yaderos and Danascara; nobody now knows
exactly where they were."

"And Thendara?"

"Thendara _was_, and _will be_, but is not. In the Great Rite of the
Iroquois that place where the first ceremony, which is called 'At the
wood's edge,' begins is called Thendara, to commemorate the ancient
place where first the Holder of Heaven talked face to face with the
League's founder, Hiawatha."

The hawk-faced veteran smoked and studied the map for a while; then he
removed the pipe from his mouth, and, in silence, traced with the
smoking stem a path. I watched him; he went back to the beginning and
traced the path again and yet again, never uttering a word; and
presently I began to comprehend him.

"Yes, sir," I said; "thus will the Long House strike the Oneidas--when
they strike."

"I have sent belts--as you suggested," observed Willett carelessly.

I was delighted, but made no comment; and presently he went on in his
drawling, easy manner: "I can account for Sir John, and I can hold him
on the Sacandaga; I can account for Haldimand only through the
cowardice or treachery of Vermont; but I can hold him, too, if he ever
dares to leave the lakes. For Sir Henry Clinton I do not care a damn;
like a headless chicken he tumbles about New York, seeing, hearing
nothing, and no mouth left to squawk with. His head is off; one of his
legs still kicks at Connecticut, t'other paddles aimlessly in the
Atlantic Ocean. But he's done for, Carus. Let his own blood cleanse him
for the plucking!"

The gaunt Colonel replaced his pipe between his teeth and gazed
meditatively into the north:

"But where's Walter Butler?" he mused.

"Is he not at Niagara, sir?" I asked.

Willett folded his map and shoved it into his breast-pocket. "That," he
said, "is what I want you to find out for me, Carus."

He wheeled around, facing me, his kindly face very serious:

"I have relieved you of your command, Carus, and have attached you to
my personal staff. There are officers a-plenty to take your Rangers
where I send them; but I know of only one man in Tryon County who can
do what is to be done at Thendara. Send on your belt to Sachems of the
Long House. Carus, you are a spy once more."

I had not expected it, now that the Oneidas had been warned. Chilled,
sickened at the thought of playing my loathsome role once more, bitter
disappointment left me speechless. I hung my head, feeling his keen
eyes upon me; I braced myself sullenly against the overwh