Tewanias acknowledged the implication. “No. There is a road, begun many years ago by the soldiers of the Great King, which goes from Senhahlone to Canada.”

“The same road that goes to Lacolle?” Hawkwood said.

“Ea,” Tewanias said.

“How many soldiers?”

“The scouts say more than four hundred.”

“Not a large force for an invasion.” Lawrence frowned.

“Big enough to take a blockhouse, though,” Hawkwood pointed out, “and gain a toehold. They manage that and Dearborn can follow with the rest of the army at his leisure. They’re probably mobilizing the main force now.” He turned to Tewanias. “What about artillery? Were there guns? Cannon?”

Tewanias consulted his men. “They say no.”

“Well, that’s something at least,” Lawrence said.

“Guns wouldn’t be that easy to move, given the roads. They’d need horses and they’re in short supply. It takes six to draw a six-pounder and four to pull a caisson. Plus you’d have to feed and water them.”

“Which would slow them down.” Lawrence continued to look pensive. “How many men does it take to man a blockhouse in the back of beyond?”

“Not nearly enough.”

To Tewanias, Hawkwood said, “Lacolle is close to the Richelieu, yes?”

“Ea.”

“So if they capture the blockhouse, they’ll control the river. If they control the river, there’s nothing to stop them barging the rest of the troops up from Plattsburg, along with their artillery. That’ll give them their bridgehead. It’s only seven miles from Lacolle to Île aux Noix. Bring up enough men and they can cut off the garrison. Seize the island and they have themselves a naval base inside Canada. Then, come the thaw, it’s downriver to Montreal and Quebec. Once they have Quebec, they have the continent.”

“All for want of a nail,” Lawrence murmured. “Assuming they are heading for Lacolle, you think we can warn the defenders in time?”

“Maybe.” Hawkwood turned to Tewanias. “Tell me about the road.”

Like most wilderness roads, it had begun life as an Indian trail before being adopted by the British as a means of transporting men and equipment during the war against the French. Following the Revolution, it fallen into disuse for a while. As settlements were hacked out of the wilderness it had enjoyed a gradual resurgence, though it had never been considered a major turnpike. That had changed with the resumption of hostilities between Britain and America, when it had again found favour as a conduit along which the American army could move troops and equipment to protect its northern border.

Travelling north from Plattsburg to the border, the road passed through two settlements, both straddling rivers: Chazy and Champlain. The latter was situated three miles from the border and roughly eight from Lacolle.

“What are you thinking?” Lawrence asked.

“That we find a place to intercept, assess the column’s intention and its weakness, then carry the information to Lacolle as fast as we can.”