"I am Sequitah, Chief of the Mascoutins," he said gravely, "for whom
the white chief sent."

De Artigny stepped forth, standing as erect as the other.

"Sequitah is great chief," he said quietly, "a warrior of many
battles, the friend of La Salle. We have smoked the peace-pipe
together, and walked side by side on the war-trail. Sequitah knows who
speaks?"

"The French warrior they call De Artigny."

"Right; 'tis not the first time you and I have met the Iroquois! The
wolves are here again; they have burned the villages of the Illini,
and killed your women and children. The valley is black with smoke,
and red with blood. What says the war chief of the Mascoutins--will
his warriors fight? Will they strike with us a blow against the
beasts?"

The chief swept his hand in wide circle.

"We are warriors; we have tasted blood. What are the white man's words
of wisdom?"

Briefly, in quick, ringing sentences, De Artigny outlined his plan.
Sequitah listened motionless, his face unexpressive of emotion. Twice,
confused by some French phrase, he asked grave questions, and once a
_courier de bois_ spoke up in his own tongue, to make the meaning
clear. As De Artigny ceased the chief stood for a moment silent.

"We leap upon them from cover?" he asked calmly, "and the white men
will sally forth to aid us?"

"'Tis so we expect--M. de Tonty is never averse to a fight."

"I believe in the Iron Hand; but 'tis told me others command now. If
they fail we are but few against many."

"They will not fail, Sequitah; they are Frenchmen."

The Indian folded his hands across his breast, his eyes on the two men
facing him. There was silence, but for the slight rustle of moving
bodies in the darkness.

"Sequitah hears the voice of his friend," he announced at last, "and
his words sound wise. The warriors of the Illini will fight beside the
white men."

There was no time lost although I know but little of what occurred,
being left alone there while La Forest and De Artigny divided the men,
and arranged the plans of advance. The dense night shrouded much of
this hasty preparation, for all I could perceive were flitting
figures, or the black shadow of warriors being grouped together. I
could hear voices, never loud, giving swift orders, or calling to this
or that individual through the gloom.

A party tramped by me, and disappeared, twenty or more naked warriors,
headed by a black-bearded Frenchman, bearing a long rifle--the
de