We need you here in the fort." "We'll come back as victors," Robert replied with confidence.

Then he and his comrades crouched, close against the palisade and listened.

The Indian fires showed dimly in the heavy dusk, and they knew that sentinels were on watch in the woods, but still keeping in the shadow of the palisade they went to the far side, where the Indian line was thinner.

Then they dropped to hand and knee and crept toward the forest.
They stopped at intervals, lying flat upon the ground, looking with all their eyes and listening with all their ears.

They saw ahead but one fire, apparently about four hundred yards away, and they heard only a light damp wind rustling the dry boughs and bushes.