nking as
a man, he must yet bite and claw with beasts for his food. Now I think
we have all of the deer we wish."

As they could not take it with them for tanning, they cut the skin in
half, and each wrapped in his piece a goodly portion of the body to be
carried to the canoe. Both were fastidious, wishing to get no stain upon
their clothing, and, their task completed, they carefully washed their
hands and knives at the edge of a brook. Then as they lifted up their
burdens the whining and growling in the bushes increased rapidly.

"They see that we are going," said Tayoga. "The wolf even without the
soul of a warrior in it knows much. It is the wisest of all the animals,
unless the fox be its equal. The foolish bear and the mad panther fight
alone, but the wolf, who is too small to face either, bands with his
brothers into a league, even as the Hodenosaunee, and together they
pull down the deer and the moose, and in the lands of the Ohio they dare
to attack and slay the mighty bull buffalo."

"They know the strength of union, Tayoga, and they know, too, just now
that they're safe from our weapons. I can see their noses poking already
in their eagerness through the bushes. They're so hungry and so
confident that they'll hardly wait until we get away."

As they passed with their burdens into the bushes on the far side of the
little opening they heard a rush of light feet, and angry snarling.
Looking back, Robert saw that the carcass of the stag was already
covered with hungry wolves, every one fighting for a portion, and he
knew it was the way of the forest.

CHAPTER II

ST. LUC

Willet hailed them joyfully when they returned.

"I'll wager that only one arrow was shot," he said, smiling.

"Just one," said Robert. "It struck the stag in the heart and he did not
move ten feet from where he stood."

"And the Great Bear has the fire ready," said Tayoga. "I breathe the
smoke."

"I knew you would notice it," said Willet, "although it's only a little
fire yet and I've built it in a hollow."

Dry sticks were burning in a sunken place surrounded by great trees, and
they increased the fire, veiling the smoke as much as possible. Then
they broiled luscious steaks of the deer and ate abundantly, though
without the appearance of eagerness. Robert had been educated carefully
at Fort Orange, which men were now calling Albany, and Tayoga and the
hunter were equally fastidious.

"The deer is the friend of both the