, if by any possibility you
should escape, it certainly will not be before the great battle."

"Great battle! What great battle? You don't mean that Montcalm will
dare to meet Abercrombie?"

"Such an idea was in my mind."

"Why, we'll come with four or five to one! The Marquis de Montcalm
cannot stand against such a powerful force as ours. We've definite
information that he won't be able to muster more than three or four
thousand men. We hear, too, that the Indians, frightened by our power,
are leaving him, for the time, at least."

"Some of your surmises may be correct, but your facts don't follow
from them. The Marquis de Montcalm, our great leader, will await your
Abercrombie, no matter what your force may be. I violate no military
secret when I tell you that, and I tell you also that you are very far
from being assured of any victory."

The Chevalier suddenly dropped his light manner, and became intensely
earnest. His eyes gleamed for an instant with blue fire, but it was
only a passing moment of emotion. He was in an instant his old, easy
self again.

"We talk like the debaters of the schools," he said, "when we are
at war. I am to march in a few minutes. I suggest that in return for
certain liberties you give me your pledge to attempt no escape until
we arrive at the camp of the Marquis de Montcalm."

"I can't do it. Since I've promised you that I will escape I must
neglect no chance."

"So be it. Then I must guard you well, but I will not have your wrists
bound again. Here comes an expert rover of the forest who will be your
immediate jailer."

A white man at the head of several warriors was approaching through
the woods. He was young, lean, with a fierce, hooked Roman nose, and
a bold, aggressive face, tanned to the color of mahogany. Robert
recognized him at once, and since he had to be a prisoner a second
time, he took a certain pleasure in the meeting.

"How do you do, Monsieur Langlade?" he said. "You see, I've come back.
I forgot to tell you good-by, and I'm here to make amends for my lack
of politeness. And how is the patient and watchful spouse, the Dove?"

Robert spoke in good French and the partisan stared in astonishment.
Then a pleased look of recognition came into his eyes.

"Ah, it's young Mr. Lennox," he exclaimed. "Young Mr. Lennox come back
to us. It's not mere politeness that makes me tell you I'm glad to
see you. You did make a very clever escape with the aid of that Indian
frie