British regiments under
Halket and Dunbar, their numbers reinforced by Virginia volunteers,
and five hundred other Virginians, divided into nine companies. There
was a company of British sailors, too, and artillery, and hundreds of
wagons and baggage horses. Among the teamsters was a strong lad named
Daniel Boone destined to immortality as the most famous of all
pioneers.

Robert, Willet and Tayoga could have had horses to ride, but against
the protests of Grosvenor and their other new English friends they
declined them. They knew that they could scout along the flanks of an
army far better on foot.

"In one way," said Willet, to Grosvenor, "we three, Robert, Tayoga and
I, are going back home. The lads, at least have spent the greater
part of their lives in the forest, and to me it has given a kindly
welcome for these many years. It may look inhospitable to you who come
from a country of roads and open fields, but it's not so to us. We
know its ways. We can find shelter where you would see none, and it
offers food to us, where you would starve, and you're a young man of
intelligence too."

"At least I can see its beauty," laughed Grosvenor, as he looked upon
the great green wilderness, stretching away and away to the far blue
hills. "In truth 'tis a great and romantic adventure to go with a
force like ours into an unknown country of such majestic quality."

He looked with a kindling eye from the wilderness back to the army,
the greatest that had yet been gathered in the forest, the red coats
of the soldiers gleaming now in the spring sunshine, and the air
resounding with whips as the teamsters started their trains.

"A great force! A grand force!" said Robert, catching his
enthusiasm. "The French and Indians can't stand before it!"

"How far is Fort Duquesne?" asked Grosvenor.

"In the extreme western part of the province of Pennsylvania, many
days' march from here. At least, we claim that it's in Pennsylvania
province, although the French assert it's on their soil, and they have
possession. But it's in the Ohio country, because the waters there
flow westward, the Alleghany and Monongahela joining at the fort and
forming the great Ohio."

"And so we shall see much of the wilderness. Well, I'm not sorry,
Lennox. 'Twill be something to talk about in England. I don't think
they realize there the vastness and magnificence of the colonies."

That day a trader named Croghan brought about fifty Indian warriors to