“How many?”
“They are like the corn in the field,” said Bright Lightning. “Wah! Do you hurry?”
“Come,” exclaimed the Hunter.
“No,” replied Bright Lightning. “I am only a girl; you are a warrior and must ride fast. If anybody has followed me, to catch me, that doesn’t matter, but no one should catch you. You go to Gist’s place quick, on the horse; I am not afraid.”
She spoke sense. Robert turned and ran. He knew that Bright Lightning could take care of herself.
XV
IN AND OUT OF FORT NECESSITY
It was a long way, by day and by night, through the woods and over the hills and across the streams, to Gist’s. When he came into sight of the spot he saw that the Washington men had reached it also, and were throwing up a dirt fort.
He rode down upon a lame horse. The Mackaye men were here too, on guard while the Long Knives worked, and Tanacharison had camped near by. Instead of marching on to the mouth of Redstone Creek at the Monongahela in the west, they acted as though they all were getting ready to fight off the French. Maybe they had heard that the French were coming.
So they had, but they had not heard the worst. He found Washington, muddy and hollow-cheeked and stern, wallowing about in the mire, and encouraging his thin, sweat-soaked men. Washington looked at him rather dully—as if maybe he had not missed him; but he said: