A yell arose from the throats of all the three.

They turned like lightning, and the horses sprang forward at a gallop; but in a moment they were surrounded by Stark and his men, who called upon them to surrender, and sprang at the horses to stay their headlong flight.
But now a new terror was added to the scene.

Round the bend of the lake swept other sledges--quite an army of them; and whilst the French sent up shouts for help, Stark looked round to see what Rogers and his company were doing.
"Here they come! here they come! Rogers' Rangers! Rogers' Rangers!" yelled his men, as they saw the compact band of veteran woodsmen rushing forth to their aid.
That cry was well known to the French.

For a moment there was a pause, the sledges pulling up as though in doubt whether to rush forward and seek to fight their way through, or to turn and run back to Ticonderoga.

But the energy with which the Rangers came on settled that point.