nfidence. He was in truth so lacking in nervous apprehension that when
he lay down on the rude pallet he was asleep in two minutes.

He was awakened the next morning by Lieutenant Holderness who informed
him that in the daytime, for the present at least, he would be allowed
the liberty of the court. He could also eat outside.

"I'm grateful," said Henry. "I wish to thank Colonel de Peyster, or
whoever the man may be who has given me this much liberty."

"It is Colonel de Peyster, of course," said the ruddy one.

But Henry shrewdly suspected that his modicum of liberty was due to
Timmendiquas, or rather the fear of de Peyster that he would offend
Timmendiquas, and weaken the league, if he ill treated the prisoner.

Henry went outside and bathed his face at a water barrel. Then at the
invitation of Holderness he joined some soldiers and Canadian Frenchmen
who were cooking breakfast together beside a great fire. They made room
readily at the lieutenant's request and Henry began to eat. He noticed
across the fire the brown face of Lajeunais, and he nodded in a friendly
manner. Lajeunais nodded in return and his black eyes twinkled. Henry
thought that he saw some significance in the twinkle, but when he looked
again Lajeunais was busy with his own breakfast. Then the incident
passed out of his mind and he quickly found himself on good terms with
both soldiers and woods runners.

"You give your parole," said Lajeunais, "an' go North wiz me on the
great huntin' an' trappin'. We will go North, North, North, beyon' the
Great Lakes, an' to other lakes almost as great, a thousan', two
thousan' miles beyon' the home of white men to trap the silver fox, the
pine marten an' the other furs which bring much gold. Ah, le bon Dieu,
but it is gran'! an' you have ze great figure an' ze great strength to
stan' ze great cold. Then come wiz me. Ze great lakes an' woods of ze
far North is better zan to fret your life out here in ze prison. You
come?"

He spoke entreatingly, but Henry smiled and replied in a tone full of
good humor:

"It's a tempting offer, and it's very kind of you, Monsieur Lajeunais,
but I cannot accept it. Neither am I going to fret my life out within
these walls. I'm going to escape."

All the soldiers and woods runners laughed together except Lajeunais.
Henry's calm assurance seemed a great joke to them, but the Frenchman
watched him shrewdly. He was familiar with men of the woods, and it
seemed to him that the