avages of the war, that a fat deer was shot near the water, and, when
they added coffee and samp from their own stores, they had a feast.

Robert ate with a tremendous appetite, and then, wrapping himself in his
blanket, lay down under a tree. But he did not go to sleep for a long
time. He was full of excitement. All the omens and signs told him that
he was coming into the thick of events once more, and he felt also that
he would soon see Willet and Tayoga again. He would encounter many
perils, but for the present at least he did not fear them. Much of his
vivid youth was returning to him.

He saw the surface of the lake from where he lay, a beautiful silver in
the clear moonlight, and he could even perceive wild fowl swimming at
the far edge, unfrightened by the presence of man, or by the fires that
he built. The skies were a great silver curve, in which floated a
magnificent moon and noble stars in myriads. There was the one on which
Tayoga's Tododaho lived, and so powerful was Robert's fancy that he
believed he could see the great Onondaga sage with the wise snakes in
his hair. And there too was the star upon which Hayowentha lived and the
Onondaga and the Mohawk undoubtedly talked across space as they looked
down on their people.

Out of the forest came the calls of night birds, and Robert saw one
shoot down upon the lake and then rise with a fish in its talons. He
almost expected to see the dusky figure of Tandakora creep from the
bush, and he knew at least that the Ojibway chief would be somewhere
near the lakes. Beyond a doubt they would encounter him and his warriors
as they pressed into the north. Rogers, noticing that he was not asleep,
sat down beside him and said:

"I suppose, Mr. Lennox, when you find Tayoga and Willet that you'll go
with Amherst's army against Ticonderoga and Crown Point. A great force
has gathered to take those places."

"I'm not sure," said Robert, "I think it depends largely upon what
Tayoga and Dave have planned, but I want to go against Quebec, and I
think they will too. Still, I'd like to see our defeat at Ticonderoga
atoned for. It's a place that we ought to have, and Crown Point too."

"A scout that I sent out has come in," said Rogers, "and he says he's
seen an Indian trail, not big enough to be of any danger to us, but it
shows we'll have 'em to deal with before long, though this is south of
their usual range. I hear an owl hooting now, and if I didn't know it
was a real ow