ecame of supreme importance in the
Revolutionary struggle.

On the west bank of this lower, and narrower, portion of the lake, stood
the frowning walls of Fort Ticonderoga--"Old Ti" as the settlers called
it--wrested not long since from the French backed by their Huron and
Algonquin allies. That promontory signalized a more ancient landmark of
history even than the Pilgrim stone at Plymouth, and one quite as
important to our country at large. Eleven years before the Mayflower
began her voyage to America, Champlain met the Iroquois in battle on the
site of Ticonderoga, and this battle made the Iroquois the friends of
the English and the enemies of the French for generations. Ticonderoga
was an important link in the chain of French posts extending from the
St. Lawrence to the Mississippi, which was designed to shut the English
colonists into that narrow strip of the continent east of the
Alleghanies.

From the beginning Fort Frederick (Crown Point) and Ticonderoga were a
menace to the English. From these points the red allies of the French
descended upon the border settlements to the south and burned and
pillaged at pleasure. Two fearful campaigns were needed to reduce
Ticonderoga and place the command of the Champlain in the hands of the
British. Since its capture Ticonderoga had fallen somewhat into decay,
for with the changing of the Canadian government from French to English,
danger of attack, even by Indian bands, from the north was little to be
expected by the settlers who had flocked into the rich lands near the
lake after the close of the war.

Bolderwood and his young comrade passed Old Ti and, continuing up the
lake, paddled by Crown Point and reached the mouth of the Otter. Here
they encamped for several days, hunting and fishing, and living in a
nomadic fashion that charmed Enoch. But when they were about to return
another party of hunters came to the spot--men whom Bolderwood
knew--bound for the upper end of the lake and into the wilderness lying
east of that point. Enoch could not go so far because of the work on the
farm; but he urged Bolderwood to accompany this party, as he knew very
well he could find his way home in safety by either the land or water
route. In fact, he rather coveted the chance to make his way home alone,
for he wished to prove to the ranger his ability to do for himself.

It was therefore arranged that the boy should take Bolderwood's canoe
and go up Otter Creek to a certain settle