call of the silver whistle. Then the forces in front of them vanished
suddenly, and not a rifle replied to their fire. French, Canadians and
Indians were gone, as completely as if they had never been, but, when
the Americans advanced a little farther, they saw the dead, whom St. Luc
had not found time to take away. Although the combat had been short, it
had been resolute and fierce, and it left its proofs behind.

"Here went Tandakora," said Tayoga. "His great footsteps are far apart,
which shows that he was running. Perhaps he hopes to lay an ambush later
on. The heart of the Ojibway was full of rage because he could not
withstand us."

"And I imagine that the heart of the Chevalier de St. Luc is also
heavy," said Robert. "He knows that General Amherst is bringing his
artillery with him. When I was at Ticonderoga last year and General
Abercrombie advanced, the French, considering the smallness of their
forces, were in doubt a long time about standing, and I know from what I
heard that they finally decided to defend the place because we did not
bring up our guns. We're making no such mistake now; we're not
underrating the enemy in that way. It's glorious, Dave, to come back
over the ground where you were beaten and retrieve your errors."

"So it is, Robert. We'll soon see this famous Ticonderoga again."

Robert's heart beat hard once more. All the country about him was
familiar. So much had been concentrated here, and now it seemed to him
that the climax was approaching. Many of the actors in last year's great
drama were now on another stage, but Bourlamaque and St. Luc were at
hand, and Tandakora had come too with his savages. He looked around it
the splendid landscape of lake and mountain and green forest, and the