“Nay, there are the soldiers. Sure, it is their business to venture to the dock and bring in Sieur Fontaine.”
“Listen thou, Laviolette, the while I ask them to do this.”
The soldiers summoned before their little commander, though testifying their willingness to follow all her orders within the palisades, absolutely refused to risk their lives by going beyond its shelter.
“’Twas as I feared; thou and I must save them, Laviolette. Thou shalt keep guard at the gate, and I will to the landing and bring them hither.”
“Pray, Mademoiselle, bid me to go, and thou stay and keep the gate.”
“Nay, for I have heard my father say that the Indian is ever wary about that which he doth not understand. They will marvel why I go alone to the landing, and doubtless think it but a ruse to draw them hither, so that we may train the cannon on them again. If they appear, go thou in and bar the gate, since we must save the fort at any cost, and as many lives as is possible.”
So Madelon, with a bravery that might have put to shame the soldiers skulking within the fort, alone and in full sight, walked down to the landing, assisted Fontaine to take his family and goods from the canoe, and placing the party in front of her, marched back to the fort entirely unmolested. As she hoped, the Indians, seeing her put so bold a face on the matter, suspected that they had something to fear from the occupants of the fort; so, while they hesitated, Madelon acted. Once within the stronghold, how the little party wept and prayed with joy!
“Now indeed I feel as if there was hope, since thou art here to help me, Sieur Fontaine. There are enough so that we may divide the watch, and as long as daylight lasts, to fire on the enemy if ever one is seen to show himself. Thou, Louis, and Alexander as well, shalt take turns at the loopholes, and see that thy aim go not astray.”
The rest of the day was spent in making all the defences as strong as possible, in which Fontaine gave valuable assistance, for he was a brave man, accustomed to the wiles of the murderous enemy, and wise in the ways of border warfare.
At sunset a fierce northeast wind began to blow, and the first snow of the season mixed with hail filled the air, making it deadly cold and a night to try the spirits of the small band who were fighting for their lives. At first Madelon hoped that the storm would drive the Indians to shelter for the night, but they were constantly seen appearing at the edge of the woods, and, as it seemed, making preparations for an attack under cover of the darkness, and to gain entrance into the fort that night.