"and no Englishman
has a right to trade upon these waters. I have orders to make prisoners
of every Englishman who attempts it on these waters."

"How about the boy who was captured and carried through this place?"
asked Washington.

"That a boy was captured and carried past here, I will not deny,"
replied Reparti, "but I do not remember the name of the place he came
from, nor understand the facts in the case particularly. The Indians had
two or three scalps with them also."

"But I was told at Venango that they had _eight_?" retorted Washington.

Reparti was embarrassed here, and evaded an answer.

"What has been done with John Trotter and James McClochlan, two
Pennsylvania traders, whom the French captured and carried away with all
their goods?" continued Washington.

"They were sent to Canada, but I understand that they have now gone
home," Reparti answered.

On the next day Washington received the commander's reply to Governor
Dinwiddie's letter, and therefore was ready to return. The snow was
deep, the weather stormy, and the horses exhausted, so that the homeward
journey was undertaken with much discouragement.

When about ready to start, Washington found that the French were
presenting large inducements to his Indian guides to remain. He was
obliged to resort to strategy, and finally to reprimand, to frustrate
their plans. When the French officers saw that all their efforts to
detain them were fruitless, they offered them intoxicating liquors in
order to overcome them. This device would have succeeded, as the Indians
loved rum, but for Washington's emphatic protest. He charged the French
officers with base efforts to hinder his mission, and forbade half-king,
with imposing threats, to touch the liquor. In this way he succeeded in
his purpose to start on his return journey.

Just before starting, however, White Thunder received an injury, making
it necessary for half-king to stay over with him until the next day, and
take him down the river in a canoe.

"Captain Joncaire will have a good opportunity to bribe you," suggested
Washington.

"Never," replied the half-king; "I know the French better than you do. I
am a friend to the English."

"But Captain Joncaire is a plausible Frenchman, and he will do his best
to influence you," retorted Washington. "You must be guarded against his
fair speech."

The result of this interview was, that the whole party waited for White
Thunder until the next day.

T