ian tomahawk, and I think that less than half of them will reach
Detroit."

The old schoolmaster paused, his voice choked with emotion, and every
one of the five muttered something deep and wrathful under his breath.

"I did the best I could," he resumed. "I helped whenever they let me,
but the hardships were so great and they permitted us so little rest
that I wasted away. I had no more than the strength of a little child.
At last the warriors whom you saw took me from the others and turned to
the east. We went through the woods until we came to the great lake. A
terrible storm came up, but when it died we embarked in two boats and
went to the island on which you found me. I did not know the purpose for
which I was intended until I saw the stakes with those ghastly relics
about them. Then I made up my mind to bear it as best I could."

"You were to be made a burnt offering to the spirits of the lakes," said
Henry. "Thank God we came in time. We go now to warn of another and
greater expedition, led by Timmendiquas, the famous chief of the
Wyandots."

CHAPTER XV

THE PAGES OF A BOOK

None of the five knew how far they were down the lake, but they were
able to guide their course by the sun, and, keeping the low bank of
forest far beyond gunshot on their right, they moved before a favoring
wind. The schoolmaster regained his strength fast. He was old, but a
temperate life in the open air reenforced by plenty of exercise, had
kept him wiry and strong. Now he sat up and listened to the long tale of
the adventures of the five, whom he had not seen for many months
previous to their great journey to New Orleans.

"You have done well--you have done more than well," he said. "You have
performed magnificent deeds. It is a beautiful land for which we fight,
and, although our enemies are many and terrible and we suffer much, we
shall surely triumph in the end. Bird with his cannon was compelled to
go back. He could have battered down the palisade walls of any of the
stations, but he feared the gathering of the white hunters and fighters.
Above all he feared the coming of George Rogers Clark, the shield of the
border."

Henry's heart throbbed at the name of Clark, renowned victor of
Vincennes and Kaskaskia.

"Clark!" he exclaimed. "Is he in Kentucky?"

"There or to the northward. It is said that he is gathering a force to
attack the Indian villages."

"If it could only be true!" said Paul.

The others echoed t