couts, roamed as they
pleased, and, even on foot, their pace being so much greater than that
of the army, they often went far ahead in the night seeking traces of
the enemy. Now, although the march was not resisted, they saw
unmistakable signs that it was watched. They found trails of small
Indian bands and several soldiers who straggled into the forest were
killed and scalped. Braddock was enraged but not alarmed. The army
would brush away these flies and proceed to the achievement of its
object, the capture of Fort Duquesne. The soldiers from England
shuddered at the sight of their scalped comrades. It was a new form
of war to them, and very ghastly.

Robert, Tayoga and Willet were the best scouts and the regular
officers soon learned to rely on them. Grosvenor often begged to go
with them, but they laughingly refused.

"We don't claim to be of special excellence ourselves, Grosvenor,"
said Robert, "but such work needs a very long training. One, so to
speak, must be born to it, and to be born to it you have to be born in
this country, and not in England."

It was about the close of June and they had been nearly three weeks on
the way when the three, scouting on a moonlight night, struck a trail
larger than usual. Tayoga reckoned that it had been made by at least a
dozen warriors, and Willet agreed with him.

"And behold the trace of the big moccasin, Great Bear," said the
Onondaga, pointing to a faint impression among the leaves. "It is very
large, and it turns in much. We do not see it for the first time."

"Tandakora," said Willet.

"It can be none other."

"We shouldn't be surprised at seeing it. The Ojibway, like a wolf,
will rush to the place of killing."

"I am not surprised, Great Bear. It is strange, perhaps, that we have
not seen his footsteps before. No doubt he has looked many times upon
the marching army."

"Since Tandakora is here, probably leading the Indian scouts, we'll
have to take every precaution ourselves. I like my scalp, and I like
for it to remain where it has grown, on the top of my head."

They moved now with the most extreme care, always keeping under cover
of bushes, and never making any sound as they walked, but the army
kept on steadily in the road cut for it by the axmen. Encounters
between the flankers and small bands still occurred, but there was yet
no sign of serious resistance, and the fort was drawing nearer and
nearer.

"I've no doubt the French commander will abando