“Then as soon as we make the portage we can return to the river with the canoe.”

“Dagaeoga grows lazy.  Does he not know that to do the hard thing strengthens both mind and body?  Has he forgotten what Mynheer Jacobus Huysman told us so often in Albany?  Now is a splendid opportunity for Dagaeoga to harden himself a great deal.”

“I realize it, Tayoga, but I don’t want my mind and body to grow too hard.  When one is all steel one ceases to be receptive.  Can you see the river through the trees there?”

“I catch the glitter of sunlight on the water.”

“I hope it looks like deep water.”

“It is sufficient to float the canoe and the lazy Dagaeoga can take to his paddle again.”

They put their boat back into the stream, uttering great sighs of relief, and resumed the far more pleasant travel by water, the day remaining golden as if doing its best to please them.  They had another long stretch of good water, and they did not stop until they were well into the afternoon.  Then Tayoga proposed that they make a fire and cook all of the deer.

“It seems that the risk here is not great,” he said, “and we may not have the chance later on.”

Robert, who still felt that they were protected and that for a day or two no harm could come to them under any circumstances, was more than willing, and they spent the remainder of the day in their culinary task.  After dark he slept three hours, to be followed by Tayoga for the same length of time, and about midnight they started up the stream again, with their food cooked and ready beside them.

Although the Onondaga shared Robert’s feeling that they were protected for the time, both exercised all their usual caution, believing thoroughly in the old saying that heaven helps those who help themselves.  It was this watchfulness, particularly of ear, that caused them to hear the dip of paddles approaching up the stream.  Softly and in silence, they lifted the canoe out of water and hid with it in the greenwood.  Then they saw a fleet of eight large canoes go by, all containing warriors, armed heavily and in full war paint.

“Hurons,” whispered Tayoga.  “They go south for a great taking of scalps, doubtless to join Montcalm, who is surely meditating another sudden and terrible blow.”

“And he will strike at our forts by Andiatarocte,” rejoined Robert.  “I hope we can find Willet and Rogers soon and take the news.  All the woods must be full of warriors going south to Montcalm.”

“They have French guns, and good ones too, and they are wrapped in French blankets.  Onontio does not forget the power of the warriors and draws them to him.”

The silent file of war canoes passed on and out of sight, and, for a space, Robert’s heart was heavy within him.  He felt the call of battle, he ought to be in the south, giving what he could to the defense against the might of Montcalm, but to go now would be merely a dash in the dark.  They must continue to seek Willet and Rogers.