The English and Indians are
upon us, and there's no time for fooling. Where are all the men?"
Beverley comprehended the situation in a second. Helm's face was
congested with excitement. Some scouts had come in with the news
that Governor Hamilton, at the head of five or six hundred
soldiers and Indians, was only three or four miles up the river.
"Where are all the men?" Helm repeated.
"Buffalo hunting, most of them," said Beverley.
"What in hell are they off hunting buffaloes for?" raged the
excited captain.
"You might go to hell and see," Beverley suggested, and they both
laughed in sheer masculine contempt of a predicament too grave for
anything but grim mirth.
What could they do? Even Oncle Jazon and Rene de Ronville were off
with the hunters. Helm sent for M. Roussillon in the desperate
hope that he could suggest something; but he lost his head and
hustled off to hide his money and valuables. Indeed the French
people all felt that, so far as they were concerned, the chief
thing was to save what they had. They well knew that it mattered
little which of the two masters held over them--they must shift
for themselves. In their hearts they were true to France and
America; but France and America could not now protect them against
Hamilton; therefore it would be like suicide to magnify patriotism
or any other sentiment objectionable to the English.
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