tain in complete possession of
his victorious field.

"Tayoga, and you, Great Bear, I thank you," said Daganoweda. "Without
your aid we could never have overcome our enemies."

"We were glad to do what we could," said Willet sincerely, "since, as I
see it, your cause and ours are the same."

Tayoga was examining the fleeing trail of the second band as he had
examined that of the first, and he beckoned to his white comrades and to
Daganoweda.

"Frenchmen were here," he said. "See the trail. They wore moccasins, but
their toes turn out in the white man's fashion."

There was no mistaking the traces, and Robert felt intense satisfaction.
If hostile Indians, led by Frenchmen, were invading the territory of the
Hodenosaunee, then it would be very hard indeed for Duquesne and Bigot
to break up the ancient alliance of the great League with the English.
But he was quite sure that no one of the flying Frenchmen was St. Luc.
The chevalier was too wise to be caught in such a trap, nor would he
lend himself to the savage purposes of Tandakora.

"Behold, Daganoweda," he said, "the sort of friends the French would be
to the Hodenosaunee. When the great warriors of the Six Nations go to
the vale of Onondaga to hear what the fifty sachems will say at their
council, the treacherous Hurons and Caughnawagas, led by white men from
Montreal and Quebec, come into their land, seeking scalps."

The power of golden speech was upon him once more. He felt deeply what
he was saying, and he continued, calling attention to the ancient
friendship of the English, and their long and bitter wars with the
French. He summoned up again the memory of Frontenac, never dead in the
hearts of the Mohawks, and as he spoke the eyes of Daganoweda and his
comrades flashed with angry fire. But he did not continue long. He knew
that at such a time a speech protracted would lose its strength, and
when the feelings of the Mohawks were stirred to their utmost depths he
stopped abruptly and turned away.

"'Twas well done, lad! 'twas well done!" whispered Willet.

"Great Bear," said Daganoweda, "we go now to the vale of Onondaga for
the grand council. Perhaps Tayoga, a coming chief of the clan of the
Bear, of the great nation Onondaga, will go with us."

"So he will," said Willet, "and so will Robert and myself. We too wish
to reach the vale of Onondaga. An uncommonly clever Frenchman, one
Chevalier Raymond de St. Luc, has gone there. He is a fine talker and he