nt.

"It iss a good lad," he said, "und you watch over him as well as you
can."

"Aye, I do my best," replied Hardy in the same subdued tones, "but he is
bold of spirit, full of imagination and adventurous, and, though I would
fain keep him out of the war, I cannot. Yet if I were his age I would go
into it myself."

"It iss the way of youth. He lives in times troubled und full of danger,
yet he hass in the hunter, Willet, and the Onondaga, Tayoga, friends who
are a flaming sword on each side of him. Willet hass a great mind. He
iss as brave as a lion und full of resource."

"Right well do I know it, Jacobus."

"And the young Onondaga, Tayoga, is of the antique mold. Do I not know
it, I who haf taught him so long? Often I could think he was a young
Greek or Roman of the best type, reincarnated und sent to the forest. He
does haf the lofty nature, the noble character und simplicity of a young
Roman of the republic, before it was corrupted by conquest. I tell you,
Benjamin Hardy, that we do not value the red men at their true worth,
especially those of the Hodenosaunee!"

"Right well do I know that, too, Jacobus. I had a fair reading in the
classics, when I was a schoolboy, and I should call the lad, Tayoga,
more Greek in spirit than Roman. I have found in him the spiritual
quality, the love of beauty and the kindliness of soul which the books
say the Greeks had and which the Romans lacked."

"It iss fairly put, Benjamin, und I bethink me you are right. But there
iss one thing which you do not know, but which you ought to know,
because it iss of much importance."

"What is it?" asked Hardy, impressed by the manner of Jacobus.

"It iss the fact that Adrian Van Zoon arrived in Albany this morning."

The merchant started slightly in surprise, and then his face became a
mask.

"Adrian Van Zoon is a merchant like myself," he said. "He has a right to
come to Albany. Perhaps he feels the necessity, too, as no doubt he is
interested in large contracts for the army."

"It iss true, Benjamin, but you und I would rather he had not come. He
arrived but this morning on his own sloop, the _Dirkhoeven_, und I feel
that wherever Adrian Van Zoon iss the air becomes noxious, full of
poisonous vapors und dangerous to those about him."

"You're right, Jacobus. I see that your faculties are as keen as ever.
You can see through a mill stone, and you can put together much larger
figures than two and two."

Mynheer Jacobus smile