lf, in which Hawkeye pointed out the presence of those
auxiliary regiments that had so recently left the Hudson in their
company. From the woods, a little farther to the south, rose numerous
dark and lurid smokes, that were easily to be distinguished from the
purer exhalations of the springs, and which the scout also showed to
Heyward, as evidences that the enemy lay in force in that direction.

But the spectacle which most concerned the young soldier was on the
western bank of the lake, though quite near to its southern termination.
On a strip of land, which appeared, from his stand, too narrow to
contain such an army, but which, in truth, extended many hundreds of
yards from the shores of the Horican to the base of the mountain, were
to be seen the white tents and military engines of an encampment of ten
thousand men. Batteries were already thrown up in their front, and even
while the spectators above them were looking down, with such different
emotions, on a scene which lay like a map beneath their feet, the roar
of artillery rose from the valley, and passed off in thundering echoes,
along the eastern hills.

"Morning is just touching them below," said the deliberate and musing
scout, "and the watchers have a mind to wake up the sleepers by the
sound of cannon. We are a few hours too late? Montcalm has already
filled the woods with his accursed Iroquois."

"The place is, indeed, invested," returned Duncan, "but is there no
expedient by which we may enter? capture in the works would be far
preferable to falling again into the hands of roving Indians."

"See!" exclaimed the scout, unconsciously directing the attention of
Cora to the quarters of her own father, "how that shot has made the
stones fly from the side of the commandant's house! Ay! these Frenchers
will pull it to pieces faster than it was put together, solid and thick
though it be."

"Heyward, I sicken at the sight of danger that I cannot share," said the
undaunted, but anxious daughter. "Let us go to Montcalm, and demand
admission: he dare not deny a child the boon."

"You would scarce find the tent of the Frenchman with the hair on your
head," said the blunt scout. "If I had but one of the thousand boats
which lie empty along that shore, it might be done. Ha! here will soon
be an end of the firing, for yonder comes a fog that will turn day to
night, and make an Indian arrow more dangerous than a moulded cannon.
Now, if you are equal to the work, and