness had come on thicker and heavier than
usual, and they were glad of it, as they were well hidden in its dusky
folds, and they wished to rest without apprehension.

They had food with them which they ate, and then they wrapped their
blankets about their bodies, because a wind was coming from the lake, and
its touch was damp. Clouds also covered all the skies, and, before long, a
thin, drizzling rain fell. They would have been cold, and, in time, wet to
the bone, but the blankets were sufficient to pr