Vere laughed, because he was afraid of being laughed at if he didn't, though he was secretly disgusted with Roke's coarseness. Unfortunately, Archy, passing by, heard the doubtful joke. He repeated it to four militia men who knew Edgar and his wife well, adding, "There's a dance to-night at their Palace place, and Mrs. Edgar will be there sure, with most of our women. Now I haven't anything against most of the crowd they'll meet--a bit too starched for my taste that's all. But that there Roke doesn't get to no dance in York with our women, and I guess you boys will have to help me find him another engagement for to-night." The ball was at its height that evening (and away at the other end of the lake, two frigates with a dozen transports stood out from Sackett's Harbour to attack York) when Sheaffe was asking why Roke was not there, he having sent for him. Roke finally entered, smothered in mud from head to foot. He said that as he drove to the ball with his servant, five masked men stopped them. One cut the horse loose and drove him on. The others lifted the light cart and turned it over with its occupants imprisoned beneath it in a deep mud hole. When they got out, the five had vanished, but Roke accused Ned and some companions, for he imagined the young man had resented his look at Susie. It was easily proved, however, that Ned had not left home that evening, and his name was dropped, though Roke still thought him responsible. All York talked of Roke's mishap the next day, and Sheaffe attempted vainly to find the mysterious five. Then Roke was forgotten, for at four in the afternoon Gibraltar Point signalled that the enemy's fleet was in sight, about twenty miles away, and approaching them. York called out her defenders, two hundred regulars, three hundred militia, and one hundred Indians. These last were stationed in little groups in the woods round Humber Bay, Edgar and Tahata being with them. The white men spent the night under arms in Fort Toronto, while in the town the women buried silver, and tore up linen for bandages. Before dawn Ned was hurrying through the bush with Archy and his company, very afraid that a queer feeling he had was fear. Hideous faces daubed in black and white and blood red, peered at them as they passed. The Indians were waiting for the fight in their war-costume of loin-cloth and paint. Only the chiefs wore buckskin shirts and leggings, though their faces looked like demon masks. Suddenly Ned met his father, dressed as he had seen him first at Quebec, with a belt of wampum as his badge of office. Now he only held out his hand, but his grip and smile steadied Ned's nerves. He felt that his father believed in him, and it gave him confidence in himself. He crouched in the woods by Humber Bay, watching the enemy's ships. They seemed very close now, ghostly looking shapes in the morning twilight. Their boats were being loaded with troops to land beyond the range of Fort Toronto's guns.