The French and Indians, sir, are in the forest, and they're led, too, by Frenchmen." Young James Colden was a brave man, and his eyes glittered.
"We ask nothing better than to meet 'em," he said, "At the first breath of dawn we'll march against 'em, if your friends will only be so good as to show us the way." "It's not a matter of waiting until dawn, nor even of going to meet 'em.

They'll bring the battle to us.

You and your force, Captain Colden, are surrounded already." The young captain stared at Robert, but his eyes were full of incredulity.

Several of the soldiers were standing near, and they too heard, but the warning found no answer in their minds.

Robert looked around at the men asleep and the others ready to follow them, and, despite his instinctive liking for Colden, his anger began to rise.
"I said that you were surrounded," he repeated sharply, "and it's no time, Captain Colden, for unbelief! Mr.Willet, Tayoga and I saw the signals of the enemy, but Black Rifle here has looked upon the warriors themselves.