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

by Joseph A. Altsheler

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE BOAT BUILDERS

  Robert and Grosvenor lay, side by side, propped up partly on theirelbows, their rifles thrust well forward, and watching toward thenorth. They were not able to see anything, save the dark outline ofthe forest, and a little puff of smoke rising where an Indian hadfired. The wilderness itself was absolutely still but Robert's vividimagination as usual peopled it thickly. Although his eye did notreach any human figure his mind pictured them everywhere, waitingpatiently for a chance at his comrades and himself. He, more thanany other of the five, realized the full extent of the danger. Hisextraordinary fancy pictured to him every possibility, and so hiscourage was all the greater, because he had the strength to face themwith a tranquil mind.

  A flash in the thicket and a bullet struck on a rock near Robert,glanced off and buried itself in a tree beyond them. He shivered alittle. Fancy pictured the bullet not as missing, but as hitting him.Then he steadied himself, and was as ready as Willet or Black Riflefor whatever might come.

  "I think that shot was fired by a sharpshooter who has crept forwardahead of the others," whispered the hunter. "He's lying behind thatlow bush to the west."

  "I'm of your mind about it," said Black Rifle. "As soon as he reloadshe'll chance another shot at where he thinks we're lying, and thatwill be his last."

  Robert heard the low words, and he shivered again a little. He couldnever grow used to the taking of human life, even in dire necessity.He knew that Willet had spoken the truth, and that the redsharpshooter would fire only one more shot. Soon he had the proof. Thesecond flash came from the same point. Again the bullet glanced amongthe rocks, but, before the report of the rifle died, another answered.It was that of the hunter and he found his mark. A cry came from thebush, followed by a fierce yell of anger from those farther back, andthen the sinister stillness settled again over the wilderness.

  "The Indian has gone!" whispered Grosvenor in an awed tone to Robert.

  "Yes, Dave fired at the flash, and he never misses. The cry showed it.But it will make the warriors all the more eager to take us."

  The silence lasted about a quarter of an hour, and then fire wasopened upon them from three sides, bullets singing over their heads,or spattering upon the rocks.

  "Lie flat, lads," commanded Willet. "This is random lead, and if wekeep close to the earth 'twill all pass us by. The warriors are seldomgood marksmen."

  But one of the bullets, glancing from a rock, nipped Black Rifle inthe shoulder. It was a very slight wound, though, and its only effectwas to make him more eager to reach his enemy. In a few minutes hischance came as he caught a glimpse of a dusky but incautious figureamong the trees, and, quick as a flash, drew trigger on it. There wasno cry, but he saw the shadowy figure go down, not to rise again, andthe fierce soul of Black Rifle was satisfied.

  Scattered shots were fired, after another silence, and a bullet grazedthe back of Grosvenor's hand, drawing a drop or two of blood. It stungfor a few moments, but, on the whole, he was proud of the little hurt.It was a badge of honor, and made him truly a member of this greatforest band. It also stimulated his zeal, and he became eager for ashot of his own. He watched intently and when the warriors fired againhe sent his bullet at the flash, as he had seen Willet and Black Rifledo. He did not know whether he had hit anything, but he hoped. Tayoga,who fired for the first time presently brought down a warrior, andRobert wounded another. But Willet and Black Rifle talked together inwhispers and they were anxious.

  "They won't try to rush us so long as we keep among the rocks," saidthe hunter. "They know now that we're good shots, but they'll hold ushere until day when their main force will come up and then we'll befinished."

  "It seems pretty certain that's their plan now," said the scout, "andbetween you and me, Dave, we've got to get away from here somehow.The moon has faded a bit, and that will help us a little. What do youthink, Tayoga?"

  "We did not escape other traps to remain here in this," replied theOnondaga. "We must take the chance and go."

  "In half an hour, perhaps. When the clouds floating up there get wellbefore the moon."

  Robert heard them distinctly and he glanced at the moon which wassteadily growing paler, while the shadows were deepening over theforest. Yet it was obvious that it would not become very dark, and thehalf hour of which Willet had spoken would probably measure the limitof the increase.

  "Can you hear them moving in the bush, Tayoga?" asked Willet.

  The Onondaga put his ear to the ground.

  "Only a light sound toward the north reaches me," he replied."Warriors there seem to be moving about. It may be that they havereceived more help. I think, Great Bear, that the time for us to go,if we go at all, is coming fast."

  Willet decided in a few minutes that it would not be any darker thanit was then; and, choosing a southern direction, he crept from therocks, the others following him in line, Tayoga as usual bringing upthe rear. They made a hundred yards in silence, and, then, at alow signal from the hunter, they sank down, almost flat, every onelistening for a sound from the besiegers. Only Tayoga was able to hearfaint noises to right and left.

  "They do not know yet that we have left the rocks," he whispered, "andthey are still watching that point. Manitou may carry us in safetybetween them."

  They were about to resume their painful creeping, when a half dozenrifles on their right flashed, and they dropped down again. But thebullets did not come their way, instead they rang among the rockswhich they had just left. Tayoga laughed softly.

  "They think we are still there," he whispered, "and they send muchlead against the inoffensive stone. The more the better for us."

  "I'm devoutly glad the rocks catch what is intended for us," saidGrosvenor, feeling intense relief. "How long do you think it will be,Tayoga, before I can stand up and walk like a man again?"

  "No one can answer that question," replied the Onondaga. "Butremember, Red Coat, that you are getting splendid practice in theart of going silently along a trail on a dark night. It is what everyforest runner must learn."

  Grosvenor in the dusk could not see the twinkle in Tayoga's eye,but, drawing upon fresh founts of courage and resolution, he settledhimself anew to his task. His elbows and knees ached and it wasdifficult to carry his rifle as he crawled along, but his ambition wasas high as ever, and he would not complain. The lone hoot of an owlcame from the point on the right, where one of the Indian groupslay, and it was promptly answered by a like sound from the left whereanother group was hidden.

  "I think they're beginning to suspect that we may have slipped away,"said Willet, "and they're talking to one another about it. Now they'llstalk the rocks to see, but that will take time, which we can usehandily. Come on, lads, we'll go as fast as possible."

  Curving around a small hill, Willet rose to his feet and the others,with intense relief, did likewise. Robert's and Grosvenor's jointswere young and elastic, and the stiffness quickly left them, butboth had done enough creeping and crawling for one night. All stoodlistening for a minute or two. They heard no more shots fired at therocks, but the two owls began to call again to each other.

  "Do you understand them, Tayoga?" asked Willet.

  "They talk the Huron language," replied the Onondaga, in his precisefashion, "that is, their signals are those used by the Hurons. Theyare asking each other what has happened at the rocks, and neither cantell. Their expression is that of doubt, impatience and worry. Theysay to each other: 'Those whom we believed we held in a trap may havebroken out of it. It will take time to see and also much peril if theyare still in the trap, because they can use their rifles well.' Weannoy them much, Great Bear."

  The big hunter chuckled.

  "I don't mind that," he said. "Their worries are not my worries. Ah,there they go again! What are they saying now, Tayoga?"

  "Their tone grows more anxious. You can tell what they feel by theexpression of the owl. Their fear that we may have stolen out of thetrap is increasing, but they cannot know unless they
go and see, andthen they may be creeping into the muzzles of our rifles. It is adifficult problem that we have given them to solve, Great Bear."

  "We'll leave it for 'em, lads. Now that we're on our feet we'll go atspeed."

  They walked very rapidly, but they stopped when they heard once morethe faint cries of the owls, now almost lost in the distance. Tayogainterpreted them.

  "They are cries of anger," he said. "They have discovered that we arenot in the rocks, and now they will look around for our trail, whichwill be hard to find in the darkness of the night."

  "And the thing for us to do is to keep on toward the south as hard aswe can."

  "So it would be, Great Bear, but others are coming up from the south,and we would go directly into their arms."

  "What do you mean, Tayoga?"

  "A number of men are advancing, and I think they are warriors."

  "Then we have merely slipped out of one trap to fall into another."

  "It is possible, Great Bear. It is also possible that those who comeare friends. Let me put my ear to the earth, which is the bringer ofsound. It is clear to me that those who walk toward us are warriors.White men would not tread so lightly. I do not think, Great Bear,that any force of the Indians who are allied with the French would becoming up from the south, and the chances are that these be friends."

  He sent forth the call of a bird, a beautiful, clear note, and it wasanswered instantly with a note as clear and as beautiful.

  "They are friends!" said Tayoga joyfully. "These be the Ganeagaono!"

  "Ganeagaono?" exclaimed Grosvenor.

  "Mohawks," explained Robert. "The Keepers of the Eastern Gate. Theleading warriors of the Six Nations and friends of ours. We are, intruth, in luck."

  Ten dusky figures came forward to meet them, and with great joy Robertrecognized in the leader the fierce young Mohawk chief, Daganoweda,who once before had come to their help in a crisis. But it was Tayogawho welcomed him first.

  "Daganoweda, of the clan of the Turtle, of the nation, Ganeagaono,of the great League of the Hodenosaunee, the sight of you is verypleasant to our eyes," he said.

  "Tayoga, of the clan of the Bear, of the Nation, Onondaga, of thegreat League of the Hodenosaunee, you are my brother and we are wellmet," the chief rejoined.

  They saluted each other and then Daganoweda greeted the others, allof whom were known to him of old save Grosvenor, but who was presentedduly in the ceremonious style loved by the Iroquois.

  "We are pursued by men of Tandakora," said Willet. "They are not faraway now. We do not wish to fight them because we would hasten belowwith a warning."

  The black eyes of the fierce Mohawk flashed.

  "Will the Great Bear give us his battle?" he said.

  He asked for it as if for a favor.

  "We usually fight our own quarrels through," replied Willet, "but asI said, duty calls us from here in haste. Then, since you wish it,Daganoweda, we pass the fight to you. But have you enough men?"

  "Ten Mohawks are enough to meet any wandering band of our enemies thatmay be in the woods," replied the young chief, proudly. "Let GreatBear and his friends go in peace. This fight is ours."

  Despite the dusk, Robert saw Daganoweda's eyes glisten. He thoroughlyunderstood the fierce soul of the young Mohawk chief, who would notlet such a brilliant opportunity for battle pass him.

  "Then farewell, Daganoweda," said Willet. "You have been a friend atthe right moment."

  He led again in the flight toward the south and the five saw the chiefand his warriors passing the other way sink into the dusk. Soon theyheard shots behind them and they knew that the Mohawks were engagedin battle with the Hurons and their friends. They sped on for a longtime, and when they stopped they were close to the shores of the lake,the water showing dimly through the trees.

  "I think we may rest easy for a while now," said Willet. "I'm certainnot one of those warriors was able to get by the Mohawks, and it'snot likely that an enemy is within several miles of us. Can you hearanything, Tayoga?"

  "Nothing," replied the Onondaga. "Tododaho, on his star, tells me thatwe have this part of the forest to ourselves."

  "That being so, we'll stay here a long time. Lads, you might unrollyour blankets and make the best of things."

  Grosvenor's blanket had not been taken from him when he was aprisoner, and it was still strapped on his back. He and Robert foundthe rest most welcome and they were not slow in wrapping the blanketsaround their bodies and making themselves comfortable. Without willingit, they fell asleep, but were awakened shortly after dawn.

  "See!" said Willet, pointing toward the south.

  A filmy trail of blue smoke rose across the clear, blue sky.

  "That, whatever it is," said the hunter, "is what St. Luc is advancingagainst, but in spite of all the risks we've run we'll be there intime to give warning."

  Robert looked with the deepest interest at the smoke, which was a longway off, but it seemed to rise from the lake's edge and he thoughtit must be a British or American post. It was at a most exposed anddangerous point, but his heart thrilled at Willet's words. Yes, inspite of every danger that had been thrown across their path, theywould be able to carry word in time.

  "We'll be there in half an hour, and we'll know what's going forward,"said Willet.

  "We'll know before then," said Grosvenor confidently. "Our marvelousIndian friend here will tell us when we're half way."

  Tayoga smiled, but said nothing, and they started again, Willet, asusual, leading, and the Onondaga bringing up the rear. The spire ofsmoke thickened and darkened, and, to Robert and Grosvenor, it seemedmost friendly and alluring. It appeared to rise from a little point ofland thrust into the lake but they could not yet see its base, owingto an intervening hill. Just before they reached the crest of the hillTayoga said:

  "Wait a moment, Great Bear. I think I hear a sound from the placewhere the smoke rises, and we may be able to tell what it means."

  They stopped promptly, and the Onondaga put his ear to the earth.

  "I hear the sounds very distinctly now," he said. "They are of a kindnot often occurring on these shores."

  "What are they?" asked Robert eagerly.

  "They are made by axes biting into wood. Many men are cutting downtrees."

  "They're building a fort, and they're in a hurry about it or theywould not be felling trees so early in the morning."

  "Your reasoning about the hurry is good, Dagaeoga. The white man willnot go into the forest with his ax at daybreak, unless the need ofhaste is great, but it is not a fort they build. Mingled with the fallof the axes I hear another note. It is a humming and a buzzing. It isheard in these forests much less often than the thud of the ax. Ah!I was in doubt at first, but I know it now! It is the sound made by agreat saw as it eats into the wood."

  "A saw mill, Tayoga!"

  "Yes, Dagaeoga, that is what it is, and now mind will tell us why itis here. The logs that the axes cut down are sawed in the mill. Thesaw would not be needed if the logs were to be used for building afort. The ax would do it all. The logs are being turned into planksand boards."

  "Which shows that they're being used for some purpose requiring muchfiner finish than the mere building of a fort."

  "Now the mind of Dagaeoga is working well. Great Bear and I have beenon the point where the new saw mill stands."

  "And the timber there is fine," interrupted Willet.

  "Just the kind that white men use when they build long boats fortraveling on the lakes, boats that will carry many men and armbandsupplies. We know that a great army of red coats is advancing. Itexpects to come up George and then probably to Champlain to meetMontcalm and to invade Canada. It is an army that will need hundredsof boats for such a purpose, and they must be built."

  "And they're building some of 'em right here on this point, beforeus!" exclaimed Robert.

  Tayoga smiled.

  "It is so," he said precisely. "There cannot be any doubt of it. A sawmill could not be here for any other purpo
se. But if we had not comeit would be destroyed or captured before night by St. Luc."

  "Come on, lads, and we'll soon be among 'em," said Willet.

  From the crest of a hill they looked down upon a scene of greatactivity. The sun was scarcely risen but more than fifty men were atwork on the forest with axes, and, at the very edge of the water, asaw mill was in active operation. Along the shore, where as many moretoiled, were boats finished and others in all stages of progress.Soldiers in uniform, rifles on shoulder, walked about.

  It was a pleasant sight, refreshing to the eyes of Robert andGrosvenor. Here were many men of their own race, and here were manyactivities, telling of great energy in the war. After so much perilin the forest they would be glad to be in the open and with their ownkind again.

  "Look, Robert," said Willet, "don't you know them?"

  "Know whom?" asked young Lennox.

  "The officers of this camp. The lads in the brave uniforms. If my eyesmake no mistake, and they don't make any, the fine, tall young fellowstanding at the edge of the water is our Philadelphia friend, CaptainColden."

  "Beyond a doubt it is, Dave, and right glad am I to see him, and theretoo is Wilton, the fighting Quaker, and Carson also. Why this is tobe, in truth, a reunion!"

  Willet put his hands to his mouth trumpet fashion, and uttered a long,piercing shout. Then the five advanced and marched into the campof their friends, where they received a welcome, amazed but full ofwarmth, Grosvenor, too, being made to feel at home.

  "Have you dropped from the skies?" asked Colden.

  "Scarcely that," replied Robert, laughing with pleasure, "but we'vebeen shot out of the forest, and very glad we are to be here. We'vecome to tell you also that we've been pursued by a strong French andIndian force, led by St. Luc himself, and that it will be upon youbefore nightfall."

  "And I, trained in my boyhood not to fight, will have to fight again,"said Wilton.

  "I know that none will do it better," said Robert.

  "But we will give you breakfast," said Colden, "and while you areeating I will put the camp in a posture of defense. We are herebuilding boats to be used by the army in its advance against Montcalm,and we didn't know that the enemy in force was south of Crown Point."

  There were several sheds and in one of these a most abundant breakfastwas served to them, including coffee and white bread, neither of whichthey had seen in a long time, and which were most welcome. While theyate, they saw the young Pennsylvania officers arranging their forceswith skill and rapidity.

  "They've learned a lot since we were with 'em that time at FortRefuge," said Robert.

  "They've had to learn," said Willet. "The forests in these times are ahard teacher, but they're bright and good boys, just the same. Nobodywould learn faster."

  "Even as Red Coat has learned to be a scout and to know the trail,"said Tayoga, "but he is not sorry to come among white men and to havegood food once more."

  "No, I'm not," said Grosvenor emphatically. "My ambition to be a finetrailer was high last night, and it's still with me, but I had enoughof creeping and crawling to last me a long time, and if we have tofight again I think I can fight better standing up."

  "We will have to fight again. Be sure of that," said Tayogadecisively.

  Before breakfast was over Colden came to them, and Robert told,in detail and with great vividness, all they had seen. The youngPhiladelphia captain's face became very grave.

  "It was you who warned us before Fort Refuge," he said, "and now youcome again. You helped us to success then, and you'll help us now.Even if your coming does bring news of danger I'll consider it a goodomen."

  "We'll be proud to stand in line with you once more," said Robert,although he felt that, with St. Luc in command, the attack of theFrench and Indians would be formidable. Colden would have availablefor battle between one hundred and fifty and two hundred men, aboutfifty of whom were soldiers. But all the others, the boat buildersand the rest, were capable fighters too. They could certainly make apowerful resistance even to the daring and skillful French Chevalier,and, with a certain number of boats finished, the lake also was opento them, in case retreat became necessary. Luckily, too, St. Luc hadno cannon. Courageous Captain Colden considered their situation farfrom desperate. There was hope too that Daganoweda and his Mohawksmight come, not only those he had with him in the night battle, butothers as well. The Mohawks, loving a combat, would not let go by sucha one as that now threatening.

  Willet rose from his breakfast and surveyed the position. There wereno real buildings, only sheds, the largest covering the saw mill, andthe others used for the protection of tools and of the men, when theyslept, against the weather. All the trees for a distance well beyondrifle shot had been cut away for timber, a lucky fact, as the hostileIndians could not now use them for ambush. Stout arms were throwingthe fallen trees into a long line of breastworks, and the placealready began to look like a fortified point. Willet's eyes glistened.

  "Although St. Luc beat us when we were with Rogers," he said, "Ithink we'll hold him here. We've certain advantages that will help usmightily."

  "Thanks to you and your comrades for bringing us such timely warning,"repeated Colden. "I'll confess that I did not suspect any enemy wasnearer than Champlain, and neither we nor our superiors at Albany havefeared an attack here."

  "It's sure to come," said Willet.

  Grosvenor, refreshed and reinvigorated, was taking an active sharein the preparations. He had smoothed and brushed his uniform withscrupulous care, and despite the great hardships through which hehad passed, looked once more neat and trim. He had returned to hisincarnation as a trim young British officer. Adaptable and liking theAmericans, equipped moreover with a certain experience of the border,he was at once on the best of terms with Colden, Wilton, Carson andthe others, and was, in truth, one of them. Wilton found him a beltand a small sword, which he buckled on, and which as a badge of officegave him a certain moral strength, making him in fact a thoroughlyhappy man that morning.

  Black Rifle, after food, had slid quietly into the forest to spy outthe enemy. Robert, flexible, vivid, his imagination always alive, waswith Tayoga, helping him with the breastworks, and keeping an eye atthe same time on the forest. The lake behind him stretched away, vast,peaceful and beautiful, but he seldom looked at it now. He did notanticipate danger that way. It would come through the woods.

  A gradual slope, hemmed in on either side by high cliffs and only afew hundred yards wide, led to the point on which the saw mill stood.St. Luc must approach by the slope. The cliffs were impossible, and,the longer he looked at it, the better Robert liked the position.Daring men such as Colden had could hold it against a much largerforce. Let St. Luc come, he would find a brave and ready defense.

  "Dagaeoga thinks we can hold the saw mill even against Sharp Sword,"said Tayoga.

  "How do you know I think it?"

  "Because it is printed on Dagaeoga's face. When Dagaeoga's fancy isalive, which is nearly all the time, his eyes speak and they tell onevery clearly what he thinks. His eyes say that the slope is narrow;St. Luc can come that way only; we have here more than one hundred andfifty good rifles; and in face of the storm of lead that we can sendagainst him he cannot rush us. That is what the eyes and face ofDagaeoga say."

  "You're right, Tayoga, that is what my brain thinks, though I didn'tknow it was printed on my face. But it's all the easier for you toread it, because you're probably thinking the same that I do."

  "I do, Dagaeoga. Since St. Luc is not able to effect a surprise, hehas a great task before him, though he will persist in it, because hewants to destroy our force and our boats also."

  But the morning passed without any demonstration from the forest.Many of the boat builders began to believe it was a false alarm, andmurmured at the continuous and hard labor on the breastworks, butColden, knowing that Willet and his friends were to be trustedimplicitly, held them to their tasks. The hunter also looked into thequestion of food supply and found it ample. They had brough
t much foodwith them from Albany and the forest had furnished much more. Therewas no occasion for alarm on that point, since the siege could not bea long one. Noon came and no sign of the enemy. Willet began to thinkthe attack would be postponed until night, as St. Luc doubtless hadlearned already that he could not carry the place by surprise. But herelied most upon the word of Black Rifle who had not yet returnedfrom the forest. The dark scout came back about the middle of theafternoon, and he told Colden and Willet that he had seen nothingof Daganoweda and his Mohawks, though there were indications in theforest that they had defeated the Hurons the night before. But St. LucWas at hand, not much more than a mile away, where he had pitched acamp. More French and Canadians had arrived and he now led a force ofat least five hundred men, the great majority of whom were warriors.He thought an attack would be made after dark, but in what form it wasimpossible to say.

  "Which means," said Colden, "that I must have sentinels who will neverrelax their vigilance."

  "Particularly as the night is going to be dark," said Willet. "There'sa haze over the lake now, and the sun will set in a mist."

  The twilight was heavy as he had predicted, and it was soon black onthe mountains and the lake. But within the camp fires were burning,throwing a cheerful light, and many guards were posted. Crude buteffective fortifications stretched all along the forest side of thecamp, and Willet, Black Rifle and Tayoga were among the stumps infront of them. No enemy would be able to hide there even in the night.Wagons in which they had brought their supplies were drawn up ina circle, and would form an inner line of defense. Robert was withGrosvenor and Wilton near the center of the camp.

  "Knowing the French and Indians as I now do," said Wilton, "I neverdoubt for an instant that an attack will come before morning. Myexperience at Fort Refuge is sufficient indication. It is strange thatI, who was reared not to believe in fighting, should now be compelledto do it all the time."

  "And while my profession is fighting," said Grosvenor, "I alwaysexpected to fight in the open fields of Europe and now I'm learning mytrade in the deep forests of North America, where it's quite anothersort of business. How long do you think it will be, Lennox, before wehear the owls hoot and the wolves bark?"

  Robert laughed.

  "We've had a lot of such signals in the last few days," he replied,"but in this country battles are not always opened with 'em. Still, Idare say we'll hear 'em."

  Out of the forest in front of them came a long, lonely hoot.

  "Speak of the owl and you hear his voice," said Wilton.

  "If Tayoga were here he could tell us exactly what that owl, who isno owl but an Indian, meant," said Grosvenor, "also the tribe of theIndian, his age, his complexion, what he had for supper, how he isfeeling and whether he is married or single. Oh, I assure you,Wilton, you needn't smile! I've seen the Onondaga do things much moremarvelous. Nothing short of trailing a bird through the air wouldreally test his wilderness powers."

  "I wasn't smiling at your belief, Grosvenor," said the young Quaker,"I was merely smiling at your earnestness. When you tell me anythingabout Tayoga's skill on the trail I shall believe it, I don't carewhat it is. I saw him do marvelous things when we were at FortRefuge."

  The owl ceased its melancholy cry, and no other sound came from theforest, while the camp waited, with as much patience as it couldmuster, for the attack.