ttle to do, that a group of them gathered on deck with tales of the
Americas: the shining gold to be found there, the wild beasts, and the
wilder Indians. Jacques felt that if he had but a knife, he could conquer
the whole country. In the meantime his eye rested on a sharp and
ugly-looking one thrust into the belt of a rough old salt who sat astride
the deck rail.

Just then there came a lull in the tales and the old fellow, to urge on
the flagging spirits, brandished his dirk and pledged it to "The best
fellow yet!"

Fierce and impossible yarns followed until Jacques, as if to work off his
excitement, jumped into the circle with the swing and the stamp of his
newly-learned hornpipe. He danced it well and responded repeatedly to the
sailors' applause. It pleased them better than any tale told, and they
voted Jacques, "The best fellow yet!" True to his pledge, the old salt
presented the knife with a sweeping bow. Jacques, overjoyed, at once cut
his mark on the handle, and he dreamed that night of his attack on the
New World. He awoke to make plans for the Indian scalps he should take to
Raoul, for Indians seemed only as beasts to be slaughtered.

Days and nights of sailing passed, as well as storms and fogs. When the
sun at last brought clear horizons, the shout of "Land head!" thrilled
captain, mates, and crew. No one knew just where they were, but shining
peaks could be seen in the distance. At last they came to anchor, and
small boats carried the men ashore. Jacques, too, was allowed to go. He
clutched his knife, expecting to plunge it into the head of the first
red-skin.

A group of Indians stood on the rocks. Monsieur Champlain, the first to
step ashore, greeted them with friendly signs. Jacques caught sight of an
Indian boy of his own size, lurking behind. He held a bow in his hand,
and a quiver of arrows was slung across his back. It was Nonowit, for
they had landed on the Piscataqua shores.

The Indian boy gathered wood for the fire, and Jacques eagerly joined in
the search. Soon the older folk sat about the blaze. The white men tried
to ask where they had landed and what was the nature of the coast.
Jacques, in his desire to learn, drew in the sand for Nonowit the picture
of the ship, the point of rocks, and the coast. The Indian boy understood
and added the river to the map. That aroused Monsieur Champlain, who sent
an order to the ship and soon received brilliant beads and various knives
from the stores o