id Rogers, grasping the hunter's powerful hand
in his own, almost as powerful, "and you too Tayoga. If there's a finer
lad in the wilderness anywhere, I don't know it."

They said little more at present, joining the group of rangers and going
on steadily until nightfall. On the way Robert gave Willet and Tayoga an
outline of what had happened to him, not neglecting the dying words of
the slaver.

"It was the hand of Van Zoon," he said.

"Aye, it was Van Zoon," said the hunter. "It was his hand too that was
raised against you that time in New York. I've feared him on your
account, Robert. It's one reason why we've been so much in the forest.
You wonder why Huysman or Hardy or I don't tell you about him, but all
in good time. If we don't tell you now it's for powerful reasons."

"The others have told me so too," said Robert, "and I'm not asking to
know anything I oughtn't to know now. If you put off such knowledge,
Dave, I'm sure it ought to be put off."

They overtook the main body of the rangers that night, and Rogers now
had a force of more than two hundred men, but information from his
second in command decided him to join in the great movement of Sir
William Johnson and Prideaux against Niagara. The duties of Willet and
Tayoga called them to Amherst, and of course Robert went with them. So
the next morning they parted from Rogers.

"I think there'll be big things to tell the next time we meet," said
Willet to Rogers. "Mr. Pitt doesn't make his plans for nothing. He not
only makes big plans, but he prepares big armies and fleets to carry 'em
out."

"We have faith in him everywhere here," said Rogers, "and I hear they've
the same faith in him on the other side of the Atlantic. The failure
before Ticonderoga didn't seem to weaken it a particle. Take care of
yourselves, my friends."

It was a sincere farewell on both sides, but quickly over, and the three
pressed on to Amherst's camp, in the valley near the head of Lake
George, that had already seen so many warlike gatherings. Here a
numerous and powerful army, bent upon taking Ticonderoga and Crown
Point, was being trained already, and Robert, after visiting it, looked
once more and with emotion upon the shores of Andiatarocte.

Fate was continually calling him back to this lake and Champlain, around
which so much of American story is wrapped. The mighty drama known as
the Seven Years' War, that involved nearly all the civilized world,
found many of its sprin