“He is watching the French until his people get their corn planted.”
“What are the French at the Forks doing, then? Is it true that more men come in to them?”
“No,” said the Buck. “They are the same that made my brother the soldier Ward go away. But they have raised a fort with walls as thick as a man is tall, and have pointed their great guns at the woods and the river.”
“I ask you to go back and tell Half-King that you saw me,” said Washington. “I shall march on to the Great Meadows, and build a little fort, and wait the French. Tanacharison will find me there.”
The Great Meadows were eleven miles on across the swift Youghiogheny. The Washington men began to clear away the bushes and dig a ditch, and scouting parties searched about for the French.
“I t’ink dere is no French,” said Jacob Vanbraam. “Except at the Forks, where by most reliable report dey haf no more dan fife hoonderd to eight hoonderd men. Bah! Are we children, to be frightened by big talk?”
Then, late in the morning, Christopher Gist rode into camp from his place twelve or thirteen miles north, beyond the Laurel Hills. He must have had fresh news of the French, for very soon half the men, led by Ensign Peyroney, hastened out, as to war; and next Washington’s soldier messenger told the Hunter to come to Washington, quick.
“Listen, Hunter,” spoke Washington: “You shall find Tanacharison, who is coming, near Gist’s place, and bring him to me. But tell him to be very careful, for the French are at hand. Gist says the man La Force and fifty French were at his house yesterday while he was gone, and today he saw their tracks made in the night five miles from his place. I have sent men to chase these French; and if Tanacharison will come maybe we shall catch them. Do you be careful, too, that they don’t catch you.”
“They not catch me,” declared Robert. “I will be Indian.”