The narrative starts with the protagonist and his two companions, Grey Wolf and White Hawk, reacting to musket shots interrupting the serene midsummer day. The protagonist initially thinks hunters might have startled an animal, but Grey Wolf and White Hawk, seasoned and perceptive, quickly deduce that it is the sound of men in combat. They hear a distinct scalp-yell, unfamiliar to the protagonist but recognized by his companions as Cayuga.

White Hawk, being an outlaw Mohawk, shows indifference, while Grey Wolf, a Huron, suggests they investigate in case someone needs help. They cautiously move through the forest, making minimal noise due to their practiced stealth. The trio arrives at a scene where a single defender on a rocky ledge is besieged by a group of Iroquois. The lone fighter manages to fend off the attackers with precise and deadly skill, even as an agile Iroquois climbs the ledge but ultimately gets overpowered and thrown off.

Determined to aid the lone defender, the protagonist and his companions surprise the attackers from the rear, causing them to flee. The Cayugas retreat, leaving behind their fallen comrades. White Hawk, despite his status as an outcast, shows a reluctance to fight fellow Iroquois, demonstrating a complex sense of honor and loyalty.

Approaching the ledge cautiously, the protagonist shouts friendly greetings in multiple languages but receives no response. He climbs the ledge, finding no sign of the defender or any recent activity other than the trampled bushes and bent saplings marking the recent struggle. The ledge, used occasionally for signal fires by the Cayugas, now stands deserted and mysterious, with no trace of the brave defender who had fought off the attackers.