God, or the Blessed Virgin, or of Christ. And, Sieur, while
the treasure from the streams and the forest may bring us reward on
earth, the countless souls we may lead to heaven will win us crowns in
eternity."

Claude was not a hypocrite. He had begun to speak of the spiritual side
of the enterprise with the special purpose of buttressing Cartier's
argument; but he was a devout Catholic, and his lips only echoed what
was in his heart.

"Pontbriand," replied Roberval, "you plead like a holy father. We shall
have to shave your head and give you a black robe. But there is
something in what you say; though to propagate Christianity effectively
in such a land would require enormous wealth."

"True, most noble Sieur," said Cartier hastily, "and if the forest and
the stream do not yield sufficient we must dig it out of the earth."

"What mean you? Have you further information about the mineral wealth of
the New World? The last you gave me was of little value. Your precious
metal has proved to be less valuable than lead, and your diamonds but
quartz. See," he said, rising, "how this acid affects your gold."

He took from a shelf a piece of metal which Cartier had sent to him.

"La Pommeraye," he said, "you will have to be a right hand for me, and
uncork this vial."

A drop of the liquid was allowed to fall upon the metal, which at once
became discoloured.

"No, no!" exclaimed Roberval. "You will have to try some other bait. I
will not go to Canada hoping for gold."

"I do not wish to contradict you, Sieur, but test this lump;" and
Cartier, as he spoke, handed him a nugget the size of an egg.

Nervously Roberval seized it. It stood the test.

"Where!" he exclaimed in an excited voice, "did you get this?"

"From Donnacona, of whom you have heard, and whom indeed you have seen
for yourself."

"And where did Donnacona get it?"

"Far west of his home at Stadacona, and of Hochelaga, too."

"I must see him at once," said Roberval.

"That will be difficult, Sieur," replied Cartier. "He is in Heaven."

"Dead, is he? Well, what good will that nugget do us?" said Roberval, in
disgust and disappointment. "We might search for centuries before we
could find its mate."

"True, Sieur, but where one was found there are likely to be others.
Besides, I have here something that may help us in our search."

As he spoke he unrolled a precious chart, scratched on birch bark with
some rude weapon, such as a flint arrow-head.