ward the shore. Ah, they see us now, and men are coming
down to the lake's edge to meet us! It is a large camp, and it should
hold enough men to make St. Luc give up the siege of Colden."

The two sent the canoe swiftly toward the land, where soldiers and
others in hunter's dress were already gathered to meet them. Robert
saw a tall, thin officer in a Colonial uniform, standing on the narrow
beach, and, assuming him to be in command, he said as the canoe swept
in:

"We are messengers, sir, from the force of Captain Colden, which is
besieged at the sawmill ten or twelve miles farther north."

"Besieged, did you say?" said the officer, speaking in a sharp, dry
voice. "It's one of those French tricks they're always playing on us,
rushing in under our very noses, and trying to cut out our forces."

"That's it, sir. The French and Indian host, in this case, is led
by St. Luc, the ablest and most daring of all their partisans, and,
unless you give help, they'll have to escape as best they can in what
boats they have."

"As I'm a good Massachusetts man, I expected something of this kind. I
sent word to Pownall, our Governor, that we must be extremely
cautious in respect to the French, but he thinks the army of General
Abercrombie will overwhelm everything. Forest fighting is very
different from that of the open fields, a fact which the French seem
to have mastered better than we have. My name, young sir, is Elihu
Strong. I'm a colonel of the Massachusetts militia, and I command the
force that you see posted here."

"And mine, sir, is Robert Lennox, a free lance, and this is Tayoga, of
the clan of the Bear, of the great Onondaga nation, a devoted friend
of ours and the finest trailer the world has ever produced."

"Ah, I heard something of you both when I was at Albany from one
Jacobus Huysman, a stout and worthy burgher, who spoke well of you,
and who hazarded a surmise that I might meet you somewhere in the
neighborhood of the lakes."

"We lived in the house of Mynheer Jacobus when we went to school in
Albany. We owe him much."

"There was a third who was generally with you, a famous hunter, David
Willet, was there not?"

"He is with Captain Colden, sir, assisting in the defense."

"I'm glad he's there. Judging from what I've heard of him, he's a
tower of strength. But come into the camp. Doubtless, both of you
need food and rest. The times be dark, and we must get out of each day
whatever it has to offer."

R