will have to die instead of run."

After they had eaten, they saw two canoes making straight for the
island. Each canoe held seven Iroquois. That counted up fourteen, or
two to one.

However, the Piskaret party had the advantage of position. They hid in
the bushes at the place for which the canoes were heading.

"Let us each choose a man in the first canoe," directed Piskaret, "and
take sure aim, and fire together."

The volley by the Algonkins was so deadly that every one of the six
balls killed an Iroquois. The seventh warrior dived overboard, and
escaped by swimming to the other canoe. That had been swift work.

But the Iroquois were brave. Of the Mohawk tribe, these. Instead of
turning about, to get help, the eight warriors, whooping in rage,
paddled furiously along the shore, to land at another spot and give
battle.

Piskaret's Algonkins ran hard to head them off, and met the canoe
again. At the shore one of the Iroquois sighted them, and stood up to
fire. They shot him, so that he tumbled overboard and capsized the
canoe.

The seven Mohawks were now in the water; but the water was shallow, and
splashing through, they bored right in, like bulldogs.

The Piskaret Algonkins had need to shoot fast and true. The Mohawks
feared nothing, and despised Algonkins. Besides, they now knew that
Piskaret was before them, and his scalp they considered a great prize.

The Mohawks lost this battle. Before they could gain shelter, of their
seven four had been killed, two had been captured, and there was only
one who escaped.

No time was to be lost. The sounds of the battle probably had been
heard.

"We have done well," said Piskaret. "Now we may run."

So they launched their canoes, and with two prisoners and eleven scalps
they plied their paddles at best speed for the Richelieu.

Down the Richelieu, and down the St. Lawrence, nothing disagreeable
happened, save that, when one of the Mohawks (a large, out-spoken
warrior) defied the Algonkins to do their worst upon him, and called
them weaklings, he was struck across the mouth, to silence him.

"Where are you taking us, then?"

"We are taking you to the French governor at Quebec. He is our father,
and you belong to him, not to us."

That indeed was surprising news. Usually the Hurons and the Algonkins
refused to deliver any of their prisoners to the missions or the forts,
but carried them away to the torture.

The Richelieu empties into the St.