candle, soon heard
his regular breathing. Tayoga, who was used to rooms, the Iroquois
themselves having strong log houses, quickly followed him in slumber,
but young Lennox was not able to compose his nerves for a little while.
He was perhaps more sensitive and imaginative than his comrades, or the
close air may have kept him awake. He could not help feeling that
Tandakora was outside trying the fastenings of the shutters, and at last
rising, he walked on tiptoe and listened at every window in turn. He
heard nothing without but the breathing of the gentle wind, and then,
knowing that it had been only his vivid fancy, he went back to bed and
slept soundly.

"Wake up, Robert, and breathe this air! After our having been sealed up
in a room all night the breeze is heavenly."

The shutters were thrown back, and the hunter and Tayoga, fully dressed,
stood by the windows. The air, fresh, life-giving, coming over the great
forests and the mighty river, was pouring into the room in streams, and
Tayoga and Willet were facing it, in order that they might receive it
straight upon their foreheads. Robert joined them, and soon felt as if
he had been created anew and stronger.

"I'll never again sleep in a room closed tight and hard," said Willet,
"not even to protect my life. I've roamed the free woods for so many
years that I think another such experience would make me choke to
death."

"I'm not in love with it myself," said Robert, "but it makes the world
outside look all the grander and all the more beautiful."

At their wish breakfast was served for them by Monsieur Jolivet in the
garden, Willet insisting that for the present he could not stay any
longer in a house. Robert from his seat could see the end of the broken
barb embedded in the wall, but neither mine host nor any of his
assistants had yet noticed it.

Monsieur Jolivet was pleased that they should have such a brilliant day
to begin their journey to Quebec, and he was telling them where they
could sell their canoe and buy a good boat when Louis de Galisonniere
appeared in the garden and presented them the compliments of the
morning. He looked so trim and so gay that he brought with him a
cheerful breeze, and the three felt the effect of it, although they
wondered at the nature of his errand there. Robert invited him to join
them at breakfast and he accepted their invitation, taking a roll and
butter and a cup of coffee after the French custom which even then
pre