the Bourbon
banner. Robert heard again of St. Luc and of some daring achievement
of his, and despite himself he felt as always a thrill at the name,
and a runner also brought the news that more French troops had gone
into the Ohio country.

The fourth night of their stay at Mount Johnson Robert remained awake
late. He and young Brant, the great Thayendanegea that was to be, had
already formed a great friendship, the beginning of which was made
easier by Robert's knowledge of Indian nature and sympathy with
it. The two wrapped in fur cloaks had gone a little distance from the
house, because Brant said that a bear driven by hunger had come to the
edge of the village, and they were looking for its tracks. But Robert
was more interested in observing the Indian boy than in finding the
foot prints of the bear.

"Joseph," he said, "you expect, of course, to be a great warrior and
chief some day."

The boy's eyes glittered.

"There is nothing else for which I would care," he replied. "Hark,
Dagaeoga, did you hear the cry of a night bird?"

"I did, Joseph, but like you I don't think it's the voice of a real
bird. It's a signal."

"So it is, and unless I reckon ill it's the signal of my cousin
Daganoweda, returning from the great war trail that he has trod
against the wild Ojibway, Tandakora."

The song of a bird trilled from his own throat in reply, and then from
the forest came Daganoweda and his warriors in a dusky file. Robert
and young Brant fell in with them and walked toward the house. Not a
word was spoken, but the eyes of the Mohawk chieftain were gleaming,
and his bearing expressed the very concentrated essence of haughty
pride. At the house they stopped, and, young Brant going in, brought
forth Colonel Johnson.

"Well, Daganoweda," said the white man.

"I met Tandakora two days' journey north of Mount Johnson," replied
the Mohawk. "His numbers were equal to our own, but his warriors were
not the warriors of the Hodenosaunee. Six of the Ganeagaono are gone,
Waraiyageh, and sixteen more have wounds, from which they will
recover, but when Tandakora began his flight toward Canada eighteen of
his men lay dead, eight more fell in the pursuit, which was so fast
that we bring back with us forty muskets and rifles."

"Well done, Daganoweda," said Colonel Johnson. "You have proved
yourself anew a great warrior and chief, but you did not have to prove
it to me. I knew it long ago. Fine new rifles, and blankets of b