"I speak the Iroquois tongue," answered Edith.
"My dear young lady, there is no trusting them," said the officer. "Friends or enemies are the same to them when their blood's hot; all they want is a scalp, and that they will have. It would be terrible to see your beautiful tresses hanging at an Indian's belt."
As he spoke, one of the men who had been sent forth after Woodchuck, came running up, exclaiming: "They are coming, mon capitan! They are coming!"
"Who?" demanded Le Comtois, briefly.
"The redcoats--the English!" said the man. "I saw their advance guard with my own eyes. They are not two hundred yards distant."
"Where are your companions?" asked Le Comtois. "We want every musket!"
"I don't know," answered the man. "They have lost their way, I fancy, as I did. I saw two amongst the bushes just in front, trying to get back."
"Sacre Di! They will discover us!" said the captain; and, running forward, he jumped upon the parapet just behind one of the highest bushes, and looked over. The next instant he sprang down again, saying in a low tone to the corporal near him: "Stand to your arms! Present! Pass the word along not to fire, whatever you see, till I give the order!"
At the same moment he made a sign with his hand to the renegade Oneidas, but probably they did not see it, for their keen black eyes were all eagerly bent forward, peeping through the bushes, which now seemed agitated at some little distance. A moment after a straggling shot or two was heard, and instantly the Honontkoh fired. The order was then given by Le Comtois, and the whole front poured forth a volley, which was returned by a number of irregular shots, blazing out of the bushes in front.
Then succeeded a silence of a few moments, and then a loud cheer, such as none but Anglo-Saxon lungs have ever given.