Boyd now spoke to the Mohican, who returned his greeting courteously, but very gravely.  I then made the Mohican known to Lana, who gave him a lifeless hand from the green folds of her camblet.  My Oneidas, who had finished their somewhat ominous painting, came from the other hut in company with the Yellow Moth, the latter now painted for the first time in a brilliant and poisonous yellow.  All these people I made acquainted one with another.  Lois was very gracious to them all, using what Indian words she knew in her winning greetings—­ and using them quite wrongly—­ God bless her!

Then the Yellow Moth hung my new blue blanket, which I had lately drawn from our Commissary of Issues, across the door of my hut; two huge boatmen came up with Lana’s box, swung between them, and deposited it within the hut.

“By the time you are ready,” said I, “we will have a breakfast for you such as only the streams of this country can afford.”

The six o’clock gun awoke the camp and found me already at the General’s tent, awaiting permission to see him.

He seemed surprised that Clinton had allowed any ladies to accompany the Otsego army, but it was evident that the happiness and relief he experienced at learning that Clinton was on the Ouleout had put him into a most excellent humour.  And he straightway sent an officer with orders to remove Lana’s box to Block-Fort No. 2 in the new fort, where were already domiciled the wives of two sergeants and a corporal, and gave me an order assigning to Lois and Lana a rough loft there.

But the General’s chief concern and curiosity was for Boyd and the eight riflemen who had come through from the Ouleout as the first advanced guard of that impatiently awaited Otsego army; and I heard Boyd telling him very gaily that they were bringing more than two hundred batteaux, loaded with provisions.  And, this, I think, was the best news any man could have brought to our Commander at that moment.  One thing I do know; from that time Boyd was an indulged favourite of our General, who admired his many admirable qualities, his gay spirits, his dashing enterprise, his utter fearlessness; and who overlooked his military failings, which were rashness to the point of folly, and a tendency to obey orders in a manner which best suited his own ideas.  Captain Cummings was a far safer man.

I say this with nothing in my heart but kindness for Boyd.  God knows I desire to do him justice—­ would wish it for him even more than for myself.  And I not only was not envious of his good fortune in so pleasing our General, but was glad of it, hoping that this honour might carry with it a new and graver responsibility sufficiently heavy to curb in him what was least admirable and bring out in him those nobler qualities so desirable in officer and man.

When I returned to my hut there were any fish smoking hot on their bark plates, and Lana and Lois in dry woollen dresses, worsted stockings, and stout, buckled shoon, already at porridge.