days, as you
please, though I hope it will be many. Caterina shall cook for you four,
five meals a day, if you wish, and much at every meal. I do not forget
how when you were little you raided the fruit trees, and the berry
bushes and the vines. Well, the fruit will soon be ripe again und I will
turn my back the other way. I will make that fat Caterina do the same,
and you and Tayoga can imagine that you are little boys once more."

"I know you mean that, Mynheer Jacobus, and we thank you from the bottom
of our hearts," said Robert, as the moisture came into his eyes.

"Here comes Master Alexander McLean," said Mr. Huysman, who had turned
back to the window. "He must have heard of your arrival and he wishes to
see if your perils in the woods have made you forget your ancient
history."

In a minute or two Master McLean, tall, thin, reddish of hair, and
severe of gaze entered, his frosty blue eyes lighting up as he shook
hands with the boys, though his manner remained austere.

"I heard that you had arrived after the great defeat at Ticonderoga," he
said, "and you are fortunate to have escaped with your lives. I rejoice
at it, but those who go into the woods in such times must expect great
perils. It is of course well for all our young men to offer their lives
now for their country, but I thought I saw in you at least, Robert
Lennox, the germ of a great scholar, and it would be a pity for you to
lose your life in some forest skirmish."

"I thank you for the compliment," said Robert, "but as I was telling
Mynheer Jacobus I mean to go back into the woods."

"I doubt it not. The young of this generation are wise in their own
conceit. It was hard enough to control Tayoga and you several years ago,
and I cannot expect to do it now. Doubtless all the knowledge that I
have been at such pains to instill into you will be lost in the
excitement of trail and camp."

"I hope not, sir, though it's true that we've had some very stirring
times. When one is in imminent danger of his life he cannot think much
of his Latin, his Greek and his ancient history."

The severe features of Master Alexander McLean wrinkled into a frown.

"I do not know about that," he said. "Alexander the Great slept with his
Homer under his pillow, and doubtless he also carried the book with him
on his Asiatic campaigns, refreshing and strengthening his mind from
time to time with dips into its inspiring pages. There is no crisis in
which it is pardona