ke him their friend, and it is equally sure that they speak
ill to him of St. Luc. But Sharp Sword does not care. He expects little
from Tandakora and his warriors. He is thinking of Quebec and the great
fight that Montcalm must make there against Wolfe. He is eager to arrive
at Stadacona, which you call Quebec, and help Montcalm. He knows that it
is all over here on Andiatarocte and Oneadatote, that Ticonderoga is
lost forever, that Crown Point is lost forever, and that Isle-aux-Noix
must go in time, but he hopes for Stadacona. Yet Sharp Sword is
depressed. He does not walk with his usual spring and courage. His paces
are shorter, and they are shorter because his footsteps drag. Truly, it
was a dagger in the heart of Sharp Sword to give up Ticonderoga and
Crown Point."

"I can believe you, Tayoga," said Willet. "It's bitter to lose such
lakes and such a land, and the French have fought well for them. Do you
think there's any danger of our running into an ambush? It would be like
Tandakora to lie in wait for pursuers."

"I am not sure, Great Bear. He, like the Frenchman, is in a great hurry
to reach Stadacona."

An hour or two later they came to a dead campfire of St. Luc's force,
and, a little farther on, a new trail, coming from the west, joined the
Chevalier's. They surmised that it had been made by a band from Niagara
or some other fallen French fort in that direction, and that everywhere
along the border Montcalm was drawing in his lines that he might
concentrate his full strength at Quebec to meet the daring challenge of
Wolfe.

"But I take it that the drawing in of the French won't keep down
scalping parties of the warriors," said Willet. "If they can find
anything on the border to raid, they'll raid it."

"It is so," said Tayoga. "It may be that Tandakora and his warriors will
turn aside soon to see if they cannot ambush somebody."

"In that case it will be wise for us to watch out for ourselves. You
think Tandakora may leave St. Luc and lie in wait, perhaps, for us?"

"For any one who may come. He does not yet know that it is the Great
Bear, Dagaeoga and I who follow. Suppose we go on a while longer and see
if he leaves the main trail. Is it the wish of Great Bear and Dagaeoga?"

"It is," they replied together.

They advanced several hours, and then the great trail split, or rather
it threw off a stem that curved to the west.

"It is made by about twenty warriors," said Tayoga, "and here are the
hug