The Lords of the Wild A Story of the Old New York Border

uarter was comparatively small, but it was composed, nevertheless, of good men, the boat builders mostly, but all experienced with the rifle and under the direct

ed and the long wait had become hard upon t

"Perhaps St. Luc, seeing the strength of our position, will draw off

er shook

ill not use his strength alone, he will depend also upon wile and stratagem, against which we must

but don't walk into dange

e logs. Tayoga, Robert

nd I did not think he would go

e Englishman. "I know that swords don't belong on the trail, but t

tly. "I merely spoke of your sword to see what you woul

e of several hundred yards up the slope, and, a little distance from th

et?" asked

ps, but not a warrior has yet appeared. I suppose they know we'll

there. The night was now quite dark, the moon almost hidden, th

s?" said Grosvenor. "He'll he

plied Willet, "but we, in our turn, d

a put ear to earth, but it was a lon

ide the line of logs. Yes, they are warriors, all warriors, there is no jingle of metal such as the French have on their coats or belts, and they are going to t

Jumonville wanting also to

d the Onondaga, "and I think it includes both French and warriors. This

now hear the advance of the large force in front of them, and he wondered what could be St. Luc's p

r. Black Rifle stopped a moment or two at a stump, and then curved swiftly about it. A dusky figure sprang up, but the war cry was choked in the throat of the Huron, and then the knife, wielded by a powerful arm, flashed. Robert quickly

a few minutes," said Willet, "a

presently they heard a terrible cry of

grow used to such yells,"

n used to 'em ye

m had been fired at random. The warriors, aware that the chance of surprise had passed, were venting their wrath in n

said. "That'll be a warning. No

whoops, while bullets pattered on the stumps. Both Grosvenor and Robert were

d fallen," he said, "a

the saturnine Black Rifle. "Th

with the fierce whoops. Stout nerves even had good excuse for

ry but no att

ed at him a

ell the real rush from the pretended one. They won't try anything yet a while, but

ter man than his officer, and frequently told him so. Troops from the towns or the older settled regions seemed never to grow used to Indian methods of warfare. They walked again and again into the same sort of ambush. Now, t

t feel that way myself," he said. "The silence is certainly

most," said Robert. "Is any

Wilton, who had been wa

George look m

, and Wilton, Grosvenor and he walked through the cam

nticipate anything

our enemies, both French and Indians, are full of

, showing dimly through the dusk, but there was no threat in their dark wall. To south and north the surface melted in the darkness, but it too seemed friendly and protecting. Wilto

camp and they built the fires higher, the flames lighting up the tanned eager faces of the men and gleaming along the polished barre

force of St. Luc. But they had built a great fire of their own, and did not mean to

arkness was continually creeping closer to the shore. The high cliffs on the far side were lost to sigh

as friendly as it did

The war whoop rose and fell and rose again. Bullet

attack!" s

s," sai

im stay. Wilton's duty kept him there, though he chafed to be on the active side of the camp. The

" said Robert, "but they won't make a rush. St. Luc would never allow it. I

ake. Had the foe a fleet he might have expected an attack that way, but he

rifted off into the forest. Robert looked toward the stockade. Again it was his impulse to go, and again he stayed. There was a slight gurgling in the water almost at his feet, and a dark figure rose from the waves, followed in an instant by another, and then by many more. Robert,

red a piercing shout, and, drawing his pistol, he fired point blank at the first of the warriors. Wilton, who had f

cted if it had not been for Robert's keenness, but more of them came continually and they made a formidable attac

eel. Meanwhile the attack on the front redoubled. But here at the water's edge it was fiercest. Borderer met warrior, and now and then, locked in the arms of one another, they fell

gleamed, and the air echoed with fierce whoop of Indian and shout of borderer. And on the other side of the camp, too, the attack was now pressed with unrelenting vigor. The shrill call of a whistle showe

calm and resolute, he strode about among his men, handling his forces like the veteran that he had become, strengthening the weak points, applauding the dar

old 'em off, Tayoga?"

who was by

amp here, but this is not their spearhead. They expect to thrust through on the

n, have gone there. I think you judge aright abou

orce, they slipped away from the logs. It was easy to find such an opportunity as the camp was now full of smoke from th

nders it seemed that the lake spewed them forth continually, and that they would overwhelm with weight of numbers. Yet the gallant borderers would not give back, and encouraging o

hand, went up and down like a deadly flame. Soldiers and borderers came to the danger point, and the savages were borne back. Not one of them coming from the water was able to enter the ca

e the front door, is closed! That's the way! Good for you, Grosvenor! A sword is a deadly weapon when one knows how to use it! A wonder

n sudden and utter fashion. Springing into the water, and swimming with all their power, they disappeared in the heavy darkness which now hovered close to shore. Many of

l be more'n a match for you in the water.

e point near by, and the battle in front, as if by a preconcerted signal, also sank down

uch shouting and firing, made his pulses beat like the sound of drums in his ears. He held an empty pistol in his right hand, but he passed his left palm

," said Tayoga, calmly. "The

ld hardly believe it was real when I saw all

cess of emotion flung his sword from him. But

. The bodies of seventeen Indians who had fallen in the water attack were found and were consigned to the waves. Others, wit

were central figures, and they agreed that there was nothing to be done but to strengthen their log outworks and to practice eternal vigilance. Then they began to toil anew on the breastworks, strengthening them with fresh timber, of which, fortunately, they had a vast supply, as so much had been cut to be turned into boats. A doub

r the sheds or in the sawmill, and some, despite their injuries, fell asleep from exhaustion. Soldiers and borderers walked behin

the fires. Robert might have joined the sleepers, as he was detached from immediate duty, but his brain was still too much heated to admit it. Despite his experience and his knowledge that it could not be so

see that is so amu

ing myself for looking into the blackn

le, and we have been into the edge of the forest. Sharp Sword makes a big camp, and shows all the signs of intending t

r's edge, and help keep the watch

shocked by the grim battle, but he showed a brave front nevertheless. He had put on his military clo

t's not final. That St. Luc, whose name seems to inspire

come not a second time only, but a

We're supposed to have comman

ow of

d see only a few yards over the lake, and must depend there upon ear to warn them of a new attack that way. The fact added to their worries, but luckily Tayoga, with his amazing powers of hearing, joined them, es

ly know if they

did not relax their vigilance a particle, a

is almost dead now. The waves are running no longer. I he

ing, Tayoga,

it would come at once to the land. It contains only one man. How do I know, Red Coat? Because the canoe is so small. The stroke of the paddle is light and yet the canoe moves swiftly. A canoe heavy enough to hold two men could not be moved so fast without a stroke also heavy.

e do about

h, but more slowly. The man in it could locate our camp easily by the glow of the

et a bullet while we

s it his purpose here to shoot. He would rather spy upon us, without giving an alarm. Ah, the man has now stopped his southward journey, and is

think has hap

he has been alarmed. The spy thinks he is being spied upon, and doubtless he is right. He grows more and more uneasy. He moves again, he moves twice in an aimless fashion. Although we do not see him in the flesh, it is easy to tell that he is trying to pierce

hat, Tayoga?" e

ut stood tense and strained. His eyes, his whole

d the paddle into the water, and the canoe is drifting slowly away. No, I think some one is swimming to it. Ah, he is in the canoe now, and he has recovered the paddle! I hear the strokes, which are different from those made by the man who was in it before. They have a long

hand in a proud salute. He was truly a striking figure. The dusk enlarged him until he appeared gigantic. He was naked except for belt and breech cloth, and wate

ooking for you, but if we had taken thought ab

wk flashed and his figure

great force is pressing hard upon the white brothers of the

and you always come to it. Our people could have no truer, no brave

chief dilated. Obvio

nd and swell

" he said. "The warrior who wa

ting what he hears, followed your marvelous achievement and told us every step in its prog

he great League of the Hodenosaunee, is a great warrior, and

d his face did not move

e alone?" a

the chief, "and they await my signal. They have crept past the line of Sharp Swo

but he did not seem to expect any, standing at attention, every line o

ey come," said T

heads appeared through the mists and vapors. Then the Mohawks swam to land, carrying their rifles and am

ith an approving eye. "You are all here, and we fi

e are to welcome such sturdy help," said the voice of Will

od were given to the Mohawks, and they ate and warmed themselves by the fire. They were not many, bu

Grosvenor. "I admit one is tempted to stay awake that he may s

ame dark and gloomy, with the rain still dripping. A north wind had arisen, and high waves chased one another over the lake. There was

are aimed well. I think that Sharp Sword has selected all the best French and Canadian marksmen and has sent

. Not a head or a shoulder, not an arm could be exposed. Three men were killed, a dozen more were wounded, and the spirit of the garrison was visibly affe

already outside on one of his usual solitary but fierce man-hunts. All the men as soon as they left the breastworks lay almost flat on the wet ground, a