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to his mistress, to communicate the intelligence that the party was safely in
the forest; while the adventurers turned, ascended the bank of the stream, and
pursued their way on more solid ground.
Captain Willoughby and his men were now fairly engaged in the expedition, and
every soul of them felt the importance and gravity of the duty he was on. Even
Mike was fain to obey the order to be silent, as the sound of a voice,
indiscreetly used, might betray the passage of the party to some outlying
scouts of the enemy. Caution was even used in treading on dried sticks, lest
their cracking should produce the same effect.
The sound of the axe was heard in the rear of the cabins, coming from a piece
of woodland the captain had ordered cleared, with the double view of obtaining
fuel, and of increasing his orchards. This little clearing was near a quarter
of a mile from the flats, the plan being, still to retain a belt of forest
round the latter; and it might have covered half-a-dozen acres of land, having
now been used four or five years for the same purpose. To pass between this
clearing and the cabins would have been too hazardous, and it became necessary
to direct the march in a way to turn the former.
The cow-paths answered as guides for quite a mile, Mike being thoroughly
acquainted with all their sinuosities. The captain and serjeant, however, each
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carried a pocket compass, an instrument without which few ventured far into
the forests. Then the blows of the axes served as sounds to let the
adventurers know their relative position, and, as they circled the place
whence they issued, they gave the constant assurance of their own progress,
and probable security.
The reader will probably comprehend the nature of the ground over which our
party was now marching. The  flats proper, or the site of the old Beaver Dam,
have already been described. The valley, towards the south, terminated at the
rocks of the mill, changing its character below that point, to a glen, or vast
ravine. On the east were mountains of considerable height, and of unlimited
range; to the north, the level land extended miles, though on a platform many
feet higher than the level of the cleared meadows; while, to the west, along
the route the adventurers were marching, broad slopes of rolling forest spread
their richly-wooded surfaces, filled with fair promise for the future. The
highest swell of this undulating forest was that nearest to the Hut, and it
was its elevation only that gave the home-scene the character of a valley.
Captain Willoughby s object was to gain the summit of this first ridge of
land, which would serve as a guide to his object, since it terminated at the
line of rocks that made the waterfall, quite a mile, however, in the rear of
the mills. It would carry him also quite beyond the clearing of the
wood-choppers, and be effectually turning the whole of the enemy s position.
Once at the precipitous termination caused by the face of rock that had been
thrown to the surface by some geological phenomenon, he could not miss his
way, since these rugged marks must of themselves lead him directly to the
station known to be occupied by the body of his foes.
Half an hour served to reach the desired ridge, when the party changed its
march, pursuing a direction nearly south, along its summit.
 Those axes sound nearer and nearer, serjeant, Captain Willoughby observed,
after the march had lasted a long time in profound silence.  We must be coming
up near the point where the men are at work.
 Does your honour reflect at all on the reason why these fellows are so
particularly industrious in a time like this? -- To me it has a very
ambuscadish sort of look!
 It cannot be connected with an ambuscade, Joyce, inasmuch as we are not
supposed to be on a march. There can be no ambuscade, you will remember,
practised on a garrison.
 I ask your honour s pardon -- may not a sortie be ambushed, as well as a
march?
 In that sense, perhaps, you may be right. And, now you mention it, I think
it odd there should be so much industry at wood-chopping, in a moment like
this. We will halt as soon as the sounds are fairly abreast of us, when you
and I can reconnoitre the men, and ascertain the appearance of things for
ourselves.
 I remember, sir, when your honour led out two companies of ours, with one of
the Royal Irish, a major s command, of good rights, to observe the left flank
of the French, the evening before we stormed the enemy s works at Ty--
 Your memory is beginning to fail you, Joyce, interrupted the captain,
smiling.  We were far from storming those works, having lost two thousand men
before them, and failed of seeing their inside at all.
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 I always look upon a soldierly attempt, your honour, the same as a thing
that is done. A more gallant stand than we made I never witnessed; and, though
we were driven back, I will allow, yet I call that assault as good as
storming!
 Well, have it your own way, Joyce. -- The morning before your storming, I
remember to have led out three companies; though it was more in advance, than
on either flank. The object was to unmask a suspected ambush.
 That s just what I wanted to be at, your honour. The general sent you, as an
old captain, with three companies, to spring the trap, before he should put
his own foot into it.
 He certainly did -- and the movement had the desired effect.
 Better and better, sir. -- I remember we were fired on, and lost some ten or
fifteen men, but I would not presume to say whether the march succeeded or
not; for nothing was said of the affair, next day, in general orders, sir--
 Next day we had other matters to occupy our minds. It was a bloody and a
mournful occasion for England and her colonies.
 Well, your honour, that does not affect our movement, which, you say,
yourself, was useful.
 Very true, Joyce, though the great calamity of the succeeding day prevented
the little success of the preceding morning from being mentioned in general
orders. But to what does all this tend; as I know it must lead to something?
 It was merely meant as a respectful hint, your honour, that the inferior
should be sent out, now, according to our own ancient rules, to reconn itre
the clearing, while the commander-in-chief remain with the main body, to cover
the retreat.
 I thank you, serjeant, and shall not fail to employ you, on all proper
occasions. At present, it is my intention that we go together, leaving the men
to take breath, in a suitable cover.
This satisfied Joyce, who was content to wait for orders. As soon as the
sounds of the axes showed that the party were far enough in advance, and the
formation of the land assured the captain that he was precisely where he
wished to be, the men were halted, and left secreted in a cover made by the
top of a fallen tree. This precaution was taken, lest any wandering savage
might get a glimpse of their persons, if they stood lounging about in the more
open forest, during the captain s absence.
This disposition made, the captain and serjeant, first examining the priming
of their pieces, moved with the necessary caution towards the edge of the
wood-chopper s clearing. The axe was a sufficient guide, and ere they had
proceeded far the light began to shine through the trees, proof in itself that
they were approaching an opening in the forest.
 Let us incline to the left, your honour, said Joyce, respectfully;  there
is a naked rock hereabouts, that completely overlooks the clearing, and where
we can get even a peep at the Hut. I have often sat on it, when out with the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]