?"

"But they must depend chiefly on the Indians!"

"Even so. They won't let the Indians run away either. We're bound to
have some kind of a battle somewhere, though we ought to win."

"Do you know the general's plans for tomorrow?"

"We're to start at dawn. We'll cross the Monongahela for the second
time about noon, or a little later, and then, if the French and
Indians have run away, as you seemed a little while ago to believe
they would, we'll proceed, colors flying into the fort."

"If the enemy makes a stand I should think it would be at the ford."

"Seems likely."

"Come! Come, Dave! Be cheerful. If they meet us at the ford or
anywhere else we'll brush 'em aside. That big body of French regulars
from Canada hasn't come--we know that--and there isn't force enough in
Duquesne to withstand us."

Willet did not say anything more, but his steps were not at all
buoyant as they walked back toward the camp. Robert, lying on a
blanket, slept soundly before one of the fires, but awoke at dawn, and
took breakfast with Willet, Tayoga, Grosvenor and the two young
Virginians, Stuart and Cabell.

"We'll be in Duquesne tonight," said the sanguine Stuart.

"In very truth we will," said the equally confident Grosvenor.

The dawn came clear and brilliant, and the army advanced, to the music
of a fine band. The light cavalry led the way, then came a detachment
of sailors who had been loaned by Admiral Keppel, followed by the
English regulars in red and the Virginians in blue. Behind them came
the cannon, the packhorses, and all the elements that make up the
train of an army.

It was a gay and inspiriting sight, especially so to youth, and
Robert's heart thrilled as he looked. The hour of triumph had come at
last. Away with the forebodings of Willet! Here was the might of
England and the colonies, and, brave and cunning as St. Luc and
Beaujeu and the other Frenchmen might be their bravery and cunning
would avail them nothing.

They marched on all the morning, a long and brilliant line of red and
blue and brown, and nothing happened. The forest on either side of
them was still silent and tenantless, and they expected in a few more
hours to see the fort they had come so far to take. The heavens
themselves were propitious. Only little white clouds were to be seen
in the sky of dazzling blue, and the green forest, stirred by a gentle
wind, waved its boughs at them in friendly fashion.

About noon they approached the rive