. He's
a big man an' he may then go westward to raise all the tribes o' the
Great Lakes."

"It may be so," said Henry.

CHAPTER IV

THE SEVEN HERALDS

Henry, late the next night, was near the Wyandot village, watching it
alone. They had decided to divide their work as the border watch. Part
of them would sleep in the covert, while the others would scout about
the village. That night it was the turn of Shif'less Sol and himself,
but they had separated in order to see more. The shiftless one was now
on the other side of the town, perhaps a mile away.

Henry was in a thick clump of bushes that lay to the north of the house
and tepees. Dogs might stray that way or they might not. If they did, a
rifle shot would silence the first that gave tongue, and he knew that
alone he was too swift in flight to be overtaken by any Indian force.

Although past midnight the heavens were a fine silky blue, shot with a
myriad of stars, and a full rich moon hanging low. Henry, lying almost
flat upon his stomach, with his rifle by his side, was able to see far
into the village. He noted that, despite the lateness of the hour, fires
were burning there, and that warriors, carrying torches, were passing
about. This was unusual. It was always characteristic of his mind not
only to see, but to ask where, when and, above all, why? Now he was
repeatedly asking why of himself, but while asking he never failed to
observe the slightest movement in the village.

Presently he saw Timmendiquas walk from a large lodge and stop by one of
the fires. Standing in the rays of the moon, light from above and
firelight from his side falling upon him the figure of the chief was
like that of some legendary Titan who had fought with the gods. A red
blanket hung over his shoulder, and a single red feather rose aloft in
the defiant scalp lock.

Henry saw the renegade, Simon Girty, approach, and talk with the chief
for a few moments, but he was much too far away to hear what they said.
Then six warriors, one of them, by his dress, a sub-chief, came from the
lodges and stood before Timmendiquas, where they were joined, an instant
later, by the renegade Blackstaffe. The chief took from beneath his
blanket four magnificent belts of wampum, two of which he handed to the
sub-chief and two to the renegade. Timmendiquas said a few words to
every one of them, and, instantly leaving the village they traveled
northward at the swift running walk of the Indian. Th