Part 39 (2/2)
”'Twas a mistake,” said the hunter. ”They would have been our eyes and ears, where we needed eyes and ears most.”
”A warrior of my kin was among them,” said Tayoga. ”Word will fly north that an insult has been offered to the Hodenosaunee.”
”But,” said Willet, ”Colonel William Johnson will take a word of another kind. As you know, Tayoga, as I know, and, as all the nations of the Hodenosaunee know, Waraiyageh is their friend. He will speak to them no word that is not true. He will brush away all that web of craft, and cunning and cheating, spun by the Indian commissioners at Albany, and he will see that there is no infringement upon the rights of the great League.”
”Waraiyageh will do all that, if he can reach Mount Johnson in time,”
said Tayoga, ”but Onontio rises before the dawn, and he does not sleep until after midnight. He sings beautiful songs in the ears of the warriors, and the songs he sings seem to be true. Already the French and their allies have been victorious everywhere save at Fort Refuge, and they carry the trophies of triumph into Canada.”
”But the time for us to strike a great blow is at hand, Tayoga,” said Robert, who, with Grosvenor had been listening. ”Behold this splendid army! No such force was ever before sent into the American wilderness. When we take Fort Duquesne we shall hold the key to the whole Ohio country, and we shall turn it in the lock and fasten it against the Governor General of Canada and all his allies.”
”But the wilderness is mighty,” said Tayoga. ”Even the army of the great English king is small when it enters its depths.”
”On the other hand so is that of the enemy, much smaller than ours,”
said Grosvenor.
Soon after Croghan and his Indians left the camp a figure tall, dark and somber, followed by a dozen men wild of appearance and clad in hunter's garb, emerged from the forest and walked in silence toward General Braddock's tent. The regular soldiers stared at them in astonishment, but their dark leader took no notice. Robert uttered an exclamation of surprise and pleasure.
”Black Rifle!” he said.
”And who is Black Rifle?” asked Grosvenor.
”A great hunter and scout and a friend of mine. I'm glad he's here. The general can find many uses for Black Rifle and his men.”
He ran forward and greeted Black Rifle, who smiled one of his rare smiles at sight of the youth. Willet and Tayoga gave him the same warm welcome.
”What news, Black Rifle?” asked Robert.
”The French and Indians gather at Fort Duquesne to meet you. They are not in great force, but the wilderness will help them and the best of the French leaders are there.”
”Have you heard anything of St. Luc?” asked Robert.
”We met a Seneca runner who had seen him. The Senecas are not at war with the French, and the man talked with him a little, but the Frenchman didn't tell him anything. We think he was on the way to Fort Duquesne to join the other French leaders there.”
”Have you heard the names of any of these Frenchmen?”
”Besides St. Luc there's Beaujeu, Dumas, Ligneris and Contrecoeur who commands. French regulars and Canadian troops are in the fort, and the heathen are pouring in from the west and north.”
”Those are brave and skillful men,” said Willet, as he listened to the names of the French leaders who would oppose them. ”But 'twas good of you, Black Rifle, to come with these lads of yours to help us.”
After the men had enjoyed food and a little rest, they were taken into the great tent, where the general sat, Willet having procured the interview, and accompanying them. Robert waited near with Grosvenor and Tayoga, knowing how useful Black Rifle and his men could be to a wilderness expedition, and hoping that they would be thrown together in future service.
A quarter of an hour pa.s.sed, and then Black Rifle strode from the tent, his face dark as night. His men followed him, and, almost without a word, they left the camp, plunged into the forest and disappeared. Willet also came from the tent, crestfallen.
”What has happened, Dave?” asked Robert in astonishment.
”The worst. I suppose that when unlike meets unlike only trouble can come. I introduced Black Rifle and his men to General Braddock. They did not salute. They did not take off their caps in his presence,--not knowing, of course, that such things were done in armies. General Braddock rebuked them. I smoothed it all over as much as I could. Then he demanded what they wanted there, as a haughty giver of gifts would speak to a suppliant. Black Rifle said he and his men came to watch on the front and flanks of the army against Indian ambush, knowing how much it was needed. Braddock laughed and sneered. He said that an army such as his did not need to fear a few wandering Indians, and, in any event, it had eyes of its own to watch for itself. Black Rifle said he doubted it, that soldiers in the woods could seldom see anything but themselves. There was blame on both sides, but men like General Braddock and Black Rifle can't understand each other, they'll never understand each other, and, hot with wrath Black Rifle has taken his band and gone into the woods. Nor will he come back, and we need him! I tell you, Robert, we need him! We need him!”
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