You've warned us and we can count upon you now to help us, can't we ?" "To the very last," said Willet.
After the first grief among the refugees was over the work of preparation was carried on with rapidity and skill, and mostly in silence.

There were enough men or well grown boys among the settlers to bring the fighting force up to a hundred.

Colden and his assistants knew much of the forest now, and they were willing and anxious, too, to take the advice of older and far more experienced men like Black Rifle and Willet.
"The fighting spirit bottled up so long in our line has surely ample opportunity to break out in me," said Wilton to Robert toward morning.
"As I've told you before, Lennox, if I have any soldierly quality it's no credit of mine.

It's a valor suppressed in my Quaker ancestors, but not eradicated." "That is, if you fight you fight with the sword of your fathers and not your own." "You put it well, Lennox, better than I could have stated it myself.
What has become of that wonderful red friend of yours ?" "Tayoga?
He has gone into the forest to see how soon we can expect Tandakora, De Courcelles and the Indian host." The Onondaga returned at dawn, saying that no attack need be feared before noon, as the Indian bands were gathering at an appointed place, and would then advance in great force.
"They'll find us gone by a good six hours," said Willet, "and we must make every minute of those six hours worth an ordinary day, because the warriors, wild at their disappointment, will follow, and at least we'll have to beat off their vanguard.

It's lucky all these people are used to the forest." Just as the first rim of the sun appeared they were ready.