rs of their leaders they held their fire until they were near the
camp, when nearly a hundred rifles spoke together in one fierce and
tremendous report.

St. Luc's sentinels and skirmishers were driven back in a minute or two,
many of them falling, but his main force lay along a low ridge, timbered
well, and from its shelter his men, French and Indians, sent in a rapid
fire. Although taken by surprise and suffering severely in the first
rush, they were able to stem the onset of the rangers and Mohawks, and
soon they were uttering fierce and defiant cries, while their bullets
came in showers. The rangers and Mohawks also took to cover, and the
battle of the night and the wilderness was on.

Robert pulled Tayoga down, and the two lay behind a fallen log, where
they listened to the whining of an occasional bullet over their heads.

"We may win," said the Onondaga gravely, "but we will not win so easily.
One cannot surprise Sharp Sword (St. Luc) wholly. You may attack when he
is not expecting it, but even then he will make ready for you."

"That's true," said Robert, and he felt a curious and contradictory
thrill of pleasure as he listened to Tayoga. "It's not possible to take
the Chevalier in a trap."

"No, Dagaeoga, it is not. I wish, for the sake of our success, that some
other than he was the leader of the enemy, but Manitou has willed that
my wish should not come true. Do you not think the dark shadow passing
just then on the ridge was Tandakora?"

"The size indicated to me the Ojibway, and I was about to seize my rifle
and fire, but it's too far for a shot with any certainty. I think our
men on the horns of the crescent are driving them in somewhat."

"The shifting of the firing would prove that it is so, Dagaeoga. Our
sharpshooting is much better than theirs, and in time we will push them
down to the lake. But look at Black Rifle! See how he craves the
battle!"

The swart ranger, lying almost flat on the ground, was creeping forward,
inch by inch, and as Robert glanced at him he fired, a savage in the
opposing force uttering his death yell. The ranger uttered a shout of
triumph, and, shifting his position, sought another shot, his dark body
drawn among the leaves and grass like that of some fierce wild animal.
He fired a second time, repeated his triumphant shout and then his
sliding body passed out of sight among the bushes.

Both Rogers and Willet soon joined Robert and Tayoga behind the logs
where they h