no Indian raid would
stand against our lads. But I have a notion--maybe it's only a notion,
though Lawrence is half inclined to it himself--that there's more in
this business than a raid from the hills. There's something stirring in
the West, away in the parts that no White man has ever travelled. From
what I learn there's a bigger brain than an Indian's behind it."

"The French?" I asked.

"Maybe, but maybe not. What's to hinder a blackguard like Cosh, with
ten times Cosh's mind, from getting into the Indian councils, and
turning the whole West loose on the Tidewater??

"Have you any proof?" I asked, much alarmed.

"Little at present. But one thing I know. There's a man among the
tribes that speaks English."

"Great God, what a villain!" I cried, "But how do you know?"

"Just this way. The Monacans put an arrow through the neck of a young
brave, and they found this in his belt."

He laid before me a bit of a printed Bible leaf. About half was blank
paper, for it came at the end of the Book of Revelation. On the blank
part some signs had been made in rude ink which I could not understand.

"But this is no proof," I said. "It's only a relic from some plundered
settlement. Can you read those marks?"

"I cannot, nor could the Monacans. But look at the printed part."

I looked again, and saw that some one had very carefully underlined
certain words. These made a sentence, and read, "_John, servant of the
prophecy, is at hand._"

"The underlining may have been done long ago," I hazarded.

"No, the ink is not a month old," he said, and I could do nothing but
gape.

"Well what's your plan?" I said at last.

"None, but I would give my right hand to know what is behind the hills.
That's our weakness, Andrew. We have to wait here, and since we do not
know the full peril, we cannot fully prepare. There may be mischief
afoot which would rouse every sleepy planter out of bed, and turn the
Tidewater into an armed camp. But we know nothing. If we had only a
scout--".

"What about Shalah?" I asked.

"Can you spare him?" he replied; and I knew I could not.

"I see nothing for it," I said, "but to wait till we are ready, and
then to make a reconnaissance, trusting to be in time. This is the
first week of July. In another fortnight every man on our list will be
armed, and every line of communication laid. Then is our chance to make
a bid for news."

He nodded, and at that moment came the growling of dogs from the s