mmand of Detroit, the
principal settlement and most important trading-post in the west. So,
Hester, if you will accept this duty, you will not only be serving the
king, but doing me a great personal favor as well."

Willing to continue for a while longer in active service, and having no
other plan, Major Hester accepted Sir Jeffry's offer, and set forth on
his long journey, joining Rogers at Fort Niagara, where, with the aid
of cranes and ox-teams, the rangers were laboriously transporting their
heavy whale-boats over the steep portage around the great cataract.

At length the little flotilla was again launched, and as it skirted the
southern shore of Lake Erie, its every movement was watched by the keen
eyes of Indian scouts, concealed in dense forest coverts, and reported
in detail to the chief of that country; for never before had a body of
British troops ventured so far into the interior. Finally, in one of
their camps the rangers were visited by an imposing array of Indian
sachems, headed by the great chief himself, who demanded the reason of
their presence in his country.

When Rogers, in reply, had stated the nature of his business, the chief
began a speech, in which he forbade the further advance of the English.
Suddenly his eye rested upon Major Hester, who had just left his tent
to attend the council. The speech of the Indian came to an abrupt
pause, and gazing fixedly at the white-haired officer, he inquired if
he were not the chief who dwelt in the great house of the two trees in
the land of the Senecas.

"I did dwell there," replied the major, greatly surprised at the
question.

"Does my brother of the two-tree house wish to journey through the
country of the Ottawas?" demanded the chieftain.

"Certainly, I do," was the reply.

"For peace or for war?" queried the savage, laconically.

"For peace," answered Major Hester. "The war is ended, and we do but
journey to take peaceable possession of those forts which the French
have given over to the English."

"Ugh! It is good! Let my white brother travel in peace, for Pontiac
knows that his tongue is straight, and that what he says must be true
words."

With this the haughty chieftain, followed by his savage retinue, left
the camp, and not another Indian was seen until Detroit was reached,
though, as was afterwards learned, a strong body of Pontiac's warriors
had awaited them at the mouth of the Detroit river, and were only
restrained from atta