aga."

"We will dismiss the matter," said de Courcelles, who evidently was for
peace also. "Since you and your friends are our guests, Mr. Lennox, we
cannot treat you except as such. Take to your blankets and you rest as
safely with us as if you were sleeping in your own town of Albany."

Willet removed his hand from the handle of his tomahawk, and, rising to
his full height, stretched himself and yawned.

"We accept your pledge in the spirit in which it is given, Colonel de
Courcelles," he said, "and being worn from a long day and long toil I,
for one, shall find sweet slumber here on the leaves with a kindly sky
above me."

"Then, sir, I bid you a happy good night," said Colonel de Courcelles.

Without further ado the three folded their blankets them and fell asleep
on the leaves.

Robert, before closing his eyes, had felt assured that no harm would
befall them while they were in the camp of de Courcelles, knowing that
the French colonel could not permit any attack in his own camp upon
those who bore an important message from the Governor of New York to the
Governor General of Canada. Hence his heart was light as he was wafted
away to the land of slumber, and it was light again when he awoke the
next morning at the first rays of dawn.

Tayoga and Willet still slept, and he knew that they shared his
confidence, else these wary rovers of the woods would have been watching
rather than sleeping. Jumonville also was still rolled in his blankets,
but de Courcelles was up, fully dressed, and alert. Several of the
Canadians and Indians were building a fire. Robert's questing eye sought
at once for the Ojibway, but he was gone, and the youth was not
surprised. His departure in the night was a relief to everybody, even to
the French, and Robert felt that an evil influence was removed. The air
that for a space the night before had been poisonous to the lungs was
now pure and bracing. He took deep breaths, and his eyes sparkled as he
looked at the vast green forest curving about them. Once more he felt to
the full the beauty and majesty of the wilderness. Habit and use could
never dull it for him.

De Courcelles turned upon him a frank and appreciative eye. Robert saw
that he intended to be pleasant, even genial that morning, having no
reason for not showing his better side, and the lad, who was learning
not only to fence and parry with words, but also to take an
intellectual pleasure in their use, was willing to meet hi