How Canada Was Won: A Tale of Wolfe and Quebec

by F. S. Brereton

  Chapter X

  Steve and his Band of Scouts

  "The first thing that we have to do is to muster our forces and divideup the work," said Steve, when his party of trappers and hunters whowere to act as scouts had left Fort William Henry a mile or morebehind them. "Without organisation we shall be nowhere. We cannot liveout here and do good work unless we rest, and if we wish to live wemust not dream of resting all together. There would be a very sad taleto tell if we were so careless."

  He called gently to Jim and Mac, who happened to be in rear of him,and at a signal from the latter the band of scouts gathered abouttheir young leader, flitting noiselessly amongst the trees. As forSteve, looking tanned and weather-beaten, and as fine and independenta young leader as could well be found, he leaned against thelichen-covered trunk of a small oak, from which the leaves had longbeen shed, and kicked his snow-shoes from his feet.

  "Make yourselves easy, boys," he said. "We'll discuss matters."

  "One minute, Cap'n," answered Jim, shouldering his musket and facinground. "Now, boys, you ain't forgot what we've been talkin' about. Getinto yer places, jest to let the Cap'n see as you know what's wanted.Hem! Form line! Pete, you're a foot or two out in yer calculations.Jest hop back a piece; and Mac, didn't I tell yer back there in thefort that an old soljer such as you air should know better how torange up with the company?"

  Steve was amazed, and watched with a twinkle of amusement in hissteady eyes as the band of backwoodsmen shambled into line, a lineremarkable rather for its broken appearance and for its irregular gapsthan for regularity. For the lusty and courageous backwoodsmen whotill that day knew no master, who had fought and hunted in their ownmanner, without direction from any one, and more often than not withthemselves alone to look to for leadership and advice, had little orno notion of discipline. They scoffed at leaders as a general rule,and at formation of any description. And in consequence the argumentwhich had induced them at length to conform to Jim's wishes had waxedhot and furious.

  "We've been settin' our heads together, Cap'n," said Jim, as he ranhis eye down the ragged line of staunch backwoodsmen and scowledat Mac and a few others who did not show that amount of interestin the movement which pleased him. "We've seen what them chaps airlike way back at the fort, and we reckoned that after all a bit ofdiscipline air wanted. Yer see, supposin' we was called together allof a sudden, and them skunks of redskins war close handy, waal, ifwe hadn't any idea of order, where should we all be? Reckon the mostof us would be jawin' and tellin' the others what to do. Waal, thatain't the thing to keep scalps on our heads. We want to collect quickas a flash and wait for a command. Ef you don't happen to be handy,then me or Mac or Pete, jest in that order, ef it's agreeable to you,'ll take over the post of leader for the time, and there won't beno--no--what's the word boys?"

  "Confusion," suggested Steve quietly, suppressing the smile ofamusement which was on his lips and stepping into his snow-shoesagain. For all of a sudden he realized that these men who hadso willingly placed themselves under his command were serious,desperately serious, and meant to do their utmost to get even with theenemy and wrest back from him the possessions which they had lost.The fine fellows were ready to sacrifice some of their much-cherishedindependence with the one object of making success more assured. Heran his eye down the rank of stalwart trappers, and noted Jim's slimproportions, his tall, wiry figure. Then Mac's flaming red beardcaught his attention, and he looked with open approval at the sturdy,short figure of the Irishman, who stood at attention, his musket tothe shoulder, his eye fixed on his leader. A glance, in fact, wassufficient to show that he alone of the whole company present had hadsome experience of drill and discipline. There, too, was Pete, hisbulky figure bursting almost from his hunting shirt, his head and earsswathed in a huge coon-skin cap. Of the others, tall and short, slimor more sturdily built, there was not one who had not the appearanceof a hardy backwoodsman. There was a keen look in every face, and ifhe had not known it before, the manner in which this band had slippedfrom the fort that morning and made their way into the forest told himthat all were skilled in such work, that every man had had experienceand could be counted on to act with the stealth and cunning of theoldest Indians. Though all with the exception of Mac lounged on theirmuskets in the most unmilitary style, Steve felt gratified at thisthe first sign of some attention to discipline. He swept his eyealong the line again and let it rest on Silver Fox for the space of asecond. The Mohawk warrior stood behind the line of men, resting uponhis firearm, the fringes of his moccasins trailing into the snow athis feet. There was a look almost of scorn on his sharply-chiselledfeatures, a look which seemed to say that he of all the party thoughtsuch a movement unnecessary.

  "With men of my race such a thing is unnecessary, Hawk," he said inhis slow, gutteral tones. "With us there is a leader, and when dangercomes on the sudden the chirrup of a bird, the call of a wild cat, orthe screech of an owl brings all together. Then he who speaks is thechief. If others dare to open their lips they die. With these comradesother methods are wanted perhaps. If so they are good. These areall brave men, and are here to fight and not to play. Silver Fox issatisfied."

  "And I too," cried Steve, as he strode down the ranks and passed aword with every man. "Boys, you have done me the honour of acceptingme as your leader, and I will do my best for you. I think that we allhave the same cause for coming here. We have something to win backfrom the French and their Indians, and we have a king who asks forour help. I am glad to see that you are prepared to obey some sort ofdiscipline, for it will certainly help us in case we should ever getinto a tight place. It will be of service too when we are in action,and I for one have come here to fight, to do my best to drive back theFrench and their Indians."

  There was a general shuffling of snow-shoes at his words, a restlessmovement along the ragged line which told that the men approved. Hadregular soldiers been there they would have tossed their caps on totheir bayonets and cheered. But these backwoodsmen knew well that ashout might bring a hornet's nest about their ears, and more thanthat, custom had taught them to be taciturn as a rule, to be silentand thoughtful, given to deeds and not to words.

  "And we're all here to do the same," burst in Jim. "Reckon me and you,Cap'n, and every boy here, has a bone to clean with them 'ere French,and ef we hadn't er guessed as you would most likely show us somefightin', why----"

  "Sure ye know we'd not have been here," sang out Mac, his longfriendship with Steve and Jim overcoming all discipline. "But Hawk'llshow us the way, bhoys, and remimber, ivery one of ye, that tillwe can drive these men back to their own counthry there'll be nopeace for us, their murtherin' Indians will be rhunnin' over oursittlemints, and our wives and childer, God kape the darlints! will beback there where we've lift 'em, waitin' and longin' for their homes."

  There was a low growl from the ragged rank at that, and thebackwoodsmen instinctively gripped the barrels of their ponderousmuskets. There was now a stern look in their eyes, a look which bodedill for the enemy.

  "Then we are all agreed," sang out Steve. "Now for ways and means. Ipropose that we live out of the fort. Men there are dying daily frominfectious disease, while those who form the garrison have little todo but grumble. Let us take up our quarters out here in the forest. Weare used to roughing it, and know well how to provide against severeweather."

  "Seth Shorter! Where air yer, Seth? Ah, then step forward and speakup," sang out Jim at this moment. "Now, Cap'n, Seth here has been bornand brought up close to these lakes, and I reckon he'll know everyinch of the ground. Ef we're to live out in the forest, he's the boyto say where. As for livin' out, why we're all for that, for who'dwant to stay in there at the fort?"

  He pointed a contemptuous finger in the direction of Fort WilliamHenry where they had spent the previous night, and where even thatshort experience had taught them that life in the British strongholdwas not one altogether to be desired. For, as Steve had said, men diedfast from disease, while the hours hung terribly heavy for all whoforme
d the garrison.

  "Now, Seth, where air this camp of ours to be?" demanded Jim,slouching up to the sturdy backwoodsman who had been called upon, andslapping him upon the shoulder with his gloved hand. "Where air theplace, lad?"

  "Thar ain't a doubt where we should camp," came the ready answer."It's like this, Cap'n and mates. Here's Wood Creek running downfrom the foot of Lake Champlain, and alongside of it thar's Lake St.George, which is a good deal bigger. Waal, up thar, at the foot ofChamplain, there's Crown Point, one of them Frenchie's forts, andbelow that they've Ticonderoga building. Between Lake St. George andWood Creek thar's a tidy strip of land and wood, and ef thar's a placeas I know, why---"

  "You are acquainted with that," interrupted Steve, eagerly. "Well?"

  "Waal, thar's a bit of a stretch o' rocky ground at the foot of thatstrip o' land, and thar ain't a tree on it for quite a bit. Allround's forest, same as this, and then thar's the frozen lakes. Now,Cap'n, I've shot and trapped over that 'ere place scores o' times, andme and a mate once did a winter's outin' thar, trappin' and collectin'pelts. We was, as you might say, jest as this 'ere party air. We waslookin' for a campin' ground whar we could live in spite of weather,and whar we could have a show ef them red-skinned varmint comed along."

  "And yer found it?" asked Jim eagerly.

  "You bet. That thar rocky ground has got a kind of nose on it. Itkicks up into the air all of a sudden, jest a hundred feet perhaps,and right at the top it dips jest as sudden. That dip air about thesize to take this party, and with a few trees across the top anda lacing of reeds the snow'll lie and form a roof which looks asnatural--waal----"

  "As possible," suggested Steve.

  "Right, Cap'n. As natural as possible I reckon. From that ere place afew of us chaps could hold up a hundred and more of the varmint ef wehad a supply of victuals."

  "Then we'll make for it and inspect," said Steve promptly. "How far isit from the fort?"

  "A matter of five mile perhaps, mate, I mean Cap'n."

  "The same, my lad," laughed Steve. "We are all mates on this trail.But one word before we move. You are all more experienced than I am,and since you have decided to follow some sort of discipline, I willsay nothing more about it, but leave the matter to you alone. But oncewe have our quarters we will divide into watches, and select huntersand scouts. Now, Seth, just give us a lead."

  The trapper shuffled over the snow at once, his musket flung over hisshoulder, and without seeming to take note of his position strodeoff at right angles to the course which they had been following. Aspromptly his comrades divided into parties, which had been arranged byJim and Mac, and while some trailed off after Seth and Steve, othersmoved away like ghosts into the forests to act as flanking guards.And as Steve cast his eye to right and left he caught sight of theirfigures every now and again, silently flitting between the trees, eachman listening intently, noting every little sign, and still keepingin touch with the main party. Ten minutes later the hoot of an owlbrought the trappers together.

  "Thar's been redskins and Frenchies here," said one of the band, ashe pointed to a narrow track in the snow. "They passed last night, Ishould reckon."

  "And blazed a fresh trail," added Steve swiftly. "Look over there."

  His sharp eye had seen a white clip in the side of a tree somedistance away, and closer inspection and a little search showed thathe was not in error.

  "The Hawk has an eye of which the finest chief might be proud," saidSilver Fox. "These men passed in the afternoon of yesterday. Therewere ten of them."

  "And one was less accustomed to shoes than the others," said Steveswiftly. "He was a pale face."

  "He was. The Hawk can read the signs as I have already learned. Onewas a pale face, and he led. They went towards the fort, blazing a newtrack. They returned across the ice."

  There was an exclamation at that from some of the trappers who up tilllately had been unacquainted with Silver Fox. But Jim silenced thedoubts of his comrades promptly.

  "How's that, chief?" he asked in the Mohawk, which all the partyunderstood. "How did you get that reckonin'?"

  "Ask the Hawk," was the curt answer. "He read these signs, and he knewhow they returned."

  "It is easy to guess at their track back, but one cannot sayabsolutely for sure," smiled Steve. "Look at the tracks of their shoeshere, boys. Well, there are no return traces. Yesterday they made inthe direction of Fort William, and I guess that they were back attheir own quarters before night fell. Remember how cold it was and howit began to blow in the early afternoon."

  "It did that," exclaimed one of the men. "The snow was sweeping overthe ice on the lakes."

  "Just so, and the clouds of snow hid them well. They slipped from theforest on to the ice, and with the wind behind them were almost blownback home, while their traces were covered. Here, in the forest, wherethe full force of the wind was not so much felt, their tracks arepretty clear. They are home again, boys, and we can do nothing withthem to-day. But another time----"

  "We'll remember that they've blazed a path," said Jim curtly. "We'llset a watch on this place."

  Once more the band separated and plunged on through the silent forest,and within a little while they found themselves on rising ground whichfinally led up to a hollow, some fifty feet long, by twenty broad, andsome fifteen deep. Its opening faced directly north, in the directionof the French position, while its back was walled in by a mass ofrock and frozen earth. For roof it had the sky, now overcast andtreacherous-looking, save at the extreme rear, where a mass of snowwas supported by the branches of a fallen tree.

  "The only one as grew up thar," explained Seth, pointing to it. "Meand my mate felled it and dropped it inter position, whar it formeda roof over our heads. Now ef we was to do the same right along, andplace a wall in front, there'd be a fort ter be proud of, and room inplenty for every man."

  For some few minutes the members of the band closely inspected thehollow and its surroundings, Steve noting with much satisfaction thatthe slightly elevated position of the mound gave those who occupiedit a perfect watch-tower from which they could in clear weather seethe frozen surfaces of Lake St. George and Wood Creek, while the treesstood back so far that there was little or no cover for an attackingenemy. It was just the place for an armed camp, for it was withinreach of their friends, occupied an advanced position, and, owingto its nearness to Fort William Henry, could easily be victualled.For a little while he stood on the edge of the hollow staring out atthe wind-swept and dark frozen surface of the long lake to the left,known as St. George, and then at the still more slender strip to theright, Wood Creek, on the banks of which many a little skirmish hadtaken place between colonials and French Indians. _La petite guerre_,as the French named these conflicts, had been the order for many amonth past, for the enemy were bold, and too often their Indians and_coureurs de bois_ had pounced upon the colonials as they gatheredfirewood, or looked for food in the forests. Steve and his party, withsuch a commanding position, might well hope to put a stop to many ofthese unexpected attacks.

  "We have found the very place, Cap'n," exclaimed Jim, with someemphasis, as he stared around. "On a quiet night I reckon we couldeasily hear folks on the ice, and ef we was held up badly, why acharge of powder buried under the rocks and fired with a train wouldmake a boom as would come to the ears of those in the fort."

  "We'll occupy it and take possession at once," answered Steve readily."Call the men round."

  An hour later fourteen figures could be seen slouching away from themound across the snow in the direction of Fort William Henry, whiletheir comrades, with Steve, slipped their gloves from their fingers,and, slinging their muskets, made for the forest. A few words, infact, to these intensely practical men had set them in motion. Whilethree stood on the mound keeping a sharp look out, the others went todrag the longest boughs they could find in the forest, where hundredslay on the ground. Then the fourteen who had made back for the fortcarried a note from Steve asking for stores of every description.Indeed, as the night be
gan to fall this portion of Steve's followingcame trailing back, dragging an improvised sledge, on which they hadloaded cases of salted meat, dried bear's flesh, bacon, and beans,besides rum, lead, and an ample supply of powder.

  Meanwhile those who had remained had gathered a huge stock of boughs,and had easily contrived to place the longest across the top of thehollow. Others had been laid crosswise on these, and on the top of alla thick covering of brambles, reeds, and pine branches had been strewn.

  One of the backwoodsmen had detached himself from his fellows, andwhile they laboured at the roofing of their fort he had set to workwith knife and tomahawk. He was an expert, it seemed, for in a littlewhile he had a number of blocks of frozen snow collected at the verymouth of the hollow. And with these and a number of loose rockshe soon contrived to erect a rough fireplace, with a wide chimneyoverhanging it, which ran up the sloping back of the hollow, andfinally pushed its white top through the rough roof above. It was aneat job, and one to be proud of, and this trapper longed to see thechips which he had set in the grate below fired, and send long tonguesof flame up the chimney.

  "You'd have the hul howling lot of varmint round us in a jiffy,"growled Jim, as he watched the man lay the wood in the grate. "Reckonthet fire'll have to get started when it snows hard, and after that,when it's light, nothing but chips as dry as a bone'll have to getthrowed on it. Even then, thar ain't any sayin' as a redskin wouldn'tspot the smoke."

  "With care, it will be well," said Silver Fox, as Jim turned to him asif to ask for his decision. "See, my brother, behind the smoke therewill be the sky, and it is clear and white. If dry chips are usedthere will be a little white smoke perhaps, but none that is dark. Wecan keep fire within the fort once it has been set alight. Truly, youpale faces think of strange things. Where my brothers and I would haveset our wigwams in the thickest forest, there seeking protection fromthe snow and keen winter winds, you come hither and burrow like foxes.You make one big wigwam where we should have seen no opportunity ofdoing so, and as I look on and smoke you erect a fort which is strongagainst attack, which is a watch-tower from which you can see everyfoot of the lakes, and which also is a comfortable lair in which thefirelight can be seen, and where we may huddle about the warmth, andsmoke and think. Truly there is no understanding you men who have comeso strangely from over the water."

  The tall Indian brave wrapped his blanket still closer about hisfigure, and gazed out at the huge panorama stretched before him.There lay the glistening surface of the two lakes, now clad with icefrom end to end, and fringed all about by continuous forest, whichgrew up to the banks and cast there a deep shadow, which lookedblack against the white of the ice. And away in the distance thefaint reflection from another long expanse of frozen water, LakeChamplain, called after that famous Frenchman who had done so muchfor New France, and who had founded Quebec. It, too, was clad in agarment of white, snow hanging to the trees, and in the dull wintrygreen of the pines, which grew thickly there. For background therewas the blue haze of the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains, nowthe favourite haunt of thousands of holiday-seeking Americans. Andstill farther to the north, buried in the dull horizon and behind it,lay the Richelieu river, with its few forts, and its _seigneuries_,where the _gentilhommes_ of this new colony, the lately-constructednoblesse, sat in their palisaded houses watching as their _habitants_cooked their food or went a-hunting. Then it was that these noblessemight don doe-skin leggings, shirt, and moccasins, and clad in thethick fur coats, with hoods, worn by the Indians of Canada, and withthick mittens slung about their necks, might venture into the forestwith the _habitants_ and enjoy all the excitement of the chase. Yes,they could hunt and fight, but work, never! Each one was the seigneur,and the lords of Old and New France never blistered their palms nordirtied their fingers.

  "We're almost ready," said Steve, as he stood beside the tall SilverFox, staring out at the scene below. "What we want now is a wall ofsnow here in front. How are we to set about building it?"

  "It's as easy as fallin'," answered Jim at once. "Look up there,Cap'n."

  He pointed to the leaden sky above, and held his hand up for a minute.

  "Wind's from the north, Cap'n," he said, "and it's goin' to snow.To-morrow things'll be properly covered, and ef we jest build a wallof branches at the face of this nest, waal, it'll be covered afore themornin'. Reckon this place'll be lookin' jest natural when the lightcomes again."

  "Then set the men to work," cried Steve, hurrying off to where a pileof branches and small tree trunks had been dragged. "It will be darkin an hour, and if it is going to snow, as I can well believe, why, wemay just as well make all snug beforehand."

  Less than an hour later there was an erection of boughs and branchesagainst the face of the hollow, to which the finishing touches weregiven as the darkness fell. By then snowflakes were silently flittingto the ground, powdering the rough roof above the hollow, and restingupon the caps and shoulders of the trappers. A little later it wasdark, and through the flakes the distant twinkle of a dozen or morelights could be seen.

  "Ticonderoga," said Steve, as he sheltered his face from the snow."To-morrow we shall hope to know more about its position and about themovements of its garrison. Now, what about sentries?"

  "Reckon we can all turn in and be comfortable, Cap'n," answered Jimpromptly. "There ain't no need for look-outs to-night. The snow'llkeep every livin' soul under cover. It's coming thicker. See foryerself. The lights have gone, and the darkness is deeper."

  One by one the gallant little band crept into the cosy little nestwhich they had prepared, a strip of blanket being dropped over thesmall opening which had been left amongst the branches. Then pipeswere produced and filled, while the backwoodsman who had so diligentlybuilt fireplace and chimney, used flint and steel with a will, andwatched with all the pleasure of a child as the sparks caught hold andthe flames licked round the wood. Soon there was a bright blaze, whilesmoke soared up the chimney.

  "There ain't no red-skinned varmint as'll be able to see that, Ireckon," growled Jim, as he snatched a blazing ember from the fire andlit his pipe, passing the brand round the circle when he had finishedwith it. "It air snowin' hard, and the best brave livin' couldn't seemore'n a dozen yards. Get to work with supper, boys, then a yarn orso, and we'll put in the best sleep we've had for many a night past."

  Could the French commander at Ticonderoga have clambered to the top oftheir hollow and peered down at the band lounging below, he would havebeen more than a little disturbed. For the firelight which lit up thequaint quarters of Steve's command, was reflected from every face, andshowed a collection of trappers, every one of whom was a man indeed.They sat for the most part with their muskets close beside them, oracross their knees, for the habit had grown upon them these last fewmonths. And as they yarned, the tale falling now from this one, andthen from the lips of others of the band, stories of fierce borderfights came to the ear, stories which all knew to be true in everydetail. Wiry backwoodsmen recounted how they had left civilization tobecome pioneers in the wilderness, how fortune had smiled upon them,how the land had been cleared, the crops sown, the hut erected, andthe store of pelts increased, till the prospect for the future wasrosy. And then the French had come, they and their so-called ChristianIndians. Wives and children had been slaughtered, men had been slainand scalped, huts fired, and the future utterly wrecked. That was themoment when the forebodings of the French commander would have beengreatest, for every bronzed face below looked exceedingly grim anddetermined, while often enough there was a bitter word on the lips ofthose who had lost dear ones. Hands gripped the ponderous muskets,while fingers fidgeted about the flint locks or felt for powderpouches. Yes, these men had much with which to refresh their memories,and each and every one was determined to come to hand-grips with theFrench, and to fight till the day when the enemy was beaten and theyand their friends restored to their possessions.

  "Time to turn in," said Steve at last. "Boys, we'll take it in turnsto keep the fire going, and to-morrow we'
ll tell off a couple to actas cooks. Good-night! Let's hope we shall see something of the enemysoon."

  There was a chorus of good-nights, then blankets were produced, andvery soon the firelight showed only recumbent figures.

  "There's a sight for yer," was Jim's exclamation on the followingmorning, as he rose from his blanket and pushed his head through thenarrow outlet. "Ain't that a pictur?"

  Steve pressed past him and gave a cry of amazement, for though he knewthe forest well, and had seen many a winter, he had never looked onsuch a scene. Far and wide the country was white, and glistening inthe rays of a winter's sun. Trees and lakes and mountains all had thesame thick covering, save in a few odd places, where the green of thepines broke through, or where the snow had tumbled from the treetops.As for the lakes, they were a vast expanse of the whitest snow, laidout most wonderfully at their feet, a long expanse which stretchedup to the banks, clambered up the trees, and ran on over the forestunbroken. Unbroken? No, for suddenly Steve's arm shot out, and hepointed in the direction of Ticonderoga.

  "Critters," said Jim with a sniff of approval. "Injuns, I reckon, andthose are guns trailin' out behind 'em. Cap'n, it looks as ef theywar off on some expedition. There'll be two or three hundred of thefellers."

  It was true enough. Straggling across the surface of Lake St. Georgecame a small force of Indians and Frenchmen, while in rear traileda couple of guns mounted on sledges. The head of the expedition wasturned towards the foot of the lake, and, as it advanced, those wholooked could not be sure whether the force were intended for an attackupon Fort William Henry, or whether they were themselves the object ofthe enemy.

  "There can no longer be a doubt," said Steve, some ten minutes later."Those fellows must have seen us, or gained news of our coming. Theyare marching for this side of the lake, and before very long we shallhave their cannon playing on us. Call the boys."