They and their red allies lay silent and unseen in the dark woods and waited.
Dawn came, and the three were back in their canoe.

The wind had died, and the fleet, bearing the army, moved forward to the landing.

Officers searched the woods with their strongest glasses, while the scouts in their canoes, daring every peril, shot forward and leaped upon the shore.

Then a sheet of musketry and rifle fire burst from the woods.

Men fell from the boats into the water, but others held on to the land that they had gained.
Robert, Tayoga and Willet among the first fired at dusky figures in the woods, and once or twice they caught the gleam of French uniforms.
"It is surely St.Luc," said Robert, when he heard the notes of a silver whistle, "but he can't keep us from landing." "Aye, it's he," said Willet, "and he's making a game fight of it against overwhelming forces." Cannon from the boats also swept the forest with grape and round shot, and the troops began to debark.