est way back
to the Lakes and to the Mountain with our beaver. We shall, provided we
reach the Divine River, as I should guess by the stories I have heard,
be then below the Illini, the Ottawas and the Miamis, with I know not
what tribes from west of the Messasebe. 'Tis for you to say, Monsieur
L'as, but for my own part--and 'tis but a hazard at best--I would say
remain here, or press on to the river of the Illini."

"'Tis easy of decision, then," replied Law, after a moment of
reflection. "We take that course which leads us farther on at least.
Again the paddles, my friends! To-night we sup in our own kingdom.
Strike up the song, Du Mesne!"

A shout of approval broke from the hardy men along the boat side, and
even Jean Breboeuf tossed up his cap upon his paddle shaft.

"Forward, then, _mes amis_!" cried Du Mesne, setting his own
paddle-blade deep into the flood. "_En roulant ma boule, roulant_--"

Again the chorus rose, and again the hardy craft leaped onward into the
unexplored.

Day after day following this the journey was resumed, and day after day
the travelers with eager eyes witnessed a prospect of continual change.
The bluffs, bolder and more gigantic, towered more precipitous than the
banks of the gentler streams which they had left behind. Forests ranged
down to the shores, and wide, green-decked islands crept into view, and
little timbered valleys of lesser streams came marching down to the
imposing flood of Messasebe. Again the serrated bluffs broke back and
showed vast vistas of green savannas, covered with tall, waving grasses,
broken by little rolling hills, over which crossed herds of elk, and
buffalo, and deer.

"'Tis a land of plenty," said Du Mesne one day, breaking the habitual
silence into which the party had fallen. "'Tis a great land, and a
mighty. And now, Monsieur, I know why the Indians say 'tis guarded by
spirits. Sure, I can myself feel something in the air which makes my
shoulder-blades to creep."

"'Tis a mighty land, and full of wonders," assented Law, who, in
different fashion, had felt the same mysterious spell of this great
stream. For himself, he was nearer to reverence than ever yet he had
been in all his wild young life.

Now so it happened that at length, after a long though rapid journey
down the great river, they came to that stream which they took to be the
river of the Illini. This they ascended, and so finally, early in one
evening, at the bank of a wide and placid b