and set sail from Boston in high spirits. For
six weeks Fort La Tour had been silent as a tomb, the besiegers, who
were quite unaware of the La Tours having slipped away, trusting to
starvation to do their work for them, while the garrison, looking
forward to their commander's return in force, made no attempt at
sorties, but got along, as best they could, on the scanty rations left
them. They kept a sharp and steady look-out, however, and one day
their eyes were gladdened by the sight of many sails in the offing.

"La Tour! La Tour!" they cried joyously, and at once proceeded to
welcome him with a salute in which every cannon on the ramparts had a
part. La Tour did his best to capture some of Charnace's vessels, but
both wind and tide favoured their escape, although he chased them as
far as the Penobscot. There was great rejoicing at the fort, and
feasting followed famine for the remainder of the week.

"Will Monsieur Charnace come back again, do you think?" Raoul asked of
his aunt as they sat in her room, having grown weary of the revelling.

"I am afraid so," she answered with a sigh. "He is a proud, determined
man, and this defeat will only cause him to try again with a stronger
force. I fear there is trouble in store for us."

"But why can't he leave us alone?" Raoul cried petulantly. "We have
never made any attack upon him."

"Because this world, big as it may seem, Raoul, is all too small for
such men as your uncle and Charnace," Madame replied. "They cannot
brook a rival, and they must needs fight until one or the other is
overthrown," and she sighed again deeply, for her gentle heart shrank
from conflict, and she infinitely preferred teaching religion to the
Indians, to all her husband's grand plans for wealth and power.

Foiled in his first attempt, but not shaken in his purpose, Charnace
went off across the ocean to France to see if something could not be
done there to humble his rival, and La Tour was left to pursue his way
in peace.

Raoul now took an active part in what went on, and led quite a busy
life. He accompanied his uncle in his trips up the River St. John,
where they met with Indians from the interior, who brought rich furs to
barter for goods. Twice he crossed over to Fort St. Louis, and each
time congratulated himself on the move to Fort La Tour; and what
pleased him most of all, he was allowed to go on one of the ships to
Boston, for he had very pleasant recollections of his fi