“Have I not already promised it?” was the answer.
It was soon arranged that they should move upon the French in secret, the English on the right, the Indians on the left. This done Washington called his men together and made them a brief address.
“The enemy is just ahead,” he said. “We are going to attack and the Indians are going to help us. I expect every soldier to do his duty. Forward now, and make no noise;” and away moved the little body, into the forest again.
Step by step the militia drew closer to the French camp until the cabins in the hollow were plainly to be seen. The soldiers of France were off their guard and lying in the shelters, smoking, drinking, and playing cards. Suddenly a shot rang out, followed by another, and on the instant all was commotion and the French were leaping to arms.
“Keep cool!” ordered Washington. “Don’t waste your shots! We are bound to win!”
The last words brought confidence to the raw soldiery, and, advancing quickly, they poured a heavy fire into the enemy, killing the leader, Jumonville, and several privates.
Dave and Henry fired with the others, and continued to discharge their weapons as quickly as they could reload. The bullets were now whistling freely upon all sides, and a soldier standing close beside Washington was cut down, to rise no more. Soon the smoke was so thick that little could be seen.
The French, imagining a large force of the English had fallen upon them, started to rush out of the hollow by the back way. As they did this the half-king and his warriors came up and thus the enemy was caught between a disastrous cross-fire. Again they turned and fired into the English, wounding several. Then Washington urged his men forward, and the skirmish became more terrific than ever.
Panting for breath Dave leaped upon a rock and fired as best he could. He heard a bullet rush by him but did not know until later that it had passed through the flap of his coat. The shooting, shouting and yelling was deafening and he could not tell whether they were losing or winning the contest.
But the skirmish was not of long duration. The surprise of the French, followed by the fall of their leader, produced a panic, and in quarter of an hour the contest was at an end and the French were fleeing in several directions. After them went some of the English and the larger portion of the Indians, and these brought back twenty-one prisoners. Only one man escaped, and it was he who carried the news of the disaster to what was now the French fort on the Ohio.