“No,” said Robert, soberly.  “They won’t.  But I want to say to you, Dave, that I’m full of gladness, because we’ve reached our canoe.  Our packs without increasing in size are at least twice as heavy as they were when we started.”

“I can join you in your hosannas, Robert.  Never before did a canoe look so fine to me.  It’s a big canoe, a beautiful canoe, a strong canoe, a swift canoe, and it’s going to carry us in comfort and far.”

It was, in truth, larger than the one they had used coming up the lakes, and, with a mighty sigh of satisfaction, Robert settled into his place.  Their packs, rifles, swords and the case containing Tayoga’s bow and arrows were adjusted delicately, and then, with a few sweeps of the Onondaga’s paddle, they shot out into the slow current of the river.  Robert and Willet leaned back and luxuriated.  Tayoga wanted to do the work at present, saying that his wrists, in particular, needed exercise, and they willingly let him.  They were moving against the stream, but so great was the Onondaga’s dexterity that he sent the canoe along at a good pace without feeling weariness.

“It’s like old times,” said Willet.  “There’s no true happiness like being in a canoe on good water, with the strong arm of another to paddle for you.  I’m glad you winged that savage, Tandakora, Tayoga.  It would spoil my pleasure to know that he was hanging on our trail.”

“Don’t be too happy, Great Bear,” said Tayoga.  “Within a week the Ojibway will be hunting for us.  Maybe he will be lying in wait on the shores of the great lake, Champlain.”

“If so, Tayoga, you must have him to feel the kiss of another arrow.”

Tayoga smiled and looked affectionately at his bow and quiver.

“The Iroquois shaft can still be of use,” he said, “and we will save our ammunition, because the way is yet far.”

“Deer shouldn’t be hard to find in these woods,” said Willet, “and when we stop for the night we’ll hunt one.”

They took turns with the paddle, and now and then, drawing in under overhanging boughs, rested a little.  Once or twice they saw distant smoke which they believed was made by Canadian and therefore hostile Indians, but they did not pause to investigate.  It was their desire to make speed, because they wished to reach as quickly as they could the Long House in the vale of the Onondaga.  It was still possible to arrive there before St. Luc should go away, because he would have to wait until the fifty sachems chose to go in council and hear him.

On this, their return journey, Robert thought much of the chevalier and was eager to see him again.  Of all the Frenchmen he had met St. Luc interested him most.  De Galisonniere was gallant and honest and truthful, a good friend, but he did not convey the same impression of foresight and power that the chevalier had made upon him, and there was also another motive, underlying but strong.  He wished to match himself in oratory before the fifty chiefs with Duquesne’s agent.  He was confident of his gifts, discovered so recently, and he knew the road to the mind and hearts of the Iroquois.