of the Turtle, of our nation."

"I thank you much, Dahoyogo," said Robert, earnestly, knowing that a
high honor was conferred upon him. "I shall try to deserve in some small
way the great name you have conferred upon me."

"One can but do his best," said the Mohawk gravely.

But Willet rejoiced openly in the distinction that had been bestowed
upon his young comrade, saying that some day it might be carried out
with formal ceremonies by the Mohawk nation, and was a fact of great
value. To be by adoption a son of any nation of the Hodenosaunee would
be of enormous assistance to him, if he negotiated with the League in
behalf of the English colonists. But to be adopted by both Onondagas and
Mohawks gave him a double power.

Robert had already been influenced powerfully by Tayoga, the young
Onondaga, and now the words of Dayohogo, the Mohawk, carried that
influence yet further. He understood as few white men did the power of
the Hodenosaunee and how its nations might be a deciding factor in the
coming war between French and English, just as he understood long after
that war was over their enormous weight in the new war between the
Americans and English, and he formed a resolution as firm as tempered
steel that his main effort for many years to come should be devoted to
strengthening the ties that connected the people of New York and the
great League.

The afternoon went on in pleasant talk. The Indians, among themselves or
with those whom they knew from long experience to be good friends, were
not taciturn. Robert told the Mohawks that they were going to Quebec,
and Dayohogo expressed curiosity.

"It is the story in our nation, and it is true," he said, "that
generations ago we held the great rock of Stadacona, and that the first
Frenchman, Cartier, who came to Canada, found us there, and drove us
away with firearms, which we had never seen before, and which we did not
know how to meet. It is said also by our old men that we had a town with
palisades around it at Hochelaga (Montreal), but whether it is true or
not I do not know. It may be that it was a town of the Wanedote
(Hurons), our enemies. And yet the Wanedote are of our blood, though far
back in the past we split asunder, and now they take the peace belts of
the French, while we take those of the English."

"And the capital of the French, which they call Quebec, and which you
call Stadacona, stands on land which really belongs to the Mohawks,"
said Robert mea