WITHLASALLE 
 THE EXPLORER 
 
 ...:.. - ;,.. ;__... 
 f .i r" T * 
 
 . .... 
 
 In the name of tfte mo^t 
 midfttu ,invincible and victorious 
 Prince? i/ouis ,tfie Grreat 
 

1 the name of tfte most 
 midfitu, invincible and victorious 
 nnce? I/ouis Afie Great 
 
WHLASALL 
 
 EEXPLORER 
 
 1UAJSTRATIONS N 
 BY- HENRY CPITZ 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 HENRY HOLT 
 
 , COMPANY 
 
 1922 
 
COPYBIGHT, 19ii2, 
 
 BY 
 HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 
 
 PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. 
 

 TO 
 
 A. L. M. 
 
 STAUNCH AND LOYAL 
 BRAVE AND TENDER. 
 
 M528463 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I. AT THE KING S COURT ... 1 
 
 II. QUEBEC 18 
 
 III. BUILDING THE "GRIFFIN" . . 38 
 
 IV. CAPTIVES 54 
 
 V. IN A SENECA LODGE .... 69 
 
 VI. RAOUI/S FIRST DEER ... 85 
 
 VII. THE "GRIFFIN" SPREADS HER 
 
 WINGS 99 
 
 VIII. AMONG THE ILLINOIS . . . 114 
 
 IX. TREACHERY 132 
 
 X. TONTY IN DANGER .... 147 
 
 XI. HUNTING AND TRAPPING . . 163 
 
 XII. SWIFT Fox 178 
 
 XIII. THE GREAT RIVER .... 191 
 
 XIV. THE GOAL 206 
 
 XV. THE MEDICINE BAG ... 223 
 
 XVI. THE FOREST LODGE .... 236 
 
 XVII. KING Louis REMEMBERS . . 250 
 
 XVIII. DISILLUSIONMENT .... 265 
 
 V 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 OHAPTEK 
 
 XIX. 
 XX. 
 XXI. 
 
 THE FINAL EFFORT .... 
 THE PIGMIES AND THE GIANT . 
 RAOUL S DECISION . 
 
 PAGE 
 
 279 
 291 
 303 
 
 XXII. 
 
 AMBUSHED 
 
 318 
 
 XXIII. 
 XXIV. 
 XXV. 
 
 THE PROPHETESS .... 
 OLD WOLF AWAKES .... 
 THE END OF THE TRAIL 
 
 332 
 345 
 359 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 "In the name of the most high, mighty, in 
 vincible and victorious Prince, Louis, 
 the Great" Frontispiece 
 
 La Salle answered, "That were indeed pos 
 sible if you are old enough to know 
 what you really desire." .... 
 
 For three days they sailed onward . 
 
 Each morning La Salle felt sure he would 
 discover some marsh 
 
 In his new-found strength Raoul enjoyed 
 the days of journeyings .... 
 
 Facing 
 Page 
 
 16 
 102 
 
 276 
 308 
 
 vu 
 
WITH LA SALLE THE 
 EXPLORER 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 AT THE KING S COURT 
 
 T was early spring, but the air was 
 warm, and the trees and hedges 
 in the vast grounds of the King s 
 palace at Versailles had already 
 fully unfolded their leaves. Even 
 the blossoms of the horse chest 
 nuts, white and pink, stood erect as the King s 
 guards themselves ; and the golden oranges hang 
 ing on the dwarfed bushes in their earthenware 
 pots on the Orangerie terrace seemed to announce 
 themselves as the forerunners of the fruit harvest 
 that later would fill the gardens surrounded by 
 their high sun-warmed walls. 
 
2 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 It was after dinner, and the King and the 
 Court, heavy with the languor of the spring aft 
 ernoon, were resting for an hour or so. There 
 was little life to be seen, except for the muske 
 teers at their posts and the gardeners with their 
 tools who were clipping, planting, and smooth 
 ing the walks, and every now and then a lackey 
 hurrying on his way from one wing of the palace 
 to another. 
 
 But Raoul de Larnac did not find his sur 
 roundings dull. When one is twelve and on a 
 holiday little is needed for happiness. Even 
 though one wore the black robe of a seminarist, 
 it could be unbuttoned and held up to permit 
 running. And Raoul, glancing about first care 
 fully to see that there was no one looking on who 
 would censure such undignified action in a fu 
 ture priest, took to his heels and sped down one 
 of the long cross avenues, chasing a royal grey 
 hound who was overjoyed at having a boy to 
 play with. Then there was the wide basin of the 
 fountain to pace slowly around, that he might 
 make his comrades eyes widen when he went 
 back to school with the unbelievable girth of it. 
 Perhaps the fountain might play that evening, 
 one of the gardeners had said, and that was one 
 of the sights of the world! 
 
 It was all so wonderful, thought Raoul, this 
 
AT THE KING S COURT 3 
 
 perfect garden where no leaf grew out of place, 
 where no one wore a faded garment, where no 
 poverty or unhappiness was to be seen. He 
 had heard men tell how many workmen had lab 
 ored for years to transform a waste into this 
 splendor, and the thousands of livres it had cost ; 
 but this meant nothing to him who had little to 
 do with money. The ease, the warmth, the rich 
 ness, the absence of all that was harsh, did him 
 good after the long months in the bare, cold 
 cloisters of his school. He sat idle and happy 
 on a stone seat in the sunshine, his head resting 
 against a hedge so tall and thick that it was not 
 possible to see over or through it. He wondered 
 what it would be like to live here as much of the 
 time as did Gervais; but he knew that if he 
 could choose he would prefer to be a soldier like 
 Rene, his other brother. 
 
 While he was reflecting a little sadly that the 
 choice in deciding his future had not been left 
 to him, he heard steps and voices on the other 
 side of the hedge. It gave him a curious pleas 
 ure to listen to the firm tread of feet which stop 
 ped when they came opposite to him. Doubtless, 
 he thought, the two men had seated them 
 selves on a bench placed in a position similar to 
 his own. 
 
 "There will be many dangers." he heard one 
 
4 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 of the men say. The voice was calm and deep, 
 and the boy imagined that it must belong to 
 some great noble; he recognized in it the tone 
 of men who make themselves obeyed. 
 
 "Dangers!" the other exclaimed. "Would 
 you insult me? What else have I known all 
 my life, and am I one to be frightened by a 
 word?" 
 
 Though the words of the speaker were French 
 and well pronounced, the intonation was foreign 
 Spanish or Italian, judged Raoul. 
 
 "I meant not to reflect upon your courage, 
 Sir," answered the Frenchman; "that no man in 
 the world might do. But it seems only right 
 that before you agree to this undertaking you 
 should be told of conditions which are different 
 from any that exist in Europe. The Indians 
 method of warfare is cruel and treacherous; 
 there are trackless forests which awe even the 
 bravest men, wild beasts and hunger, cold such 
 as you cannot dream of here, and the silence of 
 virgin deserts." 
 
 "What you tell me, Monsieur, adds only to 
 my desire to accompany you," said the for 
 eigner. "I have no great love for old ways, old 
 wars and old men who must sit at warm fire 
 sides. There will be novelty, if not glory and 
 gold to be won." 
 
AT THE KING S COURT 5 
 
 "Then let it be as you will," the Frenchman 
 exclaimed heartily, "and in truth, Monsieur, I 
 rejoice to welcome you as a comrade." 
 
 Raoul heard the two palms as they came to 
 gether cementing the alliance, and then he lis 
 tened in absorbed attention while the two dis 
 cussed further plans for their expedition, the 
 ship and provisions to be secured, the funds to 
 be raised, the men who should be chosen in 
 France or beyond the seas, and above all, the 
 importance of the royal sanction. The boy did 
 not stop to think whether he had a right to listen 
 to a conversation which was not intended to be 
 overheard his whole imagination was fired by 
 the words and names that were so strange to 
 him. They carried his thoughts far away, they 
 made him forget the gray walls of his school, 
 and seemed to beckon him as the sunset glow 
 in the western sky always seemed to call him 
 when he had watched it from the cliffs of his 
 Brittany home. 
 
 But there came an end to his daydreams. The 
 voices ceased and once again he heard the firm 
 tread on the walk. When it had died away he 
 looked about for something to do. Hearing the 
 sound of a fife, he hurried to the next cross path, 
 and in the distance saw a body of the King s 
 musketeers marching towards the palace. He 
 
6 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 was near enough to admire their bright-colored 
 uniforms and shining accoutrements. 
 
 "Should I have been one of them if I were 
 the eldest?" he asked himself but did not answer. 
 
 The garden was now astir with gay life. On 
 the terraces sauntered ladies and gentlemen; 
 down the stairways they trailed their silken 
 skirts, smooth hands touching the arabesques of 
 the carved balustrades as they descended, or 
 waving painted, tinselled fans before the faces 
 of their cavaliers in silken garments of bright 
 hues, red-heeled buckled shoes and curled wigs 
 falling over their shoulders. They strolled 
 through every avenue, bits of color more bril 
 liant than butterflies. Music came gently from 
 hidden arbors, and sedan-chairs borne on the 
 shoulders of sturdy grooms carried to farther 
 points of the garden belles too languid or dow 
 agers too advanced in years to walk that dis 
 tance. 
 
 Raoul, by no means the only black robe 
 among all the bright ones, looked on in wonder. 
 Not since he had last seen a Pardon in his native 
 province had he beheld so many people in one 
 place; and then in Brittany it had been a relig 
 ious festival which brought the folk together, 
 while here it was the gaiety of the King s court. 
 
AT THE KING S COURT 7 
 
 " Should I have been a courtier?" again he ques 
 tioned himself. 
 
 He listened to the conversation of some of the 
 groups that passed him, and though he knew 
 none of the faces and few of the names he 
 heard, he realized that he was in the company 
 of some of the men who were making the court 
 of Louis the Fourteenth, "the Sun King," re 
 nowned and envied throughout all Europe. 
 These were writers, he had been told at school, 
 whose learning and eloquence had never been 
 equaled, and statesmen and churchmen and 
 men of the robe who helped the King to govern 
 France and to make his might feared in all the 
 world. 
 
 "Should I have been a writer?" he asked 
 again, and this time answered himself without 
 hesitation. He was sure that he could never have 
 been writer, lawyer, financier, even if he had not 
 been born a noble. 
 
 He felt suddenly lonely. There was no one 
 he knew in all this assembly except his two 
 brothers, and he did not care to trouble them un 
 til the hour came when they had promised to 
 station him so that he could see the King as he 
 returned from supper. He sauntered down a 
 path which led him away from the laughing, 
 jesting, disputing groups, to none of which did 
 
8 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 he belong. After some minutes walk he found 
 himself at the edge of a narrow artificial stream 
 that wound its way through green banks and on 
 which a couple of white swans were sailing slow 
 ly back and forth. Here Raoul sat down and, 
 because he was lonely and felt out of place and 
 at odds with fate, he took a kind of savage pleas 
 ure in throwing with all his strength the stones 
 he picked out of the gravelled walk at the hedge 
 on the other side of the stream, at the posts to 
 which a float for disembarking was attached, 
 and at tree trunks behind him. He found a cer 
 tain satisfaction in this exercise; it made him 
 think of the games he used to play with the fish 
 er children on the rocks near the castle at home. 
 Not since he had left there had anyone cared 
 how hard and how far he could throw. And his 
 thoughts now found their way to the family 
 chapel in the castle, with the recumbent statues 
 of some of his ancestors before the altar, and the 
 little votive ship of silver his greatuncle, who 
 loved the sea, hung up in gratitude for his life 
 which had been saved when the fishing boat had 
 been thrown by a great tempest on the rocks 
 that sawed her in two. He recalled his own 
 fervor in prayer. To all his family, as to all 
 Bretons, religion was a big part of life. He 
 must not forget this, he said to himself; yet he 
 
AT THE KING S COURT 9 
 
 added in thought, "a big part, yes, but I do not 
 want to give to it all my life." 
 
 He continued his stone-throwing even while 
 he was thinking, stooping down every now and 
 then to replenish his ammunition which he held 
 in his left hand. Having exhausted all the other 
 targets, he tried the swans, their wide w r hite 
 backs offering a tempting mark. Each time, 
 though, they escaped, until just as they were 
 coming to a turn in the stream he succeeded in 
 hitting the tail of one of them, which encour 
 aged him. He endeavored to allow for the mo 
 tion of the bird and aimed his stone at the very 
 edge of the turn. He had been so intent that 
 he had not noticed the sound of approaching 
 voices. The stone shot forth just as a barge 
 turned the corner, and hit sharply the arm of a 
 gentleman who was leaning back against a crim 
 son cushion. Raoul saw him start angrily; in 
 one glance the boy took in the carved and gilded 
 tritons and mermaids that were wreathed about 
 the bow and sides of the barge, the bright shirts 
 of the rowers, the short painted oars that almost 
 touched the banks on either side of the narrow 
 waterway, the silken flag with the Fleur-de-lis 
 hanging from the staff in the stern, and the ter 
 rified expression on the faces of the barge s occu 
 pants, who did not at first understand whence 
 
10 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 had come the missile which had so disloyally 
 touched the arm of his Majesty, King Louis! 
 
 Raoul did not need to be told who it was. 
 Though he had never seen the King, his features 
 were familiar from pictures, statues and coins. 
 He was too frightened to move or to speak. 
 Stories he had heard of men who had languished 
 in prison for years for crimes attempted against 
 the King s person flashed through his mind. 
 
 A whistle blown from the barge brought a 
 guard running from some nearby post in one of 
 the avenues. At a word shouted from the boat, 
 he laid his hand heavily on Raoul s shoulder. In 
 the meantime the barge had pulled up to the 
 float, and after the rowers had sprung on it, the 
 King, followed by half a dozen gentlemen, 
 stepped from the boat and then to the sward. 
 
 "Was it you who flung the stone?" questioned 
 angrily the oldest and sternest of the courtiers, 
 whose whole aspect and tone proclaimed the 
 man of law. Raoul s "y es " was almost inaud 
 ible, and it was scarcely spoken before another 
 of the courtiers exclaimed: 
 
 "Pardon, Sire, but it is my brother. I pray 
 you to forgive his offense for the sake of the 
 loyalty I bear you." 
 
 King Louis looked at Raoul and then at his 
 brother. Then he spoke and his manner and 
 
AT THE KING S COURT 11 
 
 words conveyed to the boy an impression of of 
 fended majesty which made him feel that he could 
 never bear to have the King look at him again; 
 and to Gervais de Larnac the same words and 
 tone were the expression of an unhoped-for 
 measure of royal clemency. 
 
 "It would be strange, Sieur de Larnac," said 
 Louis, "if a child s heedlessness could make us 
 forget the services his family has rendered the 
 Crown. Let him go free," he commanded the 
 guard. "And, gentlemen, now dispose of your 
 time as you will since the Count of Savoie has 
 an audience with us. We will see you later in the 
 evening." 
 
 The gentlemen bowed low while Louis of 
 France, the greatest king in the world, walked 
 majestically up the avenue. Then they scat 
 tered in different directions, with different pur 
 poses. 
 
 Raoul still stood motionless, his head bent. 
 Gervais de Larnac spoke in a quiet voice that 
 yet was full of anger: "I brought you here for 
 your pleasure, Raoul, and because I had 
 planned for your future with the hope that the 
 King might some time be aware of your exis 
 tence and that it might come about that he 
 would give you some rich benefice so that you 
 
12 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 might become a great churchman. Now you 
 have spoiled this plan, even if you have not in 
 jured me in his eyes, for kings do not like to be 
 hit, even if it be by heedless children. Come," 
 he continued as Raoul did not speak, "come to 
 my room and remain there until I send you 
 back to-morrow to your school." 
 
 He took Raoul by the arm and started 
 towards the palace. One of the King s guests 
 on the barge who had walked ahead now stopped 
 for them. "Monsieur de Larnac," he said, "par 
 don me if I am interfering with family disci 
 pline, but I crave your permission to hold a 
 short conversation with your brother. Will you 
 leave him to me awhile?" 
 
 De Larnac smiled. He was in reality a very 
 agreeable person except when he had reason to 
 fear that his prospects at court might be in 
 jured. The other s manner made him realize 
 that he might be considered to be attribut 
 ing too much importance to a boy s awkward 
 ness. 
 
 "I grant your request with all my heart, Mon 
 sieur de La Salle," he answered. "There will 
 be no dungeon here, though Raoul may consider 
 his school one to-morrow. I have so far forgiven 
 him that I will even permit him to see all that he 
 may of the ceremonies of the evening, pro- 
 
AT THE KING S COURT 13 
 
 vided," here he turned to his brother, "that you 
 do not let His Majesty catch another glimpse of 
 you." 
 
 After this he strolled off, humming the tune 
 of a new madrigal, his brown hair curling in 
 perfection, his short mustache high up under 
 the nostrils in the latest fashion, and his red- 
 heeled shoes, his satin doublet and full trousers 
 of sage green and his cream-colored laces, as 
 much a part of the landscape as if the head 
 gardener had planted him and watched him 
 grow. 
 
 Raoul would have liked to accompany him; 
 he did not know what this stranger wanted and 
 would have been glad to escape. But the man 
 led the way without speaking to a small arbor 
 or garden house built in the form of a round 
 classic temple, and seating himself on one of the 
 three marble steps which led up to it, motioned 
 the boy to sit beside him. 
 
 "Do not fear that I have aught to ask of you," 
 he said. "It was the sight of your black robe 
 which brought back my own youth, for I too 
 wore one for years and like you, looked forward 
 to a life in the priesthood." 
 
 Raoul knew that he had heard this firm voice 
 before, yet could not place it. 
 
 "I have a great devotion to the Church," con- 
 
14 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 tinned the man, "and I have known many splen 
 did priests, but I was not meant to be one. You 
 are of Brittany, though, and you Bretons are 
 more religious than we of Normandy. Did you 
 chose your vocation yourself?" 
 
 "No," answered Raoul ; "there was nothing 
 else. My parents are dead; my eldest brother 
 Rene is a soldier, and our small estate is only 
 large enough to support him and my brother 
 Gervais, whom you know. And besides, the De 
 Larnacs have always given a son to the Church." 
 "And you plan to be a great churchman?" 
 continued the man. "Perhaps this visit to the 
 court is it your first?" (the boy nodded) 
 "has awakened in you the ambition to become a 
 court preacher, to make the King and his nobles 
 listen to your impassioned words; perhaps even 
 to become a great cardinal like Mazarin or Rich 
 elieu, and to rule France. There are many 
 kinds of ambition," he added thoughtfully. 
 
 "No," said Raoul. "I am not fitted for such 
 a life. I wish there were brave deeds required 
 of a priest as in the old days of the martyrs." 
 
 "Have you never heard of the bravery and 
 sufferings of the missionaries who have gone to 
 the New World in order to save the souls of the 
 Indians?" asked the man. 
 
AT THE KING S COURT 15 
 
 The word "Indians" cleared up suddenly in 
 RaouFs brain the dim associations he had with 
 his companion s voice. Now he knew that this 
 man was one of the two he had overheard talking 
 behind the hedge. 
 
 "Oh, tell me of them," he begged, "tell me of 
 life in New France. Forgive me that I listened 
 when you and the foreigner were discussing 
 your plans this afternoon. I could not leave, I 
 was so eager to hear them." 
 
 "There is nothing to forgive," the other 
 answered, "and now there is no longer need to 
 keep silence about our plans. The King has 
 graciously granted all that I have asked. Our 
 expedition is assured, and Henri de Tonty, 
 whom you heard, a brave and generous Italian 
 who lost his hand by a grenade in the wars with 
 Sicily, goes with me." 
 
 "Oh, if I were a man and a soldier," ex 
 claimed Raoul, clasping his hands around his 
 knees and pulling on them until the knuckles 
 cracked, "I would plead with you so that you 
 would have to take me. Tell me, Seigneur de 
 La Salle, for tis so you are called, is it not? is 
 there no place in the King s province overseas 
 for one who would learn to be a missionary? I 
 would fain save heathen souls, and since I have 
 
16 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 been listening to you I have made up my mind 
 that it is not as an abbe or a bishop that I shall 
 serve the Church, but as a missionary. Yet, 
 how can I wait to see the woods and Indians 
 whereof you tell until I have studied so many 
 years here in school? Is there no seminary 
 yonder where they would train me?" 
 
 This was doubtless the longest speech the boy 
 had ever in his life made to one of his elders, 
 but his eagerness gave him courage. Suddenly 
 he saw clearly what he wanted to do, and he 
 felt that he must make the other understand and 
 help him. La Salle reflected awhile and then 
 answered: "That were indeed possible if you 
 are old enough to know what you really desire 
 and if your brothers and your teachers would 
 give their consent." 
 
 "Will you not speak for me, Sir?" Raoul s 
 eyes were as beseeching as those of a dog. "I 
 know not in truth why you have been so kind 
 as to waste on a lad in disgrace an hour you 
 might be spending with the greatest in the land; 
 but if you would only go further in your kind 
 ness and help me to begin the vocation I feel is 
 mine!" 
 
 "I scarce know why I did seek you out," 
 answered La Salle, "except that the sight of 
 your melancholy faoe and your black robe made 
 
LA SALLE ANSWERED, "THAT WERE INDEED POSSIBLE IF 
 You ARE OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT You 
 REALLY DESIRE." 
 
AT THE KING S COURT 17 
 
 me think of my own childhood. You seemed 
 to me like a spring bubbling up in a marshy 
 spot, choked with stones and leaves, and I felt 
 a strange urge to see if I could not clear a bed 
 for the stream to flow through. Somehow you 
 reminded me of a river s beginning, and rivers 
 and their wanderings have always held my 
 fancy." He brought back his thoughts that 
 seemed suddenly to have journeyed far, and 
 continued: "If you desire, I will speak to your 
 brothers and will tell them that, should they be 
 disposed to grant your request, it would give 
 me pleasure to take you with me to Canada and 
 to see you transferred to a school there where 
 you can be prepared for the life you say that 
 you have chosen. Come," and he rose to avoid 
 the gratitude the boy was trying to put into 
 words, "come, or I shall be late for His Majes 
 ty s table, to which he has graciously bidden me 
 this evening. And you must not fail to see all 
 the splendor of the ceremonies. The picture of 
 it all is pleasant to think about when I am alone 
 in the wilderness. Weigh it all well, lad, the 
 ease here that can be yours if you will, against 
 the privations, the dangers, the martyrdom, per 
 chance, of the life yonder." 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 QUEBEC 
 
 VERSAILLES and its summer glories had 
 faded into the past, and sometimes Raoul 
 wondered if what he had seen there had not been 
 a dream. Even the memory of France was be 
 coming blurred his surroundings were so dif 
 ferent in this New World that the ocean seemed 
 to have cut him off from his old life. 
 
 "Waste not so much time at yon window, 
 Raoul," Father Hippolyte said, tapping the 
 boy on the shoulder. "I ll warrant you cannot 
 recite the psalm I gave you in penance for yes 
 terday s idleness." 
 
 "I would," exclaimed Raoul, "that zeal were 
 all that a missionary required, and that I did 
 not have need to study so long before I set out 
 to follow humbly in the steps of Father Jogues 
 and Father Raymbault, of whose splendid deeds 
 among the savages you have told me." 
 
 18 
 
QUEBEC 19 
 
 "If they had not spent so many hours in 
 study, do you think they could have converted 
 the Indians?" questioned the priest. "Remem 
 ber, boy, your ambition must not be to save the 
 souls of the heathen only, but to advance the 
 power of our Order. There is no place among 
 the Jesuits for a fool or for one who will not 
 learn. See, therefore, that you waste no more 
 time in gazing out of windows at scenes that are 
 new to you. Indians, trappers, soldiers, even 
 the Governor himself, should be as nothing com 
 pared with your breviary or Lives of the Saints. 
 Tis by concentration only that your errant 
 mind will be brought to discipline, and not until 
 that is as trained as a steed to harness will we let 
 you go forth to train others." 
 
 When Father Hippolyte had left, Raoul en 
 deavored to obey his command and to keep his 
 mind upon the Latin words. But a bugle call 
 from without drew him once again to the win 
 dow. A troop of soldiers was passing; the brisk 
 Canadian autumn wind blew their flag so that it 
 flapped in the face of the standard-bearer and 
 reddened the cheeks of men who had lately 
 landed from France and were not yet grown 
 accustomed to the sharpness of air on the ex 
 posed cliff. When they had passed Raoul still 
 stood gazing there out at the view which so fas- 
 
20 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 cinated him. By craning his neck, he could see 
 a number of buildings of the upper part of Que 
 bec; the Castle of St. Louis, from which floated 
 the Royal Standard of France, the Fort, the 
 Hotel Dieu and the Court House. Below him 
 was the river and beyond, on the other side, the 
 dark woods which he had beheld in his dreams 
 that day in Versailles. The corridors of the 
 seminary here differed little from his school 
 corridors in France; the daily routine of lessons 
 and prayers was much the same, and he was dis 
 appointed to discover that he was almost as far 
 from the free adventurous life of the frontier as 
 when he first heard of it the day he listened to 
 La Salle and Tonty. But when he was allowed 
 to go out into the bustling life of Quebec, or 
 when he looked down on it from the window, he 
 was content. He was the only boy of his age 
 in the school; the other students being much old 
 er and graver, and as he had no companions, he 
 had much time for thought. There were hours 
 when he was almost happy alone in the chapel, 
 when his fancy would picture St. Stephen in his 
 martyrdom or other saints who had suffered and 
 died for the faith. He would wonder whether 
 he too would be brave if a similar fate should be 
 his, and his heart would beat with a delicious 
 
QUEBEC 21 
 
 fear. Heaven seemed at times near to the lonely 
 boy, and very real. 
 
 Yet these hours were rarer than the other 
 hours of restlessness, of a kind of mute rebellion 
 against his semi-imprisonment. He wondered 
 what had become of La Salle, who had bidden 
 him farewell as soon as their voyage was over 
 and he had placed his young charge safely in the 
 hands of the head of the seminary. Was it like 
 ly, he questioned himself, that he would ever see 
 him again, at least before he was grown? He 
 would give so much to know what he was doing, 
 and to know more of what he hoped to do; for 
 though he had had little talk with him on ship 
 board, Raoul had only to look at him to be cer 
 tain that there was some deep purpose which 
 underlay all his actions. One of the older stu 
 dents had said of him: "All he wishes is to 
 make a fortune out of pelts; that is the desire 
 of every settler." But Raoul s lip had curled in 
 scorn for one who could read no farther beneath 
 the surface. He knew that La Salle was a 
 dreamer even as he himself was. But what his 
 dream was that he still waited to learn. 
 
 The sound of footsteps made him turn hur 
 riedly from the window and pick up his book 
 which had been lying forgotten on the stone 
 floor for the past half hour, and his lips were re- 
 
22 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 citing the psalm when Father Hippolyte re-en 
 tered the corridor. With him was another 
 priest, who wore a heavy mantle and carried in 
 his hand a case filled with medicines and surgi 
 cal appliances. 
 
 "Can you manage a boat, Raoul?" asked 
 Father Hippolyte. "Pere Antoine is called to 
 attend one of our tenants in the woods who has 
 been injured. There is no one here who is free 
 to accompany him to-day, so if you can help 
 him with the boat you may go." 
 
 "I am a Breton, Father," answered Raoul 
 proudly, "and I have pulled a boat since I was 
 five." 
 
 "Then go and get ready; and forget not to 
 take your warm cape," the priest commanded, 
 "for the evenings now are cold and perchance 
 you will have to spend the night in the forest." 
 
 Raoul was overjoyed to escape out of doors 
 and at the chance of nearing the wilderness 
 which had called him so long. He did not even 
 mind hurrying through the streets in which at 
 another time he would have been so eager to 
 loiter. There was so much to be seen: soldiers 
 off duty swaggering about, gentlemen talking 
 together outside of the Castle, Ursuline nuns in 
 their high-peaked headgear, and here and there 
 a few ladies and children. As they descended 
 
QUEBEC 23 
 
 the steep street to the lower town the crowd was 
 even more varied. There were merchants bar 
 gaining with trappers and Indians for skins of 
 beaver and fox, their shoulders piled high with 
 pelts already purchased. Here were fishermen 
 with strings of fish swinging from their poles, 
 and farmers from the banks of the St. Charles 
 with baskets of pearly onions and golden maize. 
 It was difficult to realize, thought Raoul, re 
 membering some of the facts that he had been 
 told, that this important, active city of Quebec 
 had been founded only sixty years before by the 
 great Champlain. 
 
 When they reached the river s edge Pere An- 
 toine spoke for the first time: "Go into yonder 
 cabin and tell Xavier, the boatman, that I am 
 waiting." 
 
 Raoul entered the low hut, that smelled strong 
 ly of fish and tobacco, and was obliged to rouse 
 the sleeping boatman. 
 
 "I will go," he answered drowsily, "but only 
 part of the way, for I must be back here two 
 days from now. From then on you and the 
 Father must manage alone. You look a husky 
 lad, if you are a priestling, and it will do you 
 good to be working your arms as well as bending 
 your knees forever in the chapel." 
 
 While he was holding the boat for the priest 
 
24 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 to enter Raoul gazed at it in amazement. It 
 was a canoe, and he had never seen one close by, 
 though from the window he had watched them 
 pass on the river. Its birchbark sides were so 
 thin that he feared to punch a hole in them with 
 his foot, and he stepped into it as gingerly as a 
 cat into a puddle. The paddle which Xavier 
 handed him before he himself sprang lightly in 
 to the stern was unlike any oar he had ever 
 handled. The river was so wide and so rapid 
 that it seemed to him as if so frail a craft could 
 never make its way through all the rough water. 
 But the training of a sailor came to his aid, and 
 by turning every now and then to Xavier, Raoul 
 was soon able to dip his paddle in rhythm with 
 the boatsman s. He was too much occupied 
 with his work to notice his surroundings. The 
 exercise and the fresh air set his veins a-tingle, 
 and he was happier than he had been for many 
 a day. 
 
 After a number of hours they turned into a 
 narrower river. They rested for part of the 
 night, then when the moon rose went onward 
 again. All around were trees, golden and red, 
 of every shade. Here and there a clearing 
 showed tilled fields and a hut, and once a saw 
 mill that was almost barricaded by logs await 
 ing its knife. Xavier would call out the names 
 
QUEBEC 25 
 
 of the owners, and would break the silence with 
 song, songs of the woods, songs of soldiers, love 
 songs of France, new songs that were to be old 
 songs a century or more later. Raoul too would 
 have liked to sing, but when once he joined in 
 the chorus, Pere Antoine s voice rose, chanting 
 a hymn, and Raoul stopped, conscious that for 
 a future priest he had been indulging in un 
 seemly behavior. Now and then Xavier would 
 call out some instruction to him regarding his 
 management of the paddle, and after a while he 
 made Raoul take his place in the stern and pilot 
 the canoe 
 
 It was an hour before sunset that they 
 stopped. "I must return now, reverend 
 Father," said Xavier, bringing the canoe inshore. 
 "I have business this night that cannot be ne 
 glected." He drew from a loosely constructed 
 shed a smaller canoe and motioned to the others 
 to step into it. "This will take you the rest of 
 the way to Jean Dubois. The stream is not heavy 
 now and you should reach there before dark. 
 Only forget not the rapids half way up and keep 
 well to the right bank. They are very danger 
 ous otherwise." 
 
 Raoul would giadly have taken his place in 
 the stern, but Pere Antoine waved him to stay 
 where he was, and they set off in silence. The 
 
26 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 canoe was lighter than Xavier s boat but their 
 progress was much slower. Raoul could see that 
 the priest was little of a boatman and that he 
 was not able to keep the canoe to a steady 
 course. Once he ventured to suggest that they 
 get out and carry the canoe when they ap 
 proached the rapids, but Pere Antoine bade him 
 be silent. He longed to ask questions about the 
 country they were journeying through, whether 
 it was safe from Indian raids, whether there 
 were wild beasts in its forests, and many other 
 things he was curious about. He saw, however, 
 that the priest s thoughts were far away, that 
 his lips were moving in prayer, and that he was 
 scarcely conscious of his surroundings. 
 
 This was evidently the reason why, when they 
 approached the rapids, Pere Antoine did not re 
 member to follow Xavier s instructions to keep 
 to the right bank. Suddenly the bow of the 
 boat was twisted sharply about, and though 
 Raoul, seeing the danger in which they were, 
 bent all his strength to pull it back towards the 
 bank, it was too late. The rushing white water 
 was upon them and it tossed the canoe on to a 
 sharp rock in midcurrent that gashed a long 
 rent across its side. The two occupants were 
 borne by the rapids against the rocks over which 
 it threw them. Raoul struggled to keep up, for 
 
QUEBEC 27 
 
 he had always been at home in the water; but 
 his force was not equal to the combat. Just be 
 fore his head was pummeled against a boulder 
 and he lost consciousness, he stretched out his 
 hand to try to catch the long robe of Pere An- 
 toine as it floated past him. 
 
 It was almost dark when Raoul opened his 
 eyes and tried to recall what had happened. His 
 head felt very heavy and he had no inclination 
 to move. After a while he put out his hand and 
 touched the sharp points of pine needles. The 
 roar of the rapids told him that he was not far 
 from the river. He was conscious that he was 
 very cold and that, in addition to being wet, he 
 had not many clothes on. The rocks and rapids 
 had stripped him of his robe and his stockings. 
 A sudden light in front of him made him start. 
 Someone was building a fire, and against the 
 last glow that lingered in the sunset sky he saw 
 a figure stooping over a flame of twigs which 
 blazed up brightly. The thought of the warmth 
 made him eager to rise, but he felt too sore and 
 bewildered. Then he remembered the canoe, 
 Pere Antoine, the rapids and the cruel rocks. 
 He did not know whether he might have escaped 
 them only to encounter worse dangers. He had 
 heard so many tales of savages that the thought 
 
28 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 of them came quickly to his mind. However, he 
 decided, no matter what might be going to hap 
 pen he must get warm first, so he rose slowly and 
 painfully and made his way towards the now 
 roaring fire. To his astonishment as he ap 
 proached it, he saw that the figure stooping to 
 pick up more sticks to feed it was that of a girl, 
 and a white girl at that. He was tempted to 
 run. He had scarcely spoken to a girl in his 
 life. There had been no sister in his home, and 
 of course no woman in his life since he entered 
 his school. But it was too late; she had turned 
 and seen him and now came running towards 
 him. 
 
 "Come," she cried, "and get warm. I meant 
 to rouse you as soon as I had the fire burning, 
 but you did not wait for me." 
 
 Raoul came as close to the flame as he could 
 get, conscious at the same time of its delicious 
 warmth and of his own shoeless, stockingless 
 condition. It seemed discourteous not to speak, 
 so he forced himself to ask: "Can you tell me 
 how I happen to be alive? Is Pere Antoine 
 also saved?" 
 
 "So it was he?" the girl cried out. "I saw a 
 white face and a long black robe go down below 
 there into the lower rapids, and no man can live 
 through them. You were tossed by an eddy on 
 
QUEBEC 29 
 
 to the beach and I pulled you up to the bank, 
 and when I had discovered that you were not 
 dead I knew that you would perish unless you 
 could get warm soon. Is it better now?" 
 
 Raoul nodded. "How did you happen to be 
 here?" he asked. 
 
 "It was my father who sent to the seminary 
 for a priest to come to dress his wound. I 
 thought 1 would go to the landing so as to show 
 the Father the shortest way to our house, and 
 then as I was walking I saw your canoe and 
 what happened. I am Denise Dubois." 
 
 The firelight played on her brown hair and 
 sturdy little body, and repeated its own tones 
 in her russet gown and bright red knitted worst 
 ed stockings. The spot was so lonely and she 
 so small that Raoul could not help exclaiming: 
 "And do you not fear to roam the woods thus at 
 night? Are there not savages and wild beasts 
 in its depths?" 
 
 She laughed. "No, I have no fear; see, here 
 is my good knife." And she pulled a big case 
 knife from her "nun s pocket" beneath her skirt 
 and opened it with a look of pride. But quick 
 ly her expression changed as she saw that Raoul 
 was trembling with cold. "Come," she said; 
 "take my hand and run. It will be better for 
 
30 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 you to get under cover now, and moreover, my 
 mother will be worrying." 
 
 Raoul experienced a certain boyish reluctance 
 to entrust himself to a girl s guidance, but he 
 knew that without it he would have been com 
 pletely lost. They ran through a bit of the for 
 est, then through open land where he could see 
 dim forms of stacked cornshucks, over a little 
 bridge beneath which whirled a swift narrow 
 stream, and then the light from a window shone 
 through the chinks of the palisade. As Denise 
 flung open the heavy oaken door Raoul saw into 
 a large room with a huge fire burning on the 
 deep hearth. Hams and sausages and ropes of 
 onions dangled from the dark beams overhead, 
 and bright pewter vessels shone on the shelves 
 of the dresser; a spinning-wheel stood in the 
 corner, and two large dogs lay before the fire; 
 and everywhere, on chairs and stools, were peo 
 ple, so many he couldn t at first count them. 
 
 "Where is Pere Antoine?" asked a woman 
 anxiously. 
 
 "He is drowned, my mother," answered De 
 nise. "And this, his companion, barely saved his 
 life. He has need of warmth and food." 
 
 No further questions were asked or words 
 wasted. Mother Dubois kicked the dogs gently 
 to make them resign their places to the stranger. 
 
QUEBEC 31 
 
 Raoul, after bowing to her, accepted the stool 
 she placed for him and soon was drinking a bowl 
 of hot soup which with a long ladle she drew 
 from a pot on the fire. While he drank he lis 
 tened to Denise s account of the accident, and 
 gradually he made out that all those present 
 were members of her family : an old grandfather 
 still hale and hearty, two young aunts, Mere 
 Dubois, three small boys younger than Denise, 
 and an older brother of about seventeen. And, 
 in an alcove he had not first noticed, lay Jean 
 Dubois, whose leg had been nearly severed by 
 his own ax. 
 
 It was a homelike scene and Raoul, though his 
 head and back still ached, now that he was 
 warmed and fed, could enjoy it. It reminded 
 him of some of the farmhouses he had often 
 visited in Brittany, where, as one of the young 
 noblemen from the castle, he had always been 
 welcome. 
 
 "What is the news in Quebec, young sir?" 
 called Jean, his voice strong indeed for a 
 wounded man. 
 
 Raoul approached his bed and sitting by his 
 side, told him the odds and ends of news which 
 had come to his ears. 
 
 "The fathers at the seminary hold this land," 
 said the honest habitant, "and I must pay them 
 
32 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 each year in rent some bags of meal and fish. It 
 is little yet that one can grow in fields where one 
 must carry gun as well as hoe, yet I have not 
 failed to harvest enough each year to feed all 
 these hungry mouths, have I, Rosette?" he asked 
 his wife. 
 
 "We have prospered indeed, my man," she 
 answered, and her tone spoke of quiet affection 
 as she leaned over and rearranged the covers. 
 "You must perforce now content yourself with 
 my ministrations since good Pere Antoine, God 
 rest his soul, is gone. It is well that the leg 
 had begun to mend just after we sent for him." 
 
 "Are there savages nearby?" questioned 
 Raoul, when she had gone back to her spinning- 
 wheel. "I am but lately come from France, and 
 in truth I will confess that I have great curios 
 ity about this new land." 
 
 "Jacques can tell you tales all day long of the 
 Indians," declared Denise, who was lying on the 
 floor, her head on the back of one of the dogs. 
 
 "Oh! yes, if you want to hear them," assented 
 her older brother. He then began to relate stor 
 ies of Indian raids, of the massacre at Ville Ma 
 rie, and told of his own experiences with Indians 
 as traders of furs, and even of his visit to one of 
 the distant missions to the Hurons. Raoul 
 
QUEBEC 33 
 
 listened eagerly, and when a log shot out a spark 
 with a loud report he jumped nervously. 
 
 "He thinks the redmen are without," laughed 
 Denise. 
 
 " "Tis no matter to laugh at, foolish child," 
 said her mother, "though, praise God, we are 
 spared that horror. But no more to-night, Jac 
 ques, the young seigneur must go to bed." 
 
 Though Raoul had said nothing of himself 
 except that he was studying to be a priest, Ro 
 sette s intuition had told her that he was a noble. 
 She bade Jacques make room for him on his own 
 pallet, and before she went to bed herself she 
 tiptoed to the side of the sleeping boys to throw 
 an extra coverlet over their guest. 
 
 And when her mother and all the rest were 
 asleep, Denise crept from her bed and went to a 
 small hole which had been bored by the side of 
 the front door, and peered out into the moonlit 
 night, to assure herself that the Indians, about 
 whom she had laughed in the daytime, were not 
 now prowling around the house. 
 
 The two days which followed were the hap 
 piest Raoul had known for many a month. 
 Clothed in jacket and hose which Jacques had 
 long outgrown, but which the thrifty Rosette 
 was keeping for the babies to grow into, he ex 
 plored the habitant s farm and its surroundings. 
 
34 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Jacques and Denise made him free of their own 
 rich knowledge of birds and beast. He fished 
 and threw stones with no robe to cumber him, 
 and he ate with a boy s appetite, forgetting the 
 abstinence enjoined at the seminary. 
 
 Jacques promised to take Raoul back to Que 
 bec as soon as his father was able to be on his 
 feet again, for it would not do to leave the farm 
 without an able-bodied man. Raoul was glad the 
 kindly habitant s wound was improving, still he 
 could not help hoping that it would not be too 
 rapid a recovery. He had grown accustomed 
 now to Denise s companionship. She was so 
 like a boy in her direct, simple ways, that he was 
 no longer shy with her. 
 
 "Come," she said to him the third morning of 
 his stay. "I ll show you a fox s den where there 
 may be some little foxes." 
 
 "Where are you bound?" called out Jacques 
 as he saw them skirting the maize field beyond 
 the house. 
 
 "To the cave on the hill yonder," she called 
 back. 
 
 "Let that be the limit," commanded her broth 
 er. "I heard from Paul Lafitte that some Iro- 
 quois had been reported skulking up the river. 
 We re not at war with them, you know," he con 
 tinued, in answer to Raoul s questioning look, 
 
QUEBEC 35 
 
 "nevertheless there s no time when a handful of 
 them mightn t raise a nice little war of their own 
 against us. Remember, Denise no farther." 
 
 The two had climbed nearly to the top of the 
 hill before they came to the den. Its entrance 
 in summertime had been almost concealed by 
 the thick bushes which grew before it. Now the 
 first heavy frost had stripped the crimson leaves 
 of the sumac and left merely a lattice of 
 branches. The two children crouched down and 
 peered in. It was a shallow cave, and the eyes 
 of the red vixen looked almost into their own, 
 so that they instinctively drew back in fear of 
 what she might do to protect the little balls of 
 fur that cuddled against her. 
 
 "I must show that to Jacques to-morrow," 
 said Denise, leaning in again as far as she dared, 
 "so that he can set a trap near for the father 
 fox. He ll make me a fine cap for the winter." 
 
 The word "winter" brought Raoul back to 
 reality, to the life he had almost forgotten in his 
 three days of freedom. "In what direction is 
 Quebec?" he asked. "Again I am stupid, and 
 have lost the points of the compass; the trees 
 are so thick." 
 
 "Let s climb to the top of the hill and then 
 I ll show you and also where the new habi- 
 
36 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 tant s house is to be. I do hope he has children 
 of my age to play with." 
 
 The summit was an exposed spot and no trees 
 grew there. Raoul felt as if the hill must be like 
 the one he had read of in the Bible from which 
 Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the 
 world. Only here there were no kingdoms; it 
 was mostly forests that lay below them, with 
 here and there a clearing where smoke rising 
 from a chimney testified to the home of a habi 
 tant, or a stream that ran to join the river. De- 
 nise pointed out the spot where the canoe had 
 sunk, and Raoul said an inward prayer for Pere 
 Antoine s soul. The farmhouse of the Dubois, 
 large as it was, looked like a toy thrown down 
 and forgotten in the forest. Yet to Denise it 
 was all her world, the only world she knew, and 
 to Raoul it was strangely dear. Neither 
 thought of what it represented an outpost of 
 France s empire. 
 
 Suddenly, to Raoul s amazement, Denise dis 
 appeared down the far slope of the hill, and be 
 fore he could call out to ask what had tripped 
 her, he felt a clutch at his own ankles and he was 
 dragged, feet foremost, down into the thicket. 
 He could not see what or who had hold of him, 
 until a large red hand came from behind and 
 bound a strip of soft deerskin over his mouth. 
 
QUEBEC 37 
 
 Denise, he discovered, was being silenced in the 
 same manner. Then their captors no longer 
 made any attempt to conceal themselves. They 
 were two braves, one perhaps ten years older 
 than the other. Raoul guessed, from what Jac 
 ques had told him of the Iroquois band, that they 
 must belong to that nation which had so often 
 warred with the French and invaded their terri 
 tory. 
 
 The older Indian motioned, and the children 
 followed in the footsteps of the younger brave, 
 down the hill which now rose between them and 
 the house, and into the dense forest beyond. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 BUILDING THE GRIFFIN 
 
 "T PROPHESIED to you truly, friend 
 A Tonty, did I not, that day at Versailles?" 
 asked La Salle, as he and his companion stood 
 at the doorway of the rough cabin below the 
 mountain ridge at Lewiston. "I told you that 
 if you came with me on this expedition you would 
 encounter cold, Indians and many dangers ; but I 
 forgot to include in them the treachery of one s 
 
 own men." 
 
 He turned away before Henri de Tonty could 
 answer him, as if ashamed of this unusual out 
 burst ; and the Italian, understanding his passion 
 for reticence, made no comment on his speech. 
 
 "What will you do now, Sieur de La Salle?" 
 he asked some minutes later when his silence had 
 reassured his commander. "With a wrecked 
 ship and your stores and ammunition gone, your 
 
BUILDING THE GRIFFIN 39 
 
 plans for a post on the river here are complete 
 ly destroyed." 
 
 "I will build another ship," said La Salle, 
 "and at once. Come back with me here to the 
 portage, and I will point out where and why it is 
 of such importance that we hold this point, in 
 order that our great adventure may not be jeop 
 ardized for lack of a strong base in our rear." 
 
 To Tonty, brave and cheerful as he was, the 
 situation looked almost desperate. The ship 
 which had borne the supplies for the great ex 
 pedition had been wrecked because the pilot had 
 disobeyed the orders of La Salle, and only a 
 small proportion of its fittings and ammunition 
 had been saved; La Motte, La Salle s lieuten 
 ant, who should have had everything in readiness 
 for La Salle s arrival, had not known how to 
 keep his men in order, even if he were not guilty 
 of stirring them up to revolt, and now, half- 
 blinded by the snow, had been obliged to return 
 to Fort Frontenac; and, in addition to all these 
 troubles, the money gathered by La Salle with 
 so much difficulty was almost exhausted. The 
 glamour of the expedition which had shone for 
 Tonty since his first talk with La Salle in 
 France, was indeed dimmed. The reality was so 
 gray, so cold, so forlorn, that he wondered how 
 his heart could ever have beat with such excite- 
 
40 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 ment at the plan. His impetuous southern 
 temperament had been chilled by all the misfor 
 tunes which at the very outset had overtaken 
 them. 
 
 As he strode along behind the Frenchman on 
 the narrow path of hard packed snow, and 
 looked up at the low-hanging, heavy snow-filled 
 skies, he could not help asking himself whether 
 they had not both been misled by the will-o -the- 
 wisp of an impossible dream. His loyal nature 
 did not for a second suggest that he should de 
 sert La Salle, even if this should be the case; 
 he had given his word and he would never turn 
 back, though the dream should lead them into 
 a morass where they must perish. Nevertheless, 
 he longed for some assurance that he was wrong, 
 that the flame of enthusiasm at which his spirit 
 had taken fire, still burned. And, as if he felt 
 this need, La Salle slowed his step and waited 
 for his companion to catch up with him. 
 
 "The path is wider here," he said, "and there 
 is no danger that either of us will disappear into 
 the drifts, as did Father Hennepin yesterday." 
 
 A grim smile showed his enjoyment at the 
 picture his memory painted, of the priest, im 
 peded by his robe, struggling to extricate him 
 self from the soft newly fallen snow. 
 
BUILDING THE GRIFFIN 41 
 
 "Like a black crow in a good wife s kneaded 
 dough," he added. 
 
 "It is a dreary scene, Friend Tonty," he con 
 tinued as they strode along now side by side ; 
 "but it is only one step in a long journey which 
 shall lead us to fame, and perchance to riches. 
 My thoughts have taken this journey so many 
 years that they cannot be halted at one stage of 
 it, no matter how dangerous or troublesome it 
 may prove; they know that the end shall be 
 reached and they cry out to me to hasten on 
 ward. If only I had men all like you, we had 
 been half way there by now." 
 
 "But I too have doubted," confessed Tonty, 
 unwilling to sail under false colors. 
 
 "What matters your doubt," exclaimed La 
 Salle, "since it does not stay your hands, your 
 feet nor your spirit from aiding me? I would 
 I could find more such doubters." 
 
 The warmth of his words cheered Tonty as 
 if the sun had begun to shine again. He did not 
 speak, but laid his iron hand affectionately on 
 his companion s arm. La Salle continued: 
 
 "And if you still doubt I do not blame you, 
 for I have enough conviction for two. Shall I 
 tell you how long I have planned this quest of 
 mine, and how I know that I am the one man 
 who can carry it out? It is for me because I 
 
42 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 have felt the call of it; no. other man had heard 
 it, and no other man can follow unless I lead. 
 Before I first left France, thirteen years ago, 
 when I was only three and twenty, I knew that 
 my fortune awaited me in the new world, and 
 that it was not to be merely that of a fur trader 
 who would grow rich and sit at ease in Quebec. 
 So when the Fathers of St. Sulpice, knowing 
 that there must be watchdogs about their flock 
 to protect it from the savages, granted me my 
 seigneurie above the Falls near Ville Marie 
 (Montreal), I accepted the trust gladly. I 
 chose hardy men for my settlement. I divided 
 my land into portions which I rented to each 
 of them for six deniers and three fat capons a 
 year; I built a house for myself and storehouses 
 and a chapel, erected palisades about them, all 
 for protection against the Indians, and I bought 
 and sold furs, and attended to the welfare of 
 my colony. Was that not a life busy enough 
 for any man, Tonty?" 
 
 "You did not find it so," answered the Ital 
 ian. 
 
 "You are right," went on La Salle. "Do you 
 know the name I gave my seigneurie?" 
 
 "I have heard men call it La Chine ," replied 
 Tonty, his eyes following a fox that was scur- 
 
BUILDING THE GRIFFIN 43 
 
 rying along the bank above them; "but I know 
 not why." 
 
 "China was to be my goal," his friend ex 
 plained. "In the long days when I gazed west 
 ward beyond the lake and the forests, and in the 
 nights when I dreamed in front of my blazing 
 hearth, I kept thinking of how I might reach the 
 far kingdoms of Cathay that lay somewhere to 
 the west of us, and open to France the way to 
 trade with them for their fabulous riches. So 
 I called my place La Chine as a symbol of my 
 hopes." 
 
 He paused for a moment to decide which of 
 the two paths branching before him he should 
 follow. 
 
 "During one of those long winters some Sen 
 eca Indians, drawn by curiosity, I believe, came 
 to La Chine and spent several months within 
 our boundaries. I welcomed them, for I was 
 ever eager to learn another Indian dialect. And 
 when we hunted or when we sat about our fires 
 they would talk and tell of the deeds of their 
 warriors and their hunters. One day when the 
 snow was beginning to thaw they spoke of a 
 great river which flowed through their country. 
 Once, they said, some of their tribe had set out 
 in their canoes to follow it to its mouth. For 
 eight moons, said their chief, they had been 
 
44 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 borne on its waters until they reached a great 
 gulf, the Vermilion Sea, I believe it must be, 
 from whence China as I reckoned on a rough 
 map I drew with a stick in the snow could not 
 be a far distant voyage. I have told you al 
 ready, Tonty, how I made up my mind, how I 
 sold La Chine to procure money for my search 
 for the way to the real China. I bought four 
 canoes, and having laid in many supplies, I set 
 forth with the fourteen men I paid to go with 
 me. And with my expedition went one fitted 
 out by the Jesuits, so that in all we were twen 
 ty-four men and seven canoes." 
 
 Tonty had listened eagerly to La Salle s ac 
 count. The Frenchman lived so much in the 
 future that it was generally difficult to get him 
 to talk of what he had done in the past. Even 
 now, Tonty perceived that his thoughts were 
 growing tired of their backward journey. So he 
 spurred them on with the question: "And then 
 what happened?" 
 
 "We traveled many days," continued La 
 Salle, "slept among Indians, reached Lake On 
 tario, were in constant danger from the hostile 
 tribes, and at last, when I had secured a guide, I 
 came to a river which the Indians call the Ohio, 
 and descended it until our passage was barred 
 by a great fall. Another wide river I followed 
 
BUILDING THE GRIFFIN. 45 
 
 the next year, but whether it was the one the 
 Senecas spoke of I cannot tell until we have ex 
 plored it farther. It is for you and me to decide, 
 Friend Tonty. That river calls to me day and 
 night." 
 
 "Why did you not go on at that time?" the 
 Italian queried. 
 
 "I had many enemies then as now," answered 
 La Salle, "who scoffed at me as a dreamer or 
 as a sordid trader who risked the lives of 
 Frenchmen to make himself rich. I was forced 
 to wait, and the long months and years have 
 been slow, but now at last the day has come, and 
 I shall not let my spirit be troubled by any set 
 backs. We shall . . ." 
 
 He was interrupted by a man who hastened 
 towards them on snowshoes. "Seigneur," he 
 called, "the men have reached the plateau and 
 are waiting for you to point out the spot where 
 they are to begin." 
 
 La Salle s whole expression changed from the 
 half dreamy, fixed gaze of the enthusiast to that 
 of the wide-awake man of practical affairs. He 
 quickened his step, crying: "Come, Tonty, let 
 us hasten!" 
 
 There was no further talking now; the three 
 climbed the steep sides of the mountain, up 
 which the workmen, laden with tools and such 
 
46 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 provisions and material as had been saved from 
 the wreck, had mounted an hour before. As 
 they neared the summit they could hear, even 
 beyond the sound of the men s voices, a dull 
 roar as of far-off cannon. 
 
 "The Great Falls of Niagara a league away" 
 panted La Salle, breathless with his hasty 
 climb, in explanation to Tonty s quick gesture 
 of astonishment. 
 
 Just ahead of them was a black-robed figure, 
 bent beneath a load attached to his back. They 
 called out a greeting as their more rapid strides 
 overtook Father Hennepin, sturdy traveler 
 though he was, burdened by his neatly fitted, 
 portable altar. A huge fire was sending its 
 flames leaping straight upward into the still air, 
 igniting some branches of spruce or the dried 
 oak leaves from which the snow had been blown. 
 About the fire stood all of the men of the expedi 
 tion waiting for La Salle s command to start 
 work on the first ship ever built by white men 
 on the Great Lakes. With one quick glance, 
 La Salle swept the spot. The frozen mouth of 
 the stream which emptied into the larger river, 
 he saw, was perfectly adapted to his needs, and 
 there was enough timber in the forest to build 
 navies for all Europe. He motioned to the 
 ship s captain, Maitre Moyse, and within five 
 
BUILDING THE GRIFFIN 47 
 
 minutes the cheerful ring of the axes awakened 
 every fox, wildcat and deer within a league, and 
 rejoiced the hearts of La Salle and Tonty. Be 
 fore nightfall there was cleared in the dense for 
 est a space large enough for the two Mohegan 
 hunters to build wigwams, wherein La Salle and 
 his men slept comfortably. Though it was the 
 season when there was little to fear from the 
 Iroquois, who were busy with winter hunting, 
 La Salle set sentries on both sides of the camp, 
 and during the night made the rounds himself 
 to see that they had not fallen asleep and frozen 
 to death. 
 
 A day or two later the keel of the Griffin, 
 the name La Salle had already chosen for the 
 vessel that was so necessary to the success of his 
 plans, was ready to be laid. In addition to the 
 Frenchmen who stood about, their sullen faces 
 pinched with lack of food, showing little sign 
 of sharing their leader s enthusiasm, was a group 
 of Indians, Senecas, braves and squaws. The 
 building of "the big canoe," they felt, boded no 
 good to their people. "What do they want 
 amongst us?" they asked one another. "Those 
 Frenchmen will cross the lakes in their canoe 
 and trade with our enemies. They will perhaps 
 build more strong wigwams and palisades here 
 where we hunt and fish ... let us destroy 
 
48 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 their canoe before even it is built ... let us 
 frighten them that they will go away and never 
 return." 
 
 La Salle was aware that the Senecas were an 
 gry and resentful, but he thought it wiser to pay 
 no attention to them. Maitre Moyse stood 
 waiting for the ceremony of the hammering of 
 the first bolt. La Salle took the hammer from 
 his hand and handed it to Father Hennepin. 
 
 "Nay, Commander," the priest declined, "it 
 fits not with the modesty of my religious profes 
 sion. Do you yourself begin the good work and 
 I will pray for its success." 
 
 So La Salle swung his arm with a mighty ef 
 fort that seemed to have back of it all his pas 
 sionate hopes, and the bolt went true to its 
 place. 
 
 Brandy was served out to the men in celebra 
 tion of the day, and some of the Indians, whose 
 tribe had already learned from traders a taste 
 for "firewater," were given small measures of it. 
 Tonty, to whom the scene had all the interest 
 of novelty, watched the savages as they began 
 to show the influence of the beverage. Some 
 uttered cries that were so like those of animals in 
 distress that he could scarcely keep from laugh 
 ter; others began to dance, hopping slowly from 
 one foot to the other. One of them, a brave of 
 
BUILDING THE GRIFFIN 49 
 
 middle age, whom earlier in the day Tonty had 
 noted as one of the most talkative, the one most 
 disturbed by the building of the ship, now 
 showed the greatest signs of intoxication. He 
 reeled from side to side, lurched against the 
 tree trunks and white men, and almost fell over 
 the huge piles of felled lumber. Yet as he ob 
 served him, Tonty came to the conclusion that 
 the cause of his behavior was not liquor. "He 
 is feigning drunkenness," he cried, but La Salle, 
 whom he thought still at his side, had moved 
 away to point out to Maitre Moyse a tree he 
 thought suitable for the mast. "He is up to 
 some deviltry," he continued to himself. 
 
 But before Tonty could decide what the 
 brave intended to do, the Seneca had reeled 
 towards the blacksmith, who was heating iron in 
 a small forge. The Indian pulled his toma 
 hawk from beneath his cape and lifted it to brain 
 the Frenchman. Luckily the blacksmith heard 
 Tonty s horrified outcry in time, and lifting up a 
 bar of red hot iron in his pincers, he fenced with 
 it, warding off the tomahawk. Father Henne- 
 pin, who was nearest by, rushed to the rescue. 
 His only weapons were words, but they were in 
 the Indian s own language. 
 
 "What!" he cried, "y u a Seneca warrior, are 
 not brave enough to kill a foe on the warpath, 
 
50 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 but must bolster up your woman s spirit with 
 firewater before you dare lift your war club. 
 Shame on you and on your tribe!" 
 
 The rough Father s rebuke was effective. 
 Though the Indian was not guilty of the offense 
 of drunkenness, it had been decided among them 
 that he was to feign drunkenness while he killed 
 one of the white men and so, if this deed did not 
 frighten the invaders away, his tribe could say 
 that it was the firewater which was responsible 
 for what he had done. Now he drew back in 
 assumed shame, and shortly afterwards the dis 
 appointed Indians stole away to their own vil 
 lage. Though the Frenchmen expected another 
 attack, and though the Indians sought for an op 
 portunity to destroy the ship or to kill its build 
 ers, La Salle s precautions made this impossible. 
 
 Father Hennepin now set up his altar, said 
 mass, and all sang the chants in celebration of 
 the day s work and what it signified. 
 
 A few days later the white hull of the Griffin 
 shone between the dark tree trunks like some 
 strange new monster of the forest. La Salle 
 rested his hand lovingly on its smooth sides as 
 he said to Tonty: 
 
 "I hate to leave my Griffin, Tority, but I 
 leave her to you, who will take the best of care 
 of her. I would not go but that it is only 
 
BUILDING THE GRIFFIN 51 
 
 by going I can further our plans. I must 
 show the men I shall take with me where to 
 build the blockhouses to protect our station, and 
 then I must journey back to Fort Frontenac to 
 gather new supplies, since we cannot do without 
 them to take the place of those that were sunk 
 with the ship. You will not lose faith, Tonty, 
 will you? I will return; even death could not 
 stay me until we have found our river." 
 
 "Fear not for me, my friend," Tonty ans 
 wered. "I doubt no more. Your Griffin shall 
 be full grown when you return, and her jaws 
 ready for the food you bring her." 
 
 Nevertheless, it was with a certain wistful 
 glance that the next morning the Italian beheld 
 La SalJe depart. He set briskly to work to 
 drive away his feeling of loneliness and the 
 sound of the hammers stirred him soon to cheer 
 fulness. 
 
 La Salle made all speed he could, and having 
 shown his carpenters where to build the block 
 houses, continued on his way with only two men. 
 Over the frozen surface of Lake Ontario a dog 
 drew the sled on which the three rode by turns. 
 But the ice was roughened by the wind and the 
 going was slow. The small supply of parched 
 corn they were able to carry was exhausted, and 
 still, according to La Salle s calculations, there 
 
52 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 were two days journey between them and Fort 
 Frontenac. He knew that he himself could go 
 without, but he dreaded the reproachful glances 
 of his men. 
 
 As they journeyed, sometimes on the ice, 
 sometimes turning into the forests along the 
 banks, La Salle was conscious of a feeling of 
 unaccustomed loneliness and sadness. It was 
 not hunger, not the wide wastes of the white 
 lake, not even the difficulties behind and before 
 him, which were responsible for it. 
 
 "If only I had a son !" His sudden ejaculation 
 surprised himself. For the first time he had put 
 into words the need of some personal affection 
 in his life. He shook his head as if to dismiss 
 the thought and forced himself to recall with 
 gratitude Tonty s loyalty, but did not wholly 
 succeed in stifling this new craving for the love 
 of someone younger than himself who would 
 look up to him, and to whom he too could 
 look for sympathetic understanding of his ambi 
 tions. 
 
 "I wonder," he said aloud as he strode ahead 
 to mark the path, "how my young priestling in 
 Quebec comes on. That was a youth to make a 
 father proud. If he were not wearing the black 
 robe I would gladly take him with me. I could 
 
BUILDING THE GRIFFIN 53 
 
 tell that in him was the same dreamer stuff out 
 of which God fashioned me. I might have made 
 a man and an explorer of him, if he had not been 
 eager to die a martyr." 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 CAPTIVES 
 
 RAOUL and Denise were indeed weary be 
 fore their captors permitted them to rest. 
 They had come many miles from the fox s den, 
 and Raoul was ashamed to note that he was 
 limping while the girl still walked with a springy 
 though slow step. 
 
 "It is because your shoes were not made for 
 such traveling," she explained. "If they do not 
 mean to kill us immediately, I will ask them to 
 fashion you a pair of moccasins so that you can 
 walk more easily." 
 
 They had thrown themselves down on the 
 moss in the depth of the forest where the Indians 
 had halted for the night. The two braves had 
 evidently decided that they were not yet far dis 
 tant enough from the habitant s house, and did 
 not light a fire. They took from their wallets 
 some pieces of dried venison and some parched 
 
 54 
 
CAPTIVES M 
 
 corn, and after eating a portion, threw the rest 
 into Denise s lap. The children could not swal 
 low the meat, but they chewed enough of the corn 
 to pacify somewhat the craving of their stom 
 achs. 
 
 "These are Senecas," said Denise after some 
 memory had come to her of words her father had 
 once spoken. "They wear their hair just a little 
 different from the manner of the Mohawks, 
 the Cayugas, the Oiieidas or the Onondaguas 
 the other tribes which make up the Iroquois, or 
 the Five Nations, as they call themselves." 
 
 "Are all of them enemies of the French?" 
 asked Raoul, who, though he shuddered at their 
 aspect, could not take his eyes from his captors. 
 
 "They are allies of the English and at times 
 they fight us, and always, even in times of peace, 
 stray bands of Iroquois rob and burn and kill in 
 our land." 
 
 "What do you think they mean to do with us ? " 
 queried Raoul. 
 
 He had crawled a few feet away to a rivulet 
 where he filled his hands and drank. He imag 
 ined no woodland creature could have been more 
 silent than he, yet both Indians turned their 
 heads and observed him gravely until he had 
 seated himself again by the side of Denise. 
 
 "I cannot tell," she answered after reflecting. 
 
56 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "I do not see why they did not kill us at once. 
 We are not rich folks children at least I am 
 not," she corrected herself "and so their taking 
 us would not be a matter of sufficient cause to 
 start up warfare, if that were what the Senecas 
 desired. They have no grudge against my 
 father, for he has never had any dealings with 
 the Iroquois. It may be," she said with a shud 
 der, "that they will take us to their village to 
 torture us at some feast of their demons." 
 
 Martyrdom was nearer to Raoul now than 
 when he had dreamed of it in France or within 
 the seminary at Quebec, but he did not welcome 
 it as he had dreamed of doing. Then he had 
 seemed to see it at the end of many years when 
 his hair should be gray. He too shuddered as 
 he recalled some of the stories Jacques Dubois 
 had related. 
 
 "Is there any chance, think you, that we might 
 escape to-night?" he whispered, forgetting that 
 their captors could not understand French. 
 
 "Not while there are two of them," she sighed, 
 throwing herself back wearily on the ground. 
 "Indeed, I am afraid there is no chance at all, 
 and God knows what will become of us." 
 
 She buried her face in the dried leaves and 
 Raoul could hear her muffled sobs. He had al 
 most forgotten that she was a girl. During the 
 
CAPTIVES 57 
 
 past few days he had accepted her leadership 
 and still relied upon her superior knowledge of 
 Indian ways. She had been so brave, so hardy, 
 so uncomplaining, that he was surprised by this 
 outburst. All the chivalry in him was aroused 
 by her need. He leaned over and patted her 
 shoulder, saying softly. "Don t cry, Denise, I 
 will take care of you. Don t let them hear you." 
 
 His tone rather than his words comforted her. 
 Neither of them was amused at the impossibility 
 of a defenseless boy s getting the better of two 
 Seneca braves. Both children were trembling 
 with fright but both tried valiantly to conceal 
 their terror. They talked in whispers and 
 agreed that each should keep awake part of the 
 night, so that even if no chance for escape should 
 come, their fate, whatever it might be, would 
 not fall upon them in sleep. The night was cold, 
 and at Denise s suggestion, they gathered arm- 
 fuls of leaves, which were luckily quite dry, and 
 Raoul covered Denise with them, and then, lying 
 down between her and their captors, pulled up as 
 many over his own legs as he could reach. He 
 was to watch the first part of the night, but 
 soon after Denise had fallen asleep his eyes 
 closed and he too lost consciousness. 
 
 He was awakened by a hand on his shoulder. 
 He sprang up startled. It was dawn. The 
 
58 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 younger Indian pointed to Denise, and Raoul 
 leaned over arid called to her. She too could 
 scarcely keep from crying when she saw the In 
 dians. At the command of the other Seneca, the 
 two children took their places between the 
 braves and were glad to walk briskly to warm 
 their legs cramped with the cold of the night. 
 Now and then the Indians called out a word, but 
 for the most part the little procession moved in 
 silence. 
 
 "Can you understand what they say?" asked 
 Raoul. 
 
 "Many of the words," she answered. "I used 
 to talk with some of the hunters who came to 
 trade with father, and their language is not very 
 different. They say they will stop for food when 
 the sun is up an hour." 
 
 It was beside a stream that they made their 
 halt for breakfast. The younger Seneca, Red 
 Wing, pulled a sinew line and a bone hook from 
 his wallet, and almost before the bait touched 
 the water, there was a large pike flapping on 
 the rocky beach. 
 
 "Build a fire and cook it, squaw child," he 
 commanded. Denise lost no time in gathering 
 bits of twigs together. But she could not light 
 it, and Red Wing, with a look of disdain, took a 
 pointed stick and twirled it rapidly about in a 
 
CAPTIVES 59 
 
 rotten log until a spark came. Raoul looked on 
 with great interest, forgetting for a moment 
 their danger in this hit of woodcraft. 
 
 Old Wolf and Red Wing devoured the fish 
 and bits of dried venison, and when they had 
 finished tossed what was left to the children, who 
 did not complain of a lack of ceremony or lack 
 of plates, or even of salt. They ate their food 
 almost as greedily as had the savages- It might 
 be they were to be killed within an hour, but 
 at any rate, all they could think of for the mo 
 ment was their hunger. 
 
 Before they had finished the Indians were off 
 again, and Raoul and Denise hurried along, 
 keeping their last piece of venison to chew on as 
 they went. 
 
 "Can you tell which way we are going?" asked 
 Raoul after they had been walking an hour or 
 more. 
 
 "Southward," she answered without hesita 
 tion. 
 
 "How do you know?" he asked, ashamed that 
 he must confess to her his ignorance, but eager 
 to learn what she could teach him. 
 
 "By the trees. See the moss, that keeps them 
 warm on the side where they face the north 
 wind." 
 
 It was noon when they came out from the for- 
 
60 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 est to the bank of a river. Red Wing, like a 
 pointer that finds his way direct to a fallen bird, 
 made straight through underbrush that seemed 
 impenetrable to a hidden canoe. He carried it 
 down to the water. 
 
 "Enter," he ordered, and Raoul and Denise, 
 abandoning now the hope which had kept them up 
 all that day that Jacques Dubois and other habi 
 tants might be following after to rescue them, 
 stepped into the boat. The two Indians at the 
 bow and stern took the paddles and the canoe 
 traveled faster than any boat Raoul had ever 
 seen, though the Senecas seemed to be making 
 no great effort. Not until nightfall did they 
 halt, when there was more venison and parched 
 corn. Raoul and Denise slept not more sound 
 ly, but more comfortably, as the warmth of the 
 fire Red Wing lighted was very grateful. Again 
 Raoul tried to keep awake, but the long journey 
 in the open air had made him sleepy, and the 
 fact that two days had gone by and they were 
 still alive assured him that their captors had 
 evidently no intention of killing them immed 
 iately. 
 
 The next day was much like the foregoing, 
 except that their journey was broken by certain 
 portages. The Senecas carried the canoe on 
 their heads and Raoul and Denise, finding in 
 
CAPTIVES 61 
 
 certain sunny spots some wild grapes still un 
 touched by the frost, plucked and ate them as 
 they went along, glad to vary the monotony of 
 their diet. 
 
 "What can they want with us?" again Denise 
 put the question they had asked each other fifty 
 times since their captivity began. 
 
 "How would it do to ask them? * suggested 
 Raoul. "To-night when we make camp put the 
 question to them. I would gladly do it, Denise, 
 if I but spoke their tongue. I have listened to 
 them to-day and I have caught the words for 
 fish, canoe, hurry ." 
 
 Denise promised, and that night when Raoul, 
 proud of his success in lighting the fire, was 
 helping Red Wing to broil the trout he had just 
 caught, Denise bravely faced Old Wolf who was 
 resting against a tree trunk. 
 
 "What do you plan to do with us, warrior of 
 the Senecas?" she asked. "There is neither 
 glory to be gained by slaying children nor wam 
 pum to be earned." 
 
 Though she trembled inwardly as the brave s 
 imperturbable gaze rested upon her, the girl did 
 not show it, and Raoul, who had left the fire to 
 stand beside her to share whatever danger her 
 bold words might call down, imagined that the 
 Indian was not displeased at the spirit she 
 
62 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 showed. But the Seneca did not answer. He 
 rose, approached the fire, seized one of the trout 
 and began eating it, and the baffled children 
 could find nothing better to do than follow his 
 example. 
 
 If it had not been for the uncertainty and anx 
 iety, Raoul would have enjoyed these days that 
 followed the long, quiet hours on rapid rivers 
 or in the silent forest, the joy of rest at night, 
 the zest for food, the freedom of body and mind 
 unharassed by the minute rules of his school 
 and seminary life. He liked too to talk to De- 
 nise, who in her few years had accumulated what 
 seemed to him a vast store of knowledge about 
 birds and beasts, weather and the ways of the 
 winds. She was so generous too in the way she 
 imparted it, never seeming conscious of any su 
 periority over him. Many times at night before 
 she fell asleep, or in the daytime when the In 
 dians were not near enough to overhear, he heard 
 her choke back a sob. Then he would comfort 
 her with words or a clasp of his hand. In low 
 tones as they lay at the bottom of the canoe he 
 would tell her stories of his boy life in Brittany, 
 of his school, of his brothers, and of the old 
 castle. But best of all she liked to hear of Ver 
 sailles, the great palace, and of the King as he 
 
CAPTIVES 63 
 
 had seen him in all his magnificence, surrounded 
 by his courtiers. 
 
 "And you hit His Majesty?" she would ex 
 claim in horror. "I should think you would 
 have been frightened to death." 
 
 He told her too of his meeting with La Salle 
 and how it was he who had been the cause of his 
 leaving old France for New France. Denise 
 had heard much talk, she told him, among the 
 habitant neighbors of that seigneur whom the 
 Governor, Count Frontenac, had delighted to 
 honor. And Denise on her part talked of her 
 home, of her father and mother, of her brothers, 
 of the dog, of her chickens, her rabbit, lovingly, 
 sadly, as if she had been parted from them for 
 years. Yet even her thoughts of home did not 
 keep her from delighting in any sudden new 
 sight, an eagle that dived down not far from 
 them and then soared up again with a silver fish 
 in his claws ; a young bear cub shoved by his mis 
 chievous brother, whom they caught sight of roll 
 ing head-foremost down a smooth rock to a sandy 
 beach below, or a strange brilliant flower in a 
 swamp. 
 
 And all the time they talked of the possibility 
 of making an escape. By day they knew that 
 there was no chance. They decided that they 
 must make an attempt soon if they would hope 
 
64 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 to find their way back through the forest. They 
 had of course no boat and their only plan was, 
 if they managed to get away, to follow the 
 course of the rivers. Every night Raoul would 
 practise getting up as noiselessly as he could, 
 and then when a grunt from the Indians showed 
 that they were aware of his movements, he would 
 stamp about as if he had risen only in order to 
 stretch his legs or to warm himself. 
 
 One night to his astonishment he succeeded 
 better. There was no sound from the Senecas, 
 so he crept off a number of paces until he felt 
 that he was safely out of hearing and tried in 
 the dim moonlight to discover in which direction 
 lay the north. When he had satisfied himself 
 that he knew he crept back, his heart beating 
 with excitement. 
 
 The next morning when they were in the 
 canoe he told Denise. "We must try to-night," 
 he added, "if everything goes well. I believe 
 that they have no idea that we shall attempt to 
 escape and so do not think it necessary longer to 
 watch us. Even in these few days I have learned 
 much, and I think we can find our way and can 
 keep alive on the fish I can catch with the ex 
 tra hook and line Red Wing dropped and I 
 found yesterday. Are you willing to try, De 
 nise?" 
 
CAPTIVES 65 
 
 "Indeed, yes," she replied heartily. "We shall 
 do our best and the saints will help us." 
 
 Their resting place that evening was well 
 adapted to their scheme. It was up a slight hil 
 lock above the river where the pine forest was 
 freer of underbrush than they had seen it be 
 fore, and a waterfall, very noisy for its height, 
 helped dull all other sounds. Raoul studied his 
 surroundings carefully and laid out in his mind 
 the exact direction they would take, choosing 
 even the particular trees which were to serve him 
 for landmarks in the first faint light of the moon 
 when he meant to start. 
 
 There was no trouble that night in keeping 
 awake. He listened to every sound, to the quiet 
 breathing of Denise and to the muttered words 
 of the Senecas before they went to sleep, and to 
 the blessed gurgling and splashing of his friend, 
 the waterfall. It was perhaps an hour later 
 when he touched Denise, who awoke instantly. 
 There was no need of any word; it had all been 
 arranged beforehand. They both began to 
 crawl slowly and silently forward on their faces, 
 stopping every second to listen. It was almost 
 dark, with just enough light to distinguish the 
 outlines of the trees. The waterfall s splash 
 seemed to fill all the forest. Slowly and surely 
 the children had entered the fringe of pines 
 
66 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 which bordered their camp, and after another 
 pause during which Raoul strained his ears, he 
 rose to his feet. Denise followed his example 
 and then, putting down each foot carefully so 
 that it would not dislodge a twig or stone, they 
 hurried on as best they might. 
 
 At last they were far enough away to run. 
 
 "Now!" whispered Raoul. They started off, 
 their hearts beating with excitement and wonder 
 at their escape. 
 
 "What is that?" cried Denise in a low voice as 
 she ran, and Raoul looked up and saw in front 
 of them the dim figure of a man who stood there 
 waiting. He made a quick decision better to 
 go on and face this one man, whoever he might 
 be, than return to their two captors. He caught 
 hold of Denise s hand and sped onward, trying 
 to swerve to the right. But there was a quick 
 spring and the man s arm encircled them both 
 like an iron hoop. 
 
 "Did you think Red Wing s ears were dulled 
 by the waterfall?" asked the Seneca ironically. 
 "Think you that Old Wolf and he have not 
 listened each night to your clumsy feet? If you 
 are to be an Indian you must learn to walk more 
 warily, or even the deaf grandmothers in the 
 lodges will call out to know what the clamor 
 
 means." 
 
CAPTIVES 67 
 
 Denise s shock had been so great that she 
 could not keep back the tears. They fell all the 
 way to the camp as she and Raoul walked de 
 jectedly ahead of Red Wing, who did not even 
 deign to hold them. Old Wolf sat up as they 
 approached but said nothing. The moonlight 
 was now brighter and Raoul noticed that the old 
 er brave nodded to his nephew. Red Wing took 
 Denise by the shoulder firmly but not roughly, 
 and sat her down on the pine needles nearer 
 Old Wolf than she had lain the earlier part of 
 the evening. Then, leaving Raoul standing, he 
 went back into the trees and cut a thick knotted 
 twig from a low-hanging branch. Raoul knew 
 what was coming and knew that there was no 
 escape. Red Wing took his fish line and bound 
 the boy s hands to a tree trunk. After he had 
 unbuttoned his coat and shirt and drawn them 
 from his shoulders, he brought down his stick 
 upon the boy s bare back. The blow was so se 
 vere and the pain so sharp, that an involuntary 
 cry burst from Raoul s lips. Then he recovered 
 his self-control, and though the blows fell without 
 intermission, the only cries to be heard were those 
 of Denise as she begged Old "Wolf to command 
 Red Wing to cease the punishment. But still 
 the stick came down time after time, until Raoul 
 had fainted. 
 
68 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 The Seneca untied him and threw himself 
 down by the side of his uncle. Neither made 
 any objection when Denise wet her handkerchief 
 at the waterfall and bathed Raoul s face until 
 he recovered consciousness. Then she laid it on 
 his quivering back. After an hour or more dur 
 ing which she renewed constantly the wet com 
 press and tried to comfort him with words, the 
 two fell asleep. When they awoke in the morn 
 ing, except for the pain, it seemed as if nothing 
 had happened. The Indians spoke no word of 
 resentment or warning. When they had eaten 
 Raoul walked slowly and painfully to the canoe, 
 thankful at least that their method of travel that 
 day spared him further exertion. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 IN A SENECA LODGE 
 
 FOR three months Raoul and Denise had 
 been prisoners in the Seneca town near the 
 borders of Lake Ontario. After the flogging 
 Old Wolf and Red Wing were not harsh to them. 
 The Indians knew that there would be no fur 
 ther attempt to escape, and during the rest of 
 the journey, and now in the town, the children 
 were as free to go and come as any of their com 
 panions. Raoul and Denise too knew that there 
 was no longer a chance of their ever finding their 
 way back to Quebec, and there were moments 
 when the memory of the seminary and of the 
 habitant s home grew dimmer to them. They 
 were no longer anxious about their immediate 
 future. They were certain that their lives were 
 safe; there was food in abundance, and except 
 for the occasional spiteful act of some Indian, 
 
70 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 boy or girl, they were kindly treated. Old Wolf, 
 whose only son had been killed in a foray with 
 the Illinois five years before, had lived since then 
 in a lodge alone with his squaw. She listened to 
 his commands on his return, took the white 
 boy and girl into her lodge, showed them where 
 their abbinos (special seats) would be about the 
 fire of her brave, and bidding them sit down and 
 eat a bowl of succotash, went out. When she 
 returned she had two bundles of clothes in her 
 arms. 
 
 "Put them on," she said to. Denise, motioning 
 Raoul to go outside, and when the white-faced 
 little squaw-child came out in deer-skin and em 
 broidered moccasins, her hair braided and hang 
 ing over her shoulder, he went in to transform 
 himself just as completely. 
 
 "I like these clothes better than the old ones," 
 he said as he rejoined her; "they are so light and 
 so comfortable. With your dark hair, Denise, 
 it won t take long until the sunburn makes you 
 look a regular Indian. My fair hair still keeps 
 me French." 
 
 "We must make the best of it," she answered. 
 "The squaw seems kind, and soon I will make 
 her tell us why we are here." 
 
 Very quickly they learned Indian ways. 
 
IN A SENECA LODGE 71 
 
 There were two reasons for their doing so, one 
 the natural imitative instinct of childhood, the 
 other their belief that it would please their cap 
 tors. Yet the Senecas seemed not to desire the 
 change to take place too soon. Old Wolf and 
 other braves would question Raoul about the 
 ways of the French. He had already learned to 
 understand almost all that was said to him if it 
 were not spoken too fast, and he could reply halt 
 ingly. The Indians were never tired of getting 
 him to tell of the ship which had brought him 
 over the great waters, of all that he knew of the 
 training of soldiers, of the food the French ate, 
 of the great village and the big lodge where 
 dwelt the French king, bigger and more gor 
 geous even than the abode of Onontio, as the In 
 dians called the Governor of New France. They 
 crowded around to watch the boy when he cut 
 with Denise s knife a pen from a wild goose 
 quill and dipping it in paint, wrote strange signs 
 on a piece of birchbark. 
 
 "What does it mean?" they would ask, and he 
 would say: It means that I, Raoul, caught five 
 fish to-day and that Old Wolf ate them all." 
 
 Then they would laugh and a day or two later 
 would bring back the birchbark to him to see if it 
 still said the same. 
 
 The medicine men talked much with him, ask- 
 
72 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 ing many questions about how the French in 
 voked the spirits and how they persuaded them 
 to send rain or plenty of game. Raoul thought 
 to himself that now had come the chance to do 
 the missionary work to which he had dreamed 
 of devoting his life ; but he could not manage to 
 find words nor the exact ideas with which to 
 make Christianity comprehensible to his hearers. 
 But perhaps, he consoled himself, he would be 
 more successful when he knew the Indian tongue 
 more fully. He was almost ashamed to confess 
 to Denise that he was not always unhappy in 
 captivity. 
 
 "If I could be sure," he admitted, "that when 
 spring comes we could return to Quebec, I 
 should enjoy this winter spent among the sav 
 ages." 
 
 "It is better for you," Denise said pouting, 
 "than it is for me. You are a future brave and I 
 shall be only a squaw. I must sew deerskins and 
 cook and grind corn while you make arrows and 
 listen to the stories of the warriors." 
 
 "But the squaws are not unkind to you when 
 you are alone with them?" he queried as they 
 walked down the hard-packed snow path 
 through the center of the town. 
 
 "Nay, they are kind enough except that they 
 will finger my hair and my clothes when old Sun 
 
IN A SENECA LODGE 73 
 
 Cloud brings them out for inspection. I have 
 had to show them how to put them on, but Sun 
 Cloud makes me take them off immediately, and 
 in truth, Raoul, it seems to me too that in the 
 matter of comfortable and warm apparel the In 
 dians are wiser than white folks." 
 
 "And have you learned anything of the reason 
 why we were brought here?" he asked. "Has 
 not Sun Cloud let slip a word when you were 
 working together? Or is she afraid of Old Wolf 
 and dare not speak?" 
 
 "I do not think she fears him," answered De- 
 nise when they had stopped to throw nuts after 
 a squirrel scurrying over the snow. "I do not 
 believe that the squaws are as afraid of the 
 braves as the braves pretend to believe them. 
 Yesterday she poured the broth from the kettle 
 on the ground when Old Wolf complained that 
 it was not strong enough, and he did not even 
 scold, though he had to go without his dinner. 
 I think she started to tell me the truth the other 
 day, but she stopped and mumbled : You are too 
 young . Perhaps she would tell you if you 
 asked." 
 
 This Raoul intended to do as soon as he found 
 an opportunity. It came a day or two later 
 when he shot his first turkey and brought it back 
 
74 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 proudly to the lodge and handed it to Sun Cloud 
 to cook. 
 
 "Your bow has shed its first blood," she said 
 in praise as she took it from him. "Your arm 
 grows stronger every dawn and the day is not 
 far distant when the young squaws will call out 
 as you return from the hunting or the warpath, 
 Ralo is a strong brave! 
 
 "Nay, Sun Cloud," he protested, "I am no 
 Seneca to dwell always among you. My people 
 and those of Red Cheek live far to the northward. 
 When spring comes we must set out on our 
 journey to them." 
 
 He spoke purposely with a confidence he did 
 not feel. Somehow, he knew that the present 
 conversation would explain why they had been 
 carried off. 
 
 "Sit down," commanded Sun Cloud as she 
 herself took a seat on the thick bearskin before 
 the fire, and began to pluck the feathers from 
 the turkey s breast. "It is well that you should 
 know why you are here and why you will stay 
 with us and become a Seneca. I will tell you 
 the very truth, for my lips are too old to form 
 lies. And when the questions in your mind are 
 settled, your thoughts will grow quiet as does a 
 stream when a rock which makes it angry is 
 taken out and thrown on the land. When you 
 
IN A SENECA LODGE 75 
 
 know you will be proud and glad that Old Wolf 
 and Sun Cloud have brought you to their lodge." 
 
 Raoul made no attempt to contradict her; he 
 was too eager to hear what she had to tell him. 
 
 "Once," she continued, "the Senecas were the 
 greatest in number of all the Five Nations who 
 dwell in the Long House. But they have fought 
 many battles and many braves have not come 
 home, and the tribe has dwindled. Even when 
 the papooses come to the young squaws most of 
 them are girls. The chiefs have talked this over 
 at many council fires, and the medicine men have 
 made incantations and have questioned the gods 
 and besought them not to let the Senecas grow 
 so weak that their enemies may overwhelm them. 
 At last the Great Chief, fourscore and ten years 
 old, who dwells this winter farther south some 
 thirty leagues from here, heard the spirits speak. 
 They told him that the tribe needed new 
 strength, new wisdom, new medicine. What is 
 stronger than the Indian s medicine? asked the 
 other chiefs of him. The white man s medicine, 
 he replied. Then he told them what the spirits 
 had revealed to him. They must secure a white 
 youth, they said, and train him in all the ways 
 of the Senecas and yet must not let him forget 
 altogether the ways of his own people. Later 
 when he was grown a rhan and had proved him- 
 
76 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 self worthy on the warpath and wise in council, 
 he should be revered as the first chief of the Sen- 
 ecas and lead them to victory against their enem 
 ies. He would take an Indian maiden for his 
 squaw and there would be strong boy papooses 
 in his lodge. So it was that each man of the 
 tribe was instructed to bring back the first white 
 boy he could capture. Several were unlucky," 
 she said, pausing slightly; "their arrows killed 
 the boys they would have captured alive. Old 
 Wolf and Red Wing brought with them more 
 than the game they set out to hunt, not only a 
 buck but a roe deer. Red Cheek too will make 
 her home in a Seneca lodge with a Seneca brave 
 to call her squaw. And so shall the medicine of 
 the white man be added to the medicine of the 
 red man, and the Senecas shall once again be the 
 strongest and the wisest of the Five Nations. * 
 
 Raoul did not speak when she had finished 
 talking. But his silence did not offend her; it 
 was the response any Indian boy would have 
 made to her speech. She was certain his mind 
 was filled with pride at the thought of the great 
 destiny which awaited him. That is, so she 
 thought for a moment until, as by a sudden in 
 sight, she guessed what the shadow on his face 
 meant. 
 
 "Regret not your people, Ralo ? " she en- 
 
IN A SENECA LODGE 77 
 
 treated; "we will be your people now and before 
 many moons you will forget that you ever had 
 another wigwam." When he shook his head em 
 phatically and she saw his eyes flash, she warned 
 him: "Think not that you can escape. You are 
 like a young bird on a string. So long as you 
 stray not too far no harm will come to you; but 
 if you seek to break the string you will suffer so 
 that the beating Red Wing gave you on the trail 
 will seem like a spring shower. And it would 
 hurt Sun Cloud to see you suffer," she added in 
 a gentler tone. 
 
 Raoul rose and left the wigwam to hunt for 
 Denise, to tell her what he had learned. She was 
 cracking nuts with a group of girls, but came 
 when he whistled. 
 
 "At least we may be thankful that they do not 
 mean to kill us, Raoul, and perhaps something 
 will happen so that we shall be rescued," she 
 comforted. 
 
 Already, childlike, she was accustoming her 
 self to her surroundings, and though she had 
 grumbled at a girl s life in an Indian lodge, she 
 was really not far from content. Raoul did not 
 wish to sadden her with the despair that over 
 whelmed him now that he realized the fate that 
 was in store for them, and the slight chance he 
 
78 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 could see that they would ever get back among 
 French people. 
 
 The days went by and the feast of Christmas, 
 he felt certain, must have been passed by sev 
 eral weeks. There were many moments when 
 he forgot that he was a captive, and took enjoy 
 ment in the games of lacrosse and other amuse 
 ments of his Indian comrades. But there were 
 also many hours when he would wander apart in 
 the forest and wonder whether ever in the years 
 to come he would dare to try to escape and where 
 he could go if he did. He and Denise had de 
 cided that this would be impossible until they 
 were older and stronger to dream of making their 
 way to New France, even if they could succeed 
 in getting away.. There were times when he 
 would sit perfectly motionless, his eyes fixed, 
 and the thick forest around him would disappear 
 and he would see again the rocky shores of his 
 Breton home so distinctly that he could count the 
 slits in the turret of the old castle. The Indians 
 when they came upon him at such times would 
 be careful not to disturb him. "He is listening 
 to the spirits," they said; "he will indeed be the 
 great chief our tribe has need of." At other 
 times the boy saw, though dimly veiled as in a 
 sea mist, wide level plains filled with strange 
 beasts, and always towards the horizon shone the 
 
IN A SENECA LODGE 79 
 
 waters of a great river. He did not even wonder 
 what this might mean. He was a Breton and all 
 his people believed in dreams and visions and 
 half-seen glimpses of the future; but he did not 
 speak of them. It was as if he had grown years 
 older than Denise, and he realized that from now 
 on it was he who must decide for her and protect 
 her if need were. 
 
 One day when the sun had shone warmly and 
 the melting snow spoke of spring that was to 
 come though winter was not yet gone, Raoul sat 
 on the sandy beach of the lake. The sun glist 
 ened so on the frozen surface that it dazzled his 
 eyes and he was suddenly blinded. After a while 
 the blackness vanished, and then he saw another 
 expanse of frozen lake, but narrower and with 
 higher banks. Over this surface he saw three 
 figures toiling wearily. One of them turned so 
 that his face was plainly visible and he heard him 
 say: "If Raoul de Larnac were but with me." 
 
 Again he looked and there was nothing before 
 him but the wide space of diamond-flashing ice 
 hummocks and in the distance the dark open wa 
 ters of the lake. Raoul rose and shook himself 
 and then walked to and fro, thinking and plan 
 ning how he should do what he knew he must 
 do. When it was plain to him he strolled back 
 to the town with an exaggerated air of careless 
 
80 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 good humor, and joined the boys who were play 
 ing with the dogs. 
 
 "To-morrow I shall go forth to hunt a deer," he 
 said, when they had tired of teaching the yelping 
 animals to jump and to fetch the arrows they 
 shot; "it is time indeed that I show I can bring 
 back real game. I have taken a vow that after 
 to-morrow s sunrise I will not eat until I have 
 killed a deer." 
 
 His comrades applauded his resolution. Some 
 boasted that they had already brought back 
 venison to their mothers ; others proclaimed their 
 intention of doing the same before long. Luck 
 ily none offered to accompany Raoul. He had 
 counted on the Indian custom which sent the 
 hunters out alone instead of in company. He 
 found Denise baking corncake on the stones in 
 front of the lodge and sat down beside her. 
 
 "How funny you look," she said, smiling 
 up at him from the ashes, "as if you were 
 just waked out of a sleep. What have you been 
 doing?" 
 
 "Do not cry out or let any sound of astonish 
 ment call attention to us," he warned. "The 
 time has come for us to make our escape, De 
 nise." 
 "And how should that be?" she asked. "What 
 
IN A SENECA LODGE 81 
 
 has changed since we last spoke of the hopeless 
 ness of such an attempt?" 
 
 "Nothing that I can explain," he admitted, 
 "and yet I know that the time has come. If I 
 could tell you you would not understand, De- 
 nise, for you are not of Brittany; but we know 
 that we can trust to dreams, or visions, or to ex 
 periences such as I have had this day. I have 
 told you strange tales, you will remember, of 
 curious happenings in my country; of women 
 who have heard the voices of their fisher hus 
 bands as they were drowning scores of miles 
 away; of warnings and blessings promised by 
 unseen presences ; of men who at times have seen 
 what took place at home while they were at the 
 wars. In this same mysterious way I saw to-day 
 the figure and face of Chevalier La Salle of 
 whom I have so often spoken to you, and he 
 turned and said: If Raoul de Larnac were but 
 with me. I know that this sight was permitted 
 me because I am meant to find him. I have been 
 thinking and planning ever since, and if you will 
 be ready to do as I say, we can escape to-mor 
 
 row." 
 
 Denise had listened with keen interest but had 
 been careful not to make any sudden start which 
 might betray them to any of the Indians who 
 were passing back and forth. She had contin- 
 
82 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 ued to bake her cakes until all the corn was used 
 up. She did not laugh at Raoul s statement; she 
 did not doubt it in the slightest. 
 
 "I too believe that you are right," she said, 
 "though I cannot understand how such things 
 may come to pass. And I believe too that you 
 will succeed this time, but I know also that I 
 should never live to reach home. I am not weak 
 or afraid of the forest, dear Raoul, but I see 
 you have grown so much stronger in these 
 months that now you can travel much more rap 
 idly alone, and so you must go without me." 
 
 "That I will not," he cried passionately. "Do 
 you think that I would desert you? If I should 
 be such a craven all of my ancestors would dis 
 own me and I could never hold up my head 
 again." 
 
 "Listen, Raoul," she pleaded. "It will be for 
 me that you go. If we both believe that Seig 
 neur La Salle may be reached by you in a few 
 days, or even more, then if you do not set out in 
 search of him, to tell him that a French girl is 
 held in captivity by the Senecas, so that he and 
 his men will return with you to free me, what 
 other chance will ever come to us? The Senecas 
 are not now at war with the French, and so if 
 the Seigneur will come and demand my release, 
 I think Old Wolf would not dare refuse." 
 
IN A SENECA LODGE 83 
 
 Though influenced by her reasoning, Raoul 
 was not yet satisfied. Again he begged her to 
 accompany him or he declared that he would 
 stay behind; but at last she brought him to her 
 way of thinking that it was for her that he 
 would run the chance of many deaths, from the 
 Indians, from cold, from starvation, or other 
 dangers of the trackless forests. 
 
 ff l shall not be in any danger," she added as a 
 final argument. "I shall be well cared for. Al 
 ready Old Wolf and Sun Cloud treat me as their 
 daughter." 
 
 Now that his going was decided they talked 
 of all that they could do. Denise promised to fill 
 an extra wallet with food as well as the one he 
 was to take with him when he started off the next 
 morning to shoot his first deer. She would slip 
 out after dark and leave it at the edge of the vil 
 lage where he could pick it up in the morning. 
 
 "Bethink you, Denise, how greatly I am 
 changed from the helpless boy you befriended a 
 few months ago. Now I have learned how to 
 live in the forest, how to kill game, how to make a 
 fire and where to take shelter. Nor shall I ever 
 forget that it was you who were my first teacher. 
 Think," he continued as they rose to go inside 
 the wigwam, "how happy your family will be 
 when I bring you back to them." 
 
84 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Old Wolf made no objection when Raoul told 
 of his intention to go forth the next morning to 
 slay his deer. Instead the chief handed the boy 
 a bigger bow than the one he had given him on 
 his arrival. 
 
 "If you can bend it it is yours," he said. It 
 took all of Raoul s strength, but finally he suc 
 ceeded. The chief looked pleased and showed 
 him how firmly the bow was made. Then Sun 
 Cloud brought him a beaded bag for his arrows. 
 
 At dawn Raoul kissed Denise as she stood in 
 the opening of the wigwam. "Goodbye, De 
 nise," he said, "and keep up your heart. I will 
 soon be back for you." 
 
 And Denise peered after him through the 
 heavy white mist until he was lost to sight. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 RAOUL S FIRST DEER 
 
 LA SALLE, lightheaded from a forty-hour 
 fast, his eyes dazzled by the constant glare 
 of the ice, his ears singing with weakness, could 
 not believe that it was French words he seemed 
 to hear shouted by a boy in Indian clothes who 
 was running towards him over the lake from the 
 southeast. And when he had bade his men halt 
 the sledge and the boy had caught up with them, 
 La Salle thought his weakened condition must 
 have affected his brain, because the Indian lad 
 wore the features of the young student he had 
 first met in the King s garden at Versailles. 
 
 "It is I, Seigneur La Salle," cried Raoul as 
 well as he could for panting. "I heard you call 
 me and I came. Four days I have sought you, 
 never doubting that I should find you in the end 
 and that you would help me." 
 
 La Salle only half comprehended the boy s 
 
 85 
 
86 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 words and he did not attempt to explain them. 
 His eyes were fastened on the hind quarter of a 
 deer which was slung over his shoulder. Raoul 
 understood his glance and exclaimed : 
 
 "My first deer! I slew it three days ago. Will 
 you eat?" And not waiting for an answer, he 
 climbed up the low bank, found some twigs, and 
 soon the venison was roasting over a bright fire. 
 The strength of the Frenchmen revived at the 
 mere sight and smell of the coming dinner. They 
 left the sledge and, seating themselves before the 
 fire, ate ravenously of the meat and of some bits 
 of Denise s corn cakes that were still left in 
 Raoul s wallet. 
 
 "You were indeed starving," he said. "I 
 thank heaven my arrow found that deer, for I 
 have seen no other since. And now, Seigneur, 
 while you eat will you give ear to my need and 
 that of a French maiden who is looking eagerly 
 each hour for your aid?" 
 
 "A French maiden?" exclaimed La Salle, 
 now himself again. "Is there one near?" 
 
 Raoul told in a few words of how he had left 
 Quebec with Pere Antoine, of his stay at the 
 home of the Dubois, of how he and Denise had 
 been captured, of their journey through the for 
 est and on the rivers, of their first attempt to es 
 cape and its consequences, and of how Denise 
 
RAOUL S FIRST DEER 87 
 
 had persuaded him four days before to leave her 
 and go in search of help. 
 
 La Salle did not stop to ask more about the 
 curious belief of the boy that he had called him. 
 "In truth," he thought to himself, "it must have 
 been just when I was thinking so intently about 
 him that my spirit cried out to him." 
 
 "Tell me," he asked, "how you escaped. It is 
 growing dark, and we must wait for daylight be 
 fore setting out across the lake to rescue your 
 little friend. So there is time to spare in which 
 to listen to your adventures." 
 
 Raoul heaped up a pile of wood and then be 
 gan: "There s little enough to tell. No one 
 imagined that I should be such a fool as to try to 
 find my way alone so many leagues; and indeed 
 I had been one had I not known I must find you 
 here. And so they did not stay me when I set 
 forth to hunt, and doubtless even now they be 
 lieve that I have died from cold or some accident, 
 rather than that I have run away. I set forth at 
 dawn four days ago. I had not planned in which 
 direction to strike out, therefore I was content to 
 follow the tracks of a deer. It was a young 
 buck," he explained proudly, "and on our way 
 back I will show you where I have hidden the 
 rest of his fine carcass. I think Red Wing 
 would not disdain such a quarry. He led me far 
 
88 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 but I was not weary. I came up to him at last 
 when he was breaking the ice over a stream in or 
 der to drink. My arrow hit him in the back of his 
 neck, and an hour later I supped upon him." 
 
 "Well done, young priestling!" cried La 
 Salle. 
 
 "I did not fear to sleep," continued Raoul; "I 
 knew that I should not be expected back that 
 night. So when I found a cave I made a fire in 
 it and slept warm and comfortably. The next 
 morning I cut off the hind quarters of my deer 
 and set forth, chosing to walk northward, I 
 scarce knew why. Before noon I heard men s 
 voices. I could not tell whether they might be 
 from the village in search of me. The falling 
 snow covered my footsteps, and I dropped be 
 hind a tree stump and piled the snow about me 
 until I was all but covered with it. The strangers 
 soon came abreast of me. Five there were of 
 them, Indians I had never seen. They were not 
 trying to walk quietly as they would have done 
 if they were on the warpath. It seemed rather, 
 I thought, that they were bent on some mission 
 which might be peaceful. They came from the 
 opposite direction from that I had come, but 
 when they passed I could not tell whether they 
 went on to the village or not. For one moment I 
 thought they had discovered me; one of them 
 
RAOUL S FIRST DEER 89 
 
 stopped and looked in my direction and my heart 
 beat rapidly, Seigneur. Then I breathed again, 
 for they went on, but I did not dare stir for a 
 long while for fear that they might come back, 
 and I was almost frozen. That night I feared 
 them and that Old Wolf had sent in search of 
 me, so I could not make a fire or sleep. I walked 
 all night, finding a way somehow through the 
 dark forest until in the morning I came out of it 
 and found myself on the borders of the lake. In 
 my dream I had seen you on the opposite shore, 
 and so I set out to cross the lake. I ate some of 
 the food in my wallet, rested for an hour, and 
 went on. I scarce remember when I slept and 
 waked during that day and night. It was noon 
 to-day when I saw you far ahead, and though I 
 ran as fast as I could, the distance would not les 
 sen. But at last you know, Seigneur." 
 
 "It is truly a marvel, lad, I cannot seek to 
 fathom," La Salle said stirring the fire with his 
 boot, "our meeting thus. We will talk of its 
 strangeness another time, but now tell me, can 
 you find to-morrow the way back by which you 
 came? Though I have urgent need to press on 
 to Fort Frontenac, it is a still more urgent duty 
 to rescue the little lass." 
 
 "I can find the way," declared Raoul, "and we 
 shall return much more rapidly than I came; for 
 
90 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 we can follow the opposite shore of the lake until 
 we reach the village without need to wander 
 through the forest. But I would, Seigneur, that 
 you had a greater force with you." 
 
 "I shall not need them," La Salle asserted. 
 "The Iroquois at this moment are not ready to 
 go on the warpath against the French, and the 
 Senecas, your captors, know that their confed 
 erate tribes would disown their act should they 
 injure me who am high in the favor of Onontio, 
 as they call his Excellency, the Governor. Nor 
 will they dare refuse to surrender to me two 
 French children. So fear not, Raoul, you and 
 Denise shall be back in our land before the week 
 
 is over." 
 
 The boy was nodding with weariness, and 
 soon was fast asleep. In the morning after an 
 other meal of venison, they started, following 
 Raoul s lead. As he had said, the way proved 
 much shorter than his journeyings in pursuit of 
 the deer, and in three days and a half they were 
 within sight of the point beyond which lay the 
 village. Raoul rejoiced to think how happy De 
 nise was soon to be. He ran eagerly ahead, 
 rounded the point and turned towards the vil 
 lage. A cry of astonishment burst from him 
 not a soul was to be seen, not a curl of smoke rose 
 above a lodge, not even a dog barked as the 
 
RAOUL S FIRST DEER 91 
 
 strangers walked cautiously through the center 
 of the village. 
 
 "What is it?" asked La Salle, when he had 
 peered into one or two of the wigwams and 
 found them empty not only of their owners, but 
 of all their belongings. "What does it mean?" 
 
 "I do not know," replied Raoul dully, his 
 brain trying vainly to puzzle out the cause. 
 
 Through every lodge went the four, but found 
 nowhere a sign of human life. The fires were cold 
 and there was an absence of any appearance of 
 a struggle. In Old Wolf s lodge Raoul discov 
 ered a good store of corn and some dried meat, 
 and there they ate and slept warmly that night, 
 the three men taking their turns at keeping 
 watch. When they looked out the next morn 
 ing the ground was white with newfallen snow. 
 La Salle shook his head. "We have now lost 
 all trace of them," he said. 
 
 But Raoul would not believe this. He 
 searched the ground all about the lodge, circling 
 around like a dog. It was hours before he was 
 forced to admit that the storm had indeed blotted 
 out every mark of the Senecas departure, for 
 he felt certain that they could not all have been 
 killed without leaving some trace. "I am sure," 
 he said, "that those Indians who passed me had 
 
92 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 something to do with this, though I don t know 
 whether they were friends or foes." 
 
 "I too am minded to think so," said La Salle. 
 "Perchance they were the bearers of some tid 
 ings of a great council of the Five Nations to 
 which your friends were bidden; perhaps they 
 plan to invade New France again. It must have 
 been an urgent call. Therefore the only course 
 for us now is to hasten to Fort Frontenac where 
 news may await us." 
 
 "But, Seigneur," pleaded Raoul, his eyes full 
 of tears, "you will not desert Denise!" 
 
 La Salle laid his hand on the boy s shoulder 
 and said gently: "We can serve her best by go 
 ing, Raoul. We might wander here for a fort 
 night, turning in every direction and never find 
 ing a trace, or if we found the trail, might not 
 be able to come up with them. Whereas at the 
 Fort we shall in all likelihood hear some word. 
 Then I will get the Governor to send messengers 
 to the Iroquois demanding the release of the 
 little maiden. There is no other way, lad, or I 
 would take it." 
 
 Raoul could not answer. He was choking at 
 the thought of little Denise s despair when she 
 found herself carried away where he could not 
 reach her. "Why did I leave her?" he cried out, 
 as once again he ran to the end of the village in 
 
RAOUL S FIRST DEER 93 
 
 a vain hunt for a clue. "Far better if I had 
 stayed, both of us prisoners together." 
 
 Yet he made no further remonstrance; he 
 could see the uselessness of searching longer the 
 blanket of snow had done its work too well. 
 Next morning they packed the stores of venison 
 and corn on the sledge and set off on the crusted 
 snow. The sky was brilliantly blue, and had it 
 not been for his sorrow and anxiety about De- 
 nise, Raoul would have been happy to be alive 
 and in motion. 
 
 La Salle s regret that he had not been able to 
 take back the little French maiden was great, 
 but he was never a man to dwell upon disap 
 pointments. His thoughts now sped swiftly 
 forward to Fort Frontenac, to what he must ac 
 complish there, and then still farther forward, 
 to his great expedition. His body was strength 
 ened and refreshed by food and rest, and he was 
 so absorbed in the future that he had almost for 
 gotten how these had come to him. Etienne and 
 Robert too were in a jolly mood and made merry 
 at each other s mishaps when the sledge struck 
 a stone and rolled over, spilling its contents. 
 Raoul could not escape the general mood. He 
 found himself humming a fishing song he had 
 not heard for years. Every now and then he 
 would fix his eyes on La Salle and wonder just 
 
94. WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 what it was about him that made him so different 
 from every other man he had ever known. He 
 knew only that he longed to serve him; service 
 was all the gift he had to bestow upon anyone, 
 and he pondered what form he could give to his 
 loyalty. 
 
 And so it was a shock when the Seigneur, who 
 had suddenly remembered his existence, said: 
 "I will see, Raoul, that you shall not have long 
 to wait at the Fort. Etienne shall accompany 
 you back to Quebec. The good fathers at your 
 seminary doubtless have long believed you dead. 
 How rejoiced they will be to see you again!" 
 
 "Must I go back?" cried Raoul. "Oh, Seig 
 neur, send me not back. I cannot be a priest." 
 
 "Are you in earnest?" asked La Salle, gazing 
 fixedly at him. "Do you know what you say? 
 Is this a sudden whim, the outcry of a boy when 
 the holidays are over that he will not go back to 
 school? Or, tell me, boy, is it perhaps a deeper 
 feeling? I too was once intended for the priest 
 hood. I was even known as Brother Robert Ig- 
 nace; but I found I had not the vocation. So 
 if you have truly given this grave matter care 
 ful consideration, I would listen to you under- 
 standingly. It is a great life, that of a priest; 
 greater still the life of a missionary such as you 
 
RAOUL S FIRST DEER 95 
 
 wished to be; yet not all men are fitted for it. I 
 was not. Speak," he commanded. 
 
 "I have thought, Seigneur. This is no sudden 
 whim. From the moment I found myself free of 
 the black robe my spirit rose free." Raoul spoke 
 quickly, his fists clenched with emotion. "Let me 
 stay with you, Seigneur ! Else why should I have 
 heard your call, and why should I have come to 
 you straight as a bird to its nest? What I do, 
 provided I shame not our name, matters nothing 
 to anyone. Send me not back to the seminary. 
 Let me go with you when you go and stay with 
 you when you stay!" 
 
 The recollection of his own repressed boy 
 hood spoke to La Salle in Raoul s voice. To re 
 fuse him would be like denying his own claims 
 to the freedom to live the life he craved. Yet he 
 was not sure that the boy was old enough to real 
 ize what he asked. 
 
 "Hearken, lad," he said. "I will not say nay 
 to you altogether. Your years are yet too few 
 to comprehend the magnitude of the work that 
 lies ahead of me. For those who choose to follow 
 me must bear great hardships, exertions and 
 disappointments; perchance a fortune will re 
 ward them, but more likely penury. Had I 
 sought riches for myself I should have stayed 
 contentedly at my seigneur ie, where I was sure 
 
96 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 of twenty-five thousand livres a year. There 
 must pass some weeks at least before my affairs 
 can be straightened out. During that time you 
 may stay with me and consider whether there 
 will not be some other life, here or in France, 
 which you would prefer. And during these 
 weeks I shall observe you more carefully to see 
 whether you have in you the stuff of which ex 
 plorers are made. Until the day before I plan 
 to start back speak no more to me of this; then 
 we shall decide!" 
 
 Raoul was content with this encouragement, 
 and when they arrived at Fort Frontenac and 
 after La Salle had assigned him quarters, and 
 had sent by his brother, L Abbe Cavelier, news 
 to the seminary of Raoul s story, he seemed to 
 forget the boy, who was free to occupy his time 
 as he liked. RaouFs first thought was to obtain 
 news of the Senecas, and he questioned everyone, 
 Frenchmen and Indians, if there were any word 
 of movements of the Iroquois. Nothing had 
 been heard, and even though La Salle applied 
 directly to Governor Frontenac, there was no 
 explanation of the mystery and no hope of solv 
 ing it at present. Kaoul wrote a long letter to 
 Pere Dubois, telling him everything which had 
 passed since he and Denise had been carried off, 
 suggesting that he take the letter to the Gover- 
 
RAOUL S FIRST DEER 97 
 
 nor and beseech him to send to the chiefs of the 
 Five Nations, bidding them restore the French 
 maiden they had stolen or fear his displeasure. 
 
 It was a very tangled state of affairs which 
 La Salle found on his arrival. From the begin 
 ning of his enterprise men had shaken their 
 heads and called it a fool s expedition. Was not 
 the world large enough already, they asked, 
 without spending livres and lives in trying to 
 add to the lands of the King? And why should 
 La Salle believe himself picked out by fate to do 
 what no one else could accomplish? So when the 
 news leaked through of the wreck of his supply 
 ship, those who had lent him money in the 
 hope of gaining fortunes, hypnotized by his 
 eloquence for an hour from their usual cau 
 tion, grew frightened and determined to get 
 back all they had ventured. These creditors, 
 Migeon, Charon, Giton and Peloquin, hastened 
 to seize the vast stores of furs which belonged to 
 La Salle, and all his other property. La Salle 
 saw that there were only two things to do : either 
 to let it all go to his creditors, or to waste a long 
 time in Montreal and Quebec endeavoring by 
 legal means to get some of it back. He chose 
 the first. He was too eager to return to Tonty 
 to remain away a day longer than need be. Yet 
 it was not until the end of July that his new 
 
98 
 
 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 stores were got together, and he was ready to set 
 out. Three friars were to accompany him, eager 
 to begin their missionary work among the In 
 dians. 
 
 The day before his departure he sent for 
 Raoul. "What is your decision?" he asked curt 
 ly, determined not to let his own hope that the 
 boy might go with him influence Raoul s choice. 
 
 "I would go with you, Seigneur," Raoul re 
 plied, "if you will take me. There is nothing I 
 desire so much." 
 
 He stood there quivering with eagerness, won 
 dering what the silent observation to which he 
 knew he had been subjected for weeks had led to. 
 
 "Very well," said La Salle, more pleased than 
 he could understand his being. "Go to Etienne 
 and tell him to fit you out properly in clothes 
 and equipment." 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE GRIFFIN SPREADS HER 
 WINGS 
 
 SOME week later the Griffin sat the water as 
 lordly as ever the heraldic beast after which 
 she was named surmounted a proud baron s 
 coat-of-arms. And Tonty s glance when he 
 surveyed her was as filled with pride as if he were 
 a mother and she his child. La Salle, who had 
 listened intently to all the mishaps and hardships 
 his lieutenant had suffered during his absence, 
 did not fail to give him due praise for the com 
 pletion of the vessel despite the efforts the In 
 dians had made to burn her on the stocks. At 
 last, after so many months of delay, the time had 
 come to set forth in her. It was with genuine 
 gratitude to heaven for what had been accom 
 plished and forgetfulness of all the setbacks, that 
 La Salle ordered a Te Deum to be sung as he 
 marshaled his forces aboard. The solemn words 
 
 99 
 
100 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 of the great Latin hymn of thanksgiving were 
 started by the priests and caught up by such of 
 the men as were familiar with them. Raoul s 
 voice rang out above all the others; and the In 
 dians who had gathered on the bank to gaze at 
 the strange scene, listened, in delighted wonder. 
 
 "A white thrush," exclaimed one of the Sen 
 eca squaws, pointing to him. Curiously enough, 
 she had chanced upon the same name which had 
 been bestowed on him by the Senecas in old 
 Wolf s village. Reports of "the White 
 Thrush s" singing later penetrated to Denise in 
 her captivity, so that at last she was certain that 
 Raoul was still alive. 
 
 The Griffin, which had been laden with the 
 precious stores brought back by La Salle from 
 Fort Frontenac the day before, was now warped 
 out from the shore ; the gaping Indians saw the 
 white sails unfold, then a flash from the iron 
 nose of the cannon in the stern and thunder was 
 let loose without the help of the clouds. They 
 shrieked and ran or flung themselves flat upon 
 the ground ; and by the time they had discovered 
 that none of them was killed, the wind from the 
 cast had tautened the sails and the Griffin was 
 speeding through the waters of Lake Erie. 
 
 "Here sailed never ship before!" said La Salle 
 to Tonty while they both stood in the bow. "Had 
 
THE GRIFFIN SPREADS HER WINGS 101 
 
 God himself known how fair a thing a ship is he 
 would have set Adam and Eve on one instead of 
 in a garden." 
 
 Tonty, looking at his commander, watched his 
 nostrils dilate as if they would drink in all the 
 freshness of the great lake, and the sparkle of 
 his eyes from which had vanished all the gravity 
 and the sadness of the past month. "It is as if he 
 were born again/ he said to himself. 
 
 This was better, thought Raoul, than the Sen- 
 ecas canoe on the St. Laurence. Here he was 
 free, and there was even more to be seen. For 
 three days they sailed onward, the breeze behind 
 them never dying down, and the spirits of all on 
 board as high as the wind. They saw no human 
 beings; their course was too far from shore for 
 them to fall in with any Indian canoes. 
 
 On the fourth day the lake came to an end and 
 they passed through a narrow strait between 
 meadows. The wind had now left them and the 
 legs of all were cramped for the earth. So they 
 jumped ashore and hunted for game. Raoul was 
 lucky enough to shoot a wild swan with his bow, 
 and some of the men had little difficulty in kill 
 ing bears, which showed so little timidity that 
 they neither ran nor charged when the muskets 
 were pointed at them. 
 
 Now the Griffin stuck her beak northward in- 
 
102 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 to a smaller lake, so bright in the August sun 
 shine that they gave it the name of Sainte Claire. 
 Again through a narrow strait, and the great 
 lake of the Hurons seemed to Raoul to stretch 
 before them to the very end of the world. 
 
 "How can the earth bear so much water?" he 
 asked Father Hennepin. "Why does it not rot 
 out the very foundations of the globe?" 
 
 "And put out the fires of Hell?" suggested 
 the priest, laughing loudly at his own joke. 
 "That will not come to pass, at least not until 
 the heathen here have been converted." 
 
 The pilot looked up at the gathering clouds in 
 the northwest and shook his head, as he said to 
 Etienne: "I am a salt-water sailor, and I do not 
 pretend to know the ways of these inland seas, 
 but if they are governed by the winds as is the 
 ocean, then, beshrew me, if a tempest is not up 
 on us before the hour is over." 
 
 And trusting to the similarity of winds and 
 waves everywhere, fresh or salt, he gave orders 
 to reef the sails and to make all things fast. The 
 tempest was upon them before his orders had 
 all been carried out; the waves, as if they, like 
 the Indians, resented the intrusion of this new 
 craft, seemed determined that it should sail over 
 them no longer. They dashed the Griffin about 
 
FOR THREE DAYS THEY SAILED ONWARD. 
 
THE GRIFFIN SPREADS HER WINGS 103 
 
 so mercilessly that the seams strained and took 
 in water until the hull was all awash. 
 
 La Salle, the last to believe in their danger, 
 was too clear-eyed to deny it now. "Men," he 
 cried out, "pray! no brave man shames his valor 
 by petitions to God and the saints." 
 
 He dropped to his knees, as did all but the 
 pilot, who called out angrily: "If you had left 
 me on the ocean where I belong I should not now 
 be forced to drown ignominously in this fresh 
 water. Such a death for a sailor!" 
 
 But no one paid attention to him. Father 
 Hennepin and the other friars prayed loudly, as 
 if they feared that in the noise of the tempest 
 their prayers might not reach the ears of heaven. 
 
 "Blessed St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us," 
 they besought. "Save us and we will build thee 
 a chapel, for we have chosen thee as the patron 
 of our great enterprise." 
 
 Whether the saint heard or whether the lake 
 .and the winds grew weary of their anger, at last 
 the waves subsided, the clouds broke and soon 
 the Griffin s white plumage was spread out 
 again and she leaped forward westward, until 
 at length she came to rest at Michillimackinac. 
 
 Raoul gazed in astonishment at the trading 
 post and missionary station of the Jesuits which 
 spread out before him. The long voyage out of 
 
104 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 sight of any other human beings than his own 
 party had made him feel that they had left all 
 Frenchmen behind and that, in the future, condi 
 tions would be different from any known to the 
 rest of the world. Now he saw the familiar Cross 
 on the chapel and the black robes of the Jesuits 
 as they walked about the palisaded post or out 
 to the wigwams of the Ottawa Indians not far 
 off. 
 
 The shot with which the Griffin announced her 
 arrival sent the Indians running terror-stricken 
 to the woods, and the Frenchmen down to the 
 shore. As he looked down upon them, Raoul 
 noticed many scowls on the faces of the priests 
 and on some of the coureurs de bois. 
 
 "They seem not over pleased to see us," he re 
 marked to Etienne. 
 
 "They love not our commander," the soldier 
 explained. "They fear he is come to take from 
 them their profitable traffic in furs." 
 
 If La Salle too saw the shallowness of the wel 
 come accorded him, he did not let it be noticed. 
 He had dressed in his best coat and doublet and 
 had thrown over his shoulders a cloth mantle, 
 scarlet as the sun which hung above them in an 
 autumn haze, and all bordered with gold. This 
 splendor impressed the Indians, who followed 
 him and his men as they marched, muskets over 
 
THE GRIFFIN SPREADS HER WINGS 105 
 
 the shoulder, to the little chapel, there to re 
 turn thanks for their safe arrival. Then the 
 savages jumped into their canoes and swarmed 
 about the Griffin, touching her sides and looking 
 up in wonder at the sails and in wholesome awe 
 at the cannon. 
 
 For some weeks La Salle rested at Michilli- 
 mackinac, during which time he arrested certain 
 of his men whom he had sent on the year before 
 to make preparations for his coming. Not only 
 had they not done what he had ordered, but they 
 had traded off his stores to their own advantage 
 and had disloyally roused up Indians and voy- 
 ageurs against La Salle. Some of these disloyal 
 men had fled to the forests and could not be 
 reached, but the others La Salle sent back in 
 Tonty s command to the Falls of Sainte Marie. 
 
 Raoul was not old enough to realize all the in 
 trigues which made La Salle s heart sore, and 
 delayed him in his search for the great river. The 
 boy spent much of his time with the traders, who 
 took him with them to Indian villages nearby, 
 or to traps of their own where they caught the 
 animals whose precious pelts found their way to 
 Quebec and then across the seas to keep warm 
 the bodies of French men and women. He saw 
 them counted out by the thousands: pelts of 
 bears, their dried noses still sticky with honey; 
 
106 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 white fox, red fox, gray fox, martin, beaver, ot 
 ter, mink, and those of "the children of the dev 
 il," as the Indians called the skunk. 
 
 But he was glad when they set sail once again, 
 on the other great lake of which he had heard 
 the Indians tell Lake Michigan. This time 
 the men La Salle had sent in advance had proved 
 faithful, and there was a large store of furs 
 awaiting him. He decided quickly: he would 
 send them back on the Griffin to pay his cred 
 itors, and he and the fourteen men who remained 
 with him would be content to go on in canoes 
 until the Griffin should return. They packed 
 themselves and their stores into four large can 
 oes and started on their southward journey. 
 
 Raoul was stepping into the canoe with 
 Father Hemiepin when La Salle motioned to 
 him to enter his own. This was the first time 
 since they had left Fort Frontenac that the 
 Seigneur had shown any particular interest in 
 the boy. He had given him orders on the Griffin 
 and at Michillirnackinac as he gave them to all 
 of his men, but there had been no word of praise 
 or blame for the way he carried them out. 
 Raoul sometimes wondered whether it was in 
 deed true or a dream that La Salle had twice, at 
 Versailles and in the deserted Seneca village, 
 confided in him so fully. He longed for a word 
 
THE GRIFFIN SPREADS HER WINGS 107 
 
 of simple companionship, for he missed Denise 
 more than he was aware ; but the friars were cold 
 to him because they disapproved of his leaving 
 the seminary, and the other men, with the excep 
 tion of Etienne, considered him still too much of 
 a child. Now that La Salle had bidden him stay 
 near him Raoul was content. Perhaps he would 
 find the way to be of some small service to the 
 man who now represented all he most admired. 
 
 Several times that afternoon the boy caught 
 the grave eyes fixed on him, and he wondered 
 what they read in his face. Once La Salle bade 
 him take a paddle, and though his back and arms 
 grew weary, he would not stop when one of the 
 men offered to replace him. He had an idea 
 that La Salle meant to test him in various ways, 
 and that perhaps this was the test of his strength 
 and endurance. He was right. La Salle was 
 uncertain whether Raoul were indeed strong 
 enough to stand all the hardships which must be 
 looked for on their expedition. 
 
 Just when Raoul felt that in another moment 
 he would fall over the gunwale from exhaustion, 
 La Salle called out: "Take the paddle, Fran 
 cois, and pull with all your might. The storm 
 will break in a moment!" 
 
 It had come up very quickly with the oncom 
 ing night. The heavy clouds made the water 
 
108 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 still darker, but La Salle could discern that the 
 other canoes, even more heavily laden than his 
 own, were in greater danger. 
 
 "Keep calling out to them, Raoul," he or 
 dered, "that they may not get separated from us 
 and lost in the darkness." And in addition to 
 doing this, Raoul crawled into the bow where he 
 could see farthest and kept crying out the way 
 to keep the canoe headed. His childhood on the 
 Breton coast had made him more at home in a 
 boat than any of the others. 
 
 At last, when the canoe was soaked by the 
 rain, yet still kept afloat by what seemed a mir 
 acle each moment, llaoul spied the beach before 
 him. He called out quickly how and where the 
 boat could best be brought in, forgetting in his 
 excitement that he was daring to give orders in 
 La Salle s presence. When they were safely 
 ashore and the other canoes, with many narrow 
 escapes, had followed them, the Seigneur said: 
 "We owe our safety to you, Raoul. You are a 
 good sailor." 
 
 It was well that his words warmed the boy s 
 heart, for it was all that was warm that terrific 
 night. They sought such shelter as they could 
 find in the forest; but the rain, the wind and the 
 drenched ground made a fire impossible. The 
 next day brought little improvement, except 
 
THE GRIFFIN SPREADS HER WINGS 109 
 
 that with the daylight their spirits rose. They 
 ate the corn they had with them, as there was 
 no chance of securing any game while the storm 
 lasted. Five days it raged until they felt, as 
 Etienne expressed it, "like Father Noah in his 
 Ark, only more lonely, for the beasts are lack- 
 ing." 
 
 When the storm subsided at last they set off 
 once again to the southward; but the spirits of 
 the lake were still not done with the trespassers, 
 and time and time again storms sprang up sud 
 denly and the canoes were barely saved. Once 
 the aged Father Gabriel nearly drowned 
 when the boat was almost swamped while being 
 beached and those in it had to jump overboard 
 to lighten her. Father Hennepin pulled him up 
 on his younger back, and the two missionaries 
 laughed loudly and bravely at the thought of the 
 sight they must present to their companions. 
 
 "God be praised! We shall eat now," ex 
 claimed Etienne, who had been reconnoitering 
 and found that there was an Indian village not 
 far from the shore. "Tis indeed time, for we 
 are little better than skin and bone." 
 
 "We know not how they may receive us," 
 warned La Salle; "so you must go prepared for 
 anything. Be armed for war, but carry a peace 
 pipe along." 
 
110 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Etienne, Francois and Raoul were selected 
 to go to get the supplies. "I think they are 
 frightened away," said Raoul when they had 
 come to the lodges and found no one there. It 
 recalled to him the sight of the Seneca village 
 when he had gone back to free Denise, and his 
 heart was heavy at the thought of her. They 
 entered cautiously, but no one opposed them. 
 They found corn and other food and helped 
 themselves. 
 
 "Let them not complain that Frenchmen are 
 thieves," said Francois as he laid on the ground 
 some beads and small mirrors which La Salle 
 had brought for barter with the Indians. 
 
 As they descended the hill Raoul saw that La 
 Salle and his men were almost surrounded by 
 savages. He could hear his commander har 
 anguing them and enough of his words came to 
 him for him to realize that the Indians, uncer 
 tain of the Frenchmen s intentions, were ready 
 any second to fit arrows to the bows they held. 
 He seized the peace pipe Fra^ois had tucked 
 under his arm to leave his hands free for carry 
 ing the food, and brandishing it like a weapon 
 before him, ran rapidly down the hill, shouting in 
 the Seneca tongue as he ran, and hoping that it 
 would be understood: "Behold! we come in 
 peace, brothers!" 
 
THE GRIFFIN SPREADS HER WINGS 111 
 
 The Indians caught sight of him and cried out 
 in joy: "Peace then, brothers; we will share our 
 food with you." 
 
 Thus another danger passed, but new ones fol 
 lowed. The storms continued, and starvation 
 threatened several times. Sometimes as they jour 
 neyed on, they bought food from the Indians on 
 the shore; once they were lucky enough to find 
 the carcass of a deer which the wolves had half 
 devoured. Once 1 the Outagamis stole from them 
 at night and La Salle, knowing that his prestige 
 would suffer if he allowed this to pass, bravely 
 advanced with his eleven men against one hun 
 dred and twenty savages and persuaded them to 
 pay for what they had taken. It was November 
 before they reached the end of the lake, at the 
 mouth of the river of the Miamis. Here La 
 Salle determined to wait for Tonty. 
 
 Etienne, who had been with La Salle ever 
 since he had first been granted his Seigneurie at 
 La Chine, did not hesitate to speak plainly to 
 his commander whenever he thought it neces 
 sary. Now he sought him as he sat beside a fire 
 which Raoul was feeding with driftwood. 
 
 "Seigneur," he said, "it is but right that you 
 should know what the men are saying though I 
 would have you be sure that I echo not their 
 words. They declare that they will not stay here 
 
112 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 where the waters are freezing and where the 
 fierce winds will soon be sweeping down the 
 frozen lake. They say that you must push on 
 now to the villages of the Illinois where the In 
 dians can give us shelter and food." 
 
 La Salle did not hesitate with his reply. "Go 
 back to them, Etienne, and say that it is I, not 
 they, who give commands on this expedition. Let 
 them push on if they will; here will I stay with 
 the friars until Tonty joins us. Let them leave 
 me if they will, and you too, Etienne, and you 
 too, Raoul, make your choice." 
 
 "Seigneur!" cried Raoul, springing from his 
 knees. "You do not believe I would desert 
 you?" 
 
 "Nay, I do not think that," said La Salle, a 
 slight smile in the corner of his lips, "and I sup 
 pose, Etienne wishes me to say the same to 
 him." 
 
 When the others heard La Salle s message 
 they grumbled and cried out that they would 
 freeze and starve if they stayed. Nevertheless, 
 they were well aware that they could not go on 
 to the Illinois alone, so they remained; and dur 
 ing their waiting for Tonty La Salle kept them 
 so busy building a fort on an elevation at the 
 
THE GRIFFIN SPREADS HER WINGS 113 
 
 river s mouth (now the St. Joseph) that they 
 were too warm to freeze, and luck with their 
 guns put an end for the present to all fear of 
 starvation. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 AMONG THE ILLINOIS 
 
 IT was La Salle himself who first caught sight 
 of Tonty returning, and he welcomed him 
 heartily. 
 
 "It does me good to see you, friend," he ex 
 claimed, shaking him vigorously by the shoul 
 ders. "There were a thousand deaths I pictured 
 you dying when you came not. But you are 
 grown so thin and look so weary! And where 
 are the rest of your men?" 
 
 "We had not food enough for all," replied the 
 Italian as he sat down and drank eagerly the hot 
 venison broth which Raoul had hastened to bring 
 him; "and so I was forced to leave half of them 
 thirty leagues behind to hunt for game while we 
 pushed on, knowing how anxiously you must be 
 awaiting us." 
 
 "Then to-morrow, when you have rested and 
 eaten, it will be best for you, who alone know 
 
 114 
 
AMONG THE ILLINOIS 115 
 
 the way, to return with provisions for them and 
 bid them hasten hither," said La Salle. "We 
 must delay no longer." 
 
 Tonty did not complain, though he might 
 have considered himself entitled to a longer rest. 
 Taking two men with him and as much food as 
 they could carry in the canoe, he was off at 
 dawn the next day. 
 
 A few days later he returned a second time, 
 ravenous and sad with the tale of further mis 
 fortunes: of how he had tried to bring his boat 
 ashore in a storm and it had upset, spilling out 
 their guns and food, so that they were forced to 
 return to the fort or die of slow starvation on 
 their diet of acorns. La Salle s determination to 
 wait a little longer was rewarded, for the rest of 
 the men Tonty had left behind, with the excep 
 tion of two who had deserted, straggled wearily 
 into the fort a few days later. 
 
 One of the men who came with Tonty, called 
 Duplessis, weakened by his privations and dis 
 appointed that La Salle had not spent the time 
 of waiting in gathering a store of skins, from 
 the proceeds of which he hoped to gain a goodly 
 share, showed his displeasure openly, and re 
 marked to everyone that he regretted he had not 
 been as wise as his companions who had deserted. 
 As a punishment, La Salle bade him do extra 
 
116 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 work in loading the canoes for the journey and 
 threatened to leave him behind if he did not keep 
 silence. No more of his complaints were heard, 
 but Raoul, who slept in his hut at night, often 
 caught the sound of angry mutter ings. 
 
 As the month of December opened La Salle 
 regretfully announced : "We can wait no longer 
 for the Griffin. Where has our fine bird flown? 
 I would we knew, but we must go on without 
 her." 
 
 The thirty-three men, Frenchmen, Canadians 
 and the Mohegan Indian, La Salle s guide, took 
 their places in the eight canoes that were filled 
 to the danger point with food, goods and am 
 munition. Though the world was a dreary one 
 through which they went, gray sky, gray river, 
 and a line of dark forests against the horizon 
 bordering the flat land which stretched to the 
 river, the hearts of all were lightened with their 
 movement and the knowledge that once again 
 they were on their way in search of fame and 
 fortune. Raoul was again ordered into the same 
 canoe with La Salle. He performed the same 
 kind of work as did the men, but La Salle saw 
 that he undertook no more than was fit for a 
 boy s strength. He spoke to him but seldom. 
 Raoul often dreamed of wonderful conversa 
 tions he would like to hold with him, yet when 
 
AMONG THE ILLINOIS 117 
 
 they were alone he had never the courage to be 
 gin them. His hope was that some day he might 
 be able to show, if not by word, then by deed, 
 how strong was his affection and loyalty to his 
 commander. 
 
 "It should be near here," commented La 
 Salle, looking anxiously across the meadows in 
 the distance towards the flash of water under a 
 sudden burst of winter sunshine, "the portage to 
 the river of the Illinois. I will jump out and go 
 yonder to the woods and see." 
 
 "May I come too, Seigneur?" asked Raoul. 
 
 "Nay," replied La Salle as he leaped ashore; 
 "go and bid Tonty wait here until I return." 
 
 As the hours wore on and there was no sign 
 of La Salle, Tonty could not conceal his anx 
 iety. He ordered everyone ashore, had fires 
 built both for warmth and to serve as a beacon, 
 and then as night fell, he bade two or three sen 
 tries fire their guns at intervals. Raoul could 
 not sleep and begged Tonty to allow him to set 
 off in search of La Salle, but Tonty wisely re 
 fused to permit any search to be made before 
 daylight. 
 
 When he entered the woods La Salle believed 
 that the portage could not be more than half an 
 hour distant. He set out lustily, singing as he 
 went, in the direction he thought to find it. 
 
118 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 When he came out of the wood on the other 
 side he discovered that for once his strong sense 
 of direction had failed him, the falling snow had 
 made it difficult to see far in advance. A large 
 swamp opened before him, unfrozen and im 
 passable. There was nothing to do but to go 
 around it, and still singing, as was his wont at 
 times when alone, he turned back into the for 
 est. At last he was forced to confess to himself 
 that he was lost; nevertheless, he did not des 
 pair of soon finding either the portage or the 
 camp. Night had come and he thought how 
 anxious Tonty must be. He had walked stead 
 ily for hours, but he dared not rest. 
 
 At last the trees thinned ahead of him and he 
 caught the faint gleam of the river. A few 
 steps farther on there shone the glow of a fire. 
 Sure now that he had come out near his men, he 
 fired his gun. 
 
 "Tonty keeps a bad watch!" he cried out when 
 there was no answering signal. He ran for 
 ward, and to his amazement, when he reached 
 the fire, there was no sign of his companions, 
 but in the grass, close to the smoldering logs, 
 an impression showing some man had been lying 
 there. 
 
 "Hola!" he cried in the Iroquois tongue, 
 "where art thou, friend?" There was no re- 
 
AMONG THE ILLINOIS lid 
 
 sponse, so he voiced his question in the tongue of 
 the Miamis, then of the Pottawattamies, and, 
 one after the other, in all the Indian languages 
 he knew. "Well then," he said aloud in French, 
 "if thou hast no need of thy bed, I have, and 
 many thanks for the fire." 
 
 He gathered more wood and threw it on the 
 blaze and picked up armfuls of crackling bushes 
 with which he encircled his bivouac to announce 
 the approach of any footstep. Then he lay 
 down as calmly as he would have done in his 
 own room at Fort Frontenac and soon was 
 asleep. 
 
 He did not see the Indian, who had crept to 
 peer at him, draw his knife to stab the white man 
 to the heart; nor did he feel him as he hesitated 
 and finally glided away, convinced that the 
 Frenchman s medicine was indeed stronger than 
 the medicine of the Indian, or he would never 
 sleep so soundly. 
 
 La Salle woke late next morning and, in spite 
 of hunger, stiffness and the uncertainty of his 
 whereabouts, he was happier than he had been 
 for many a day. Here, in the silence of the 
 forest, his anxieties dropped away from him. 
 He felt young, strong, equal to everything. He 
 laughed as he walked along to see two opossums 
 hanging heads down from the branch of a small 
 
120 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 oak. He picked up a stick and smote them a 
 tremendous blow, and when they were dead he 
 hung them by their tails to his belt. Thus dec 
 orated, he walked along the river bank, know 
 ing that soon now he must fall in with his com 
 panions. 
 
 At four that afternoon they saw him coming 
 and cried out in welcome and relief. Soon the 
 possums were spilling their fat into the fire and 
 Beaver Tail, the Mohegan hunter, at La Salle s 
 command, divided their meat so that everyone 
 had a portion. Beaver Tail explained that he 
 had been off hunting when La Salle set out in 
 search of the portage. When morning came he 
 could lead them to it without delay. 
 
 Raoul s anxiety during La Salle s absence 
 had been greater than that of any of the others, 
 because in addition to the anxiety he shared with 
 them, he was worried by the feeling of some im 
 pending peril which for days had given him no 
 peace. He did not know from what direction 
 he expected the danger to come, but in his 
 broken dreams at night and half -dreams during 
 the day it was always the Seigneur over whom 
 it hung. When he did not return from the for 
 est Raoul had caught a sneering smile on the 
 lips of Duplessis, and the boy wondered whether 
 he might have anything to do with his command- 
 
AMONG THE ILLINOIS 121 
 
 er s absence. He did not let the man out of his 
 sight that night; but La Salle s story of his 
 wanderings proved that his suspicion had been 
 unfounded. 
 
 The next morning the contents of the canoes 
 were distributed among the men, the canoes 
 themselves being carried on their heads. Led by 
 Beaver Tail, they started to traverse the five 
 miles to the next portage. La Salle followed 
 behind the Mohegan; then came Etienne, then 
 Fran9ois and then Raoul, and behind them the 
 rest of the party, with Tonty at the rear. 
 
 Raoul caught sight of a number of strange 
 skulls and bones scattered over the plain wher 
 ever the wind had blown away the snow. 
 
 "They are too big for deer," he said perplex 
 edly when he had run to the top of a hillock to 
 observe them better. 
 
 "They belonged to creatures called buffa 
 loes ," explained Etienne. "They are said to 
 be as thick as ants farther down the river. We ll 
 have sport enough shooting them and good meat 
 a-plenty." 
 
 When Raoul again looked ahead of him, he 
 was surprised to see that Duplessis now walked 
 before Etienne. Once again his vague suspicion 
 was aroused. He ran ahead with another ques 
 tion to Etienne, and after the man had an- 
 
122 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 swered, Raoul slipped naturally into the file 
 ahead of him. Now nothing in the desolate 
 landscape took his gaze from Duplessis. He 
 could hear the man muttering angrily to him 
 self, though in a tone so quiet that it did not 
 reach the ears of La Salle just ahead. They 
 now came to a turn in the trail, so that those in 
 the rear for one moment would be out of sight of 
 the ones who were around the corner. Raoul 
 felt that the time which he had dreaded had 
 come. He ran lightly around the curve and, 
 though his feet seemed to him lead-shodden, he 
 rushed up to Duplessis just in time to knock up 
 the gun which he was pointing directly at La 
 Salle s back. 
 
 Its report was the first intimation La Salle 
 had of his danger. He turned and saw in an 
 instant what had happened. The rear division 
 hastened up, and Duplessis and Raoul were sur 
 rounded. 
 
 "What has happened?" they cried excitedly. 
 "Did your gun burst?" 
 
 "I saw him aiming at the Seigneur," Raoul 
 explained, without saying anything about how 
 he had suspected Duplessis; "and I knocked the 
 gun from his hand." 
 
 Tis a pity you did not turn it on the trait 
 or s heart," cried Etienne, and Beaver Tail fin- 
 
AMONG THE ILLINOIS 123 
 
 gered the knife in his belt as if it longed for a 
 certain scalp lock. 
 
 Duplessis stood trembling and looked bewil 
 dered like one awakened suddenly from sleep. 
 Father Hennepin took him aside, and soon 
 afterwards came to La Salle to report that 
 Duplessis had confessed that the evil spirit 
 which he had harbored for days had now left 
 him entirely and that he besought La Salle for 
 forgiveness. 
 
 "Your penitent may be telling the truth or it 
 may be a lie, Father," said La Salle; "but it is 
 best to act as if we believed him, since we have 
 no jail here. I will leave it to you to give him 
 such penances and fastings as you see fit." 
 
 Then he bade Beaver Tail start on again and 
 called Raoul to his side. 
 
 "You have put me in your debt, lad," he said, 
 laying his hand on his shoulder, "as you did be 
 fore on Lake Erie. I do not think his bullet 
 would have killed me, for my work is not yet 
 done, but I am pleased that it was you who sent 
 it in a different direction." 
 
 Raoul s happiness at these words was like that 
 he had dreamed of knowing some day. La 
 Salle continued: "Are you still glad to be with 
 this expedition, to wander still for many months 
 in search of my river, or do you wish you were 
 
124 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 back in the Seneca lodge with the little maiden?" 
 
 "There is nothing in the world I would rather 
 do than go with you, Seigneur," Raoul replied; 
 "and yet there are times when I feel as if I had 
 deserted Denise. Think you we shall ever hear 
 of her again? Not an Indian have we passed 
 that I have not asked for news of the Five Na 
 tions, in the hope that I might gain some clue." 
 
 Though La Salle had no belief that the child 
 was still alive, he promised that whenever pos 
 sible he would make enquiries about her. 
 
 "Here is the river Theakiki!" cried Beaver 
 Tail, pointing to a slow running current be 
 tween rushes and leafless bushes, scarcely wider 
 than hundreds of the pools in the swampy land 
 through which it meandered. Once again the 
 canoes were afloat and before nightfall the river 
 of the Illinois (the Theakiki) had widened and 
 deepened and flowed more rapidly. "Riviere 
 Divine" La Salle called it. 
 
 It was a bleak country through which they 
 passed now day after day. Sometimes in the 
 distance a glow of fire or smoke betrayed the 
 Indian hunters. Beaver Tail had little luck, and 
 the fare of all was scant. 
 
 "Look!" cried Raoul, one day when they were 
 near the verge of starvation. "See yonder that 
 great beast caught in the swamp!" 
 
AMONG THE ILLINOIS 125 
 
 "Buffalo!" yelled Beaver Tail, springing 
 ashore and shooting two arrows, which found 
 their mark. The huge creature struggled a few 
 seconds longer before he expired. Obeying 
 Beaver Tail s orders, they managed to fasten a 
 rope securely about the carcass, upon which 
 twelve men pulled until they had dragged the 
 buffalo to firm ground, where they cut it up and 
 feasted heartily. 
 
 One day they saw an Indian town of between 
 four or five hundred lodges, completely de 
 serted. "They are off on their winter hunt," ex 
 plained Beaver Tail, and Raoul could not help 
 wondering whether a like cause might not have 
 accounted for the deserted village of the Sen- 
 ecas when he and La Salle had gone to rescue 
 Denise. 
 
 "These Illinois tribes when we do find them 
 are not likely to treat us kindly," said Francois 
 who was making a pair of moccasins for him 
 self according to the Mohegan fashion Beaver 
 Tail had shown him. "We shall have trouble 
 yet, and Raoul, here, will be crying for his 
 mother." 
 
 Raoul started to reply angrily, but Etienne 
 took his part: "Let the lad alone, Fra^ois. 
 I ll wager you were less of a man than he at his 
 age." 
 
126 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "We ve no use for children," growled Fran- 
 9ois. "He holds us back, and we might have 
 missed this storm if he had not fallen ill yester 
 day." 
 
 It was true that Raoul had been overcome 
 with a sharp fever the day before, and one of 
 the friars who acted as physician to the expedi 
 tion said that a day s rest was absolutely neces 
 sary for him. So La Salle sent some of the 
 men out to shoot ducks while they waited. Raoul 
 knew that Francois, who had always shown him 
 ill will, was glad of another excuse to find fault 
 with him. He made up his mind that some day 
 the voyageur should acknowledge that he had 
 done far more to help than to hinder the ex 
 pedition. 
 
 It was a day or two after they had celebrated 
 New Year as best they could that the river 
 widened out to a lake the Indians called Pimi- 
 toui (now Peoria). 
 
 "See!" pointed Beaver Tail, "smoke! There 
 are many lodges." 
 
 La Salle quickly made his preparations. The 
 river, he saw, had narrowed again, and the wig 
 wams of the Illinois lined both banks. "We 
 shall be ready for them if they wish war," he 
 said. "Tonty, take you the right bank and 
 
AMONG THE ILLINOIS 127 
 
 train your guns on them, and I will see to the 
 left bank." 
 
 The paddles were dropped, and the small 
 cannon and muskets bristled over the sides of 
 the eight canoes as the stream bore them rapidly 
 into the camp. 
 
 For a few seconds Raoul s heart was beating 
 loudly and every moment he awaited a whizzing 
 of arrows. But the loud cries from the Indians 
 were those of surprise and excitement, rather 
 than the war-whoop, he discovered. They had 
 been taken so unexpectedly that, though a few 
 ran for their weapons, most of them stood wait 
 ing to see what the white men would do. 
 
 "Watch!" whispered Etienne to Raoul. "The 
 Seigneur will once again prove himself the lead 
 er we know him to be. He has no fear, and it 
 is the knowledge of this which makes the Indians 
 respect him. There is no other man living, not 
 Count Frontenac himself, who can handle the 
 redskins as he can. Watch!" 
 
 La Salle gave a word of command and then 
 sprang on the shore. Though Raoul s shoul 
 der blades already seemed to feel an arrow, he 
 followed with the rest of the men and stood with 
 them when they halted, each making sure that 
 his gun was ready to use. 
 
128 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "He does not seek to make friends," whis 
 pered Etienne again. "He knows, lad, how 
 much it is to our advantage to let them take the 
 first step." 
 
 And indeed, seeing that the French com 
 mander stood still as a stone, the Indians saw 
 that they must act. Two chiefs brought for 
 ward a peace pipe and another called out to the 
 young warriors on the opposite bank not to 
 shoot the arrows they had already notched. La 
 Salle, now certain that they desired peace, 
 handed his musket to Beaver Tail, and taking 
 a calumet from him, walked towards the chiefs. 
 
 Now all was changed. The Indians threw 
 down their bows and, shouting cries of welcome, 
 crowded about the French and led the way to 
 the guest wigwam, where a feast was hurriedly 
 prepared. 
 
 "This bear s meat is good," admitted Etienne 
 to Raoul, "and so is this corn cake ; but I declare 
 I would prefer to find my own mouth than to 
 have a dirty savage shove them to my teeth in his 
 fists." 
 
 Raoul, knowing more of the Indian ways, 
 thanked his host for his hospitality when a par 
 ticularly fine morsel was placed on his tongue, 
 and the Indian started at the sound of the Sen- 
 
AMONG THE ILLINOIS 129 
 
 eca words the boy used, though he seemed to 
 understand them. 
 
 La Salle now distributed among the chiefs 
 tobacco and shining hatchets, and then rose to 
 make his speech. His usual reserve, which his 
 enemies called coldness and pride, always left 
 him when he treated with the Indians. He 
 knew instinctively, as no other man of his day, 
 unless it were Count Frontenac, how to ap 
 proach them, how to touch their feelings and to 
 make them do his will. 
 
 "My friends," he began, "we thank you for 
 your food ; yet it is not the first time that we have 
 eaten corn from the lodges of the Illinois. 
 When we were starving we entered your lodges, 
 for we knew that no man of your nation would 
 ever fail to give food to hungry travelers. But 
 we found your hearthfires cold and your squaws 
 absent. Nevertheless, like squirrels who lay by 
 nuts for the winter, they had laid by stores of 
 corn and dried meat. These we took and ate. 
 We left behind presents in their stead, but if 
 your squaws ask for more I will see that they are 
 satisfied, for I, La Salle, am a friend to the In 
 dians and would not despoil them of a grain of 
 their corn." 
 
 There was a murmur of approval but it was 
 not intended as an interruption. 
 
130 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "I am come," continued La Salle, "to tell 
 you that we are journeying to the great river 
 which flows to the great waters far off in the 
 south, where we shall find food and goods. With 
 these we will gladden the hearts of the Illinois 
 and brighten their wigwams. We come too to 
 defend you against your enemies. We are at 
 peace with the Iroquois, the Five Nations; but 
 should they take the warpath against you, we, 
 the French, will fight with you. See, our guns 
 which spit fire and death. They shall be for 
 your safety as are your own bows if you will 
 give us a piece of land where we may make a 
 home for them and surround them with pali 
 sades. I will build too a great canoe, as much 
 larger than your war canoes as an oak is greater 
 than an alder bush. In this we shall travel 
 swiftly down the great river and back again. 
 But," he said, pausing a moment, "if you desire 
 not to be friends with La Salle and will not help 
 him build his canoe and his fort, then will he 
 pass on to the Osages, who will be greedy to re 
 ceive the goods we shall bring back with us, and 
 who will be glad to sleep peacefully, knowing 
 that the arrows of their foes will not trouble 
 them while Frenchmen watch." 
 
 "Nay! Go not to the Osages," said a chief as 
 
AMONG THE ILLINOIS 131 
 
 La Salle sat down. "We are your friends, and 
 your plans shall be our plans." 
 
 The other chiefs echoed his words and de 
 clared that the French chief had only to speak 
 to have what he willed. Now that this was set 
 tled, there was more feasting and dancing, un 
 til Raoul fell asleep from the heat and weariness. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 TREACHERY 
 
 PERHAPS because of his deep sleep earlier 
 in the evening, Raoul found himself 
 strangely wakeful towards morning, in the lodge 
 which he shared with half of the Frenchmen. It 
 was so stiflingly hot from the big fire still burning 
 in the center that he crept over his sleeping com 
 panions and went outside for a breath of air. 
 The crispness of the snow underfoot and the 
 bright stars above seemed to him far more desir 
 able than the crowded wigwam. Fearing no 
 harm from the Indians, he strolled quietly 
 through the village. As he came opposite the 
 guest lodge where they had been feasted that 
 afternoon, he heard a voice inside and caught 
 the words "Frenchmen" and "Iroquois." He 
 knew that a meeting at this time of night would 
 never be held except for some unusual cause, 
 and he determined to find out what it betokened. 
 
 132 
 
TREACHERY 133 
 
 He drew carefully into the shadow and threw 
 himself down on his stomach. He crept closer 
 to the lodge, and after fingering the bark cov 
 ering, was successful in finding a spot where it 
 did not quite lap. He put his eye to the hole 
 and could see all the chiefs in council, even 
 Omawha, whom La Salle had delighted by the 
 gift of two hatchets and three knives. They 
 were smoking solemnly, eyes and ears fixed on 
 an Indian who was standing before them. Raoul 
 saw that he was of a different tribe, and later 
 he heard one of the Illinois call him Monso, the 
 Mascoutin. With him were six strange Indians 
 who bore some knives and kettles which they 
 could have secured only from Frenchmen. 
 These were evidently presents to the Illinois. 
 
 Raoul felt certain that what was being said 
 within the lodge was of vital importance to La 
 Salle and the expedition, and he wished with all 
 his heart that his commander were there to listen 
 to the speeches. He acknowledged to himself 
 that he was afraid to stay where he was ; if there 
 were indeed plotting against the Frenchmen go 
 ing on and he were discovered, his fate would be 
 a terrible one. He trembled to stay but he 
 stayed, trembling. He heard Monso say how 
 he had been sent by certain of the French far 
 away at Quebec, who had the good of their Illi- 
 
134 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 nois brothers at heart, and with presents that he 
 might prove to them this friendship. He had 
 come to warn them, he said, against this man La 
 Salle. "He is a spy of the Iroquois," he de 
 clared, "and he goes down the Great River in or 
 der to bribe the tribes to the west and south to 
 make war against you, so that between those 
 tribes and the hog-eating Iroquois you Illinois 
 shall be crushed as a squaw crushes maize be 
 tween two stones. If you would not perish thus, 
 be sure then so council you your friends who 
 send these presents that you do not let this spy 
 and his men pass onward." 
 
 Raoul could see that Monso s words had made 
 a distinct impression and the chiefs, speaking 
 slowly one after another, promised to heed the 
 warning and to find a way to put obstacles in 
 the path of the Frenchman. Then Monso and 
 his men rose and went quietly out of the lodge 
 and hurried away out of the village, so 
 that by morning there might be no sign 
 of their presence. Raoul crept back cau 
 tiously, fearfully, on his stomach, until he 
 dared get up and run. Then he made for the 
 lodge where he knew he would find La Salle. 
 He touched him gently on the arm, not even 
 waking Tonty who slept near. He whispered 
 what he had heard and seen. 
 
TREACHERY 135 
 
 "So mine enemies found me out even here! 5 * 
 exclaimed La Salle bitterly. "Yet shall they 
 not triumph over me. Once again thanks, my 
 lad. It is another service you have rendered me. 
 Go back now" he went to the opening and 
 peered out to see if anyone were near "it were 
 better that no one should even know that we 
 have spoken together." 
 
 In the morning Omawha stood at the opening 
 of La Salle s lodge. When the Frenchman had 
 greeted him and bade him enter, he told him of 
 Monso and what had been said at the council the 
 night before. "This," he said gravely, "I tell 
 you because you are my friend." 
 
 La Salle thanked him and gave him a string 
 of beads for his squaw, but did not say that he 
 had known this before. 
 
 When La Salle and Tonty sallied forth from 
 their lodge they affected to believe that all was 
 well; that the Illinois were ready to fulfil their 
 promises of the day before. But the manner of 
 the Indians was so different, almost hostile, that 
 Tonty remarked it, and La Salle explained the 
 cause. 
 
 That afternoon one of the chiefs, Nicanope, 
 invited them to a big feast at his wigwam. He 
 did not say that his tribe would not help the 
 Frenchmen on their way to the Great River, but 
 
136 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 he said that he felt it right to warn them of the 
 great dangers before them if they persisted in 
 traveling down the river. 
 
 "There are man-eating alligators and other 
 terrible beasts which will not let you pass; there 
 are whirlpools so strong that no canoe can live 
 through them; and even should you escape these 
 dangers, the banks are lined with savage tribes 
 so fierce that all other tribes dread them, and 
 against their poisoned arrows nothing can avail." 
 
 La Salle s voice was low and troubled as he 
 said to Tonty: "I would that none of my men 
 understood the Indian tongue. Those that un 
 derstand are translating for the others, and look, 
 how they are affected by what they hear." Then 
 he rose and turned to the chiefs and said : 
 
 "I thank you for your warning given to me in 
 friendship ; yet if in truth there be these dangers 
 awaiting us, so much the greater will be the hon 
 or of our journey; and no Frenchman ever fears 
 anything that may threaten. But, my friends, 
 perchance it is that you have not known the real 
 truths about the river; have not the Illinois lis 
 tened to lies? Do they think that La Salle slept 
 while Monso crept through the dark last night 
 to lie to you that we were spies of the Iroquois? 
 He knows where lie hidden the presents which 
 
TREACHERY 137 
 
 Monso gave you as a reward for trying to 
 frighten us!" 
 
 Even the stolidity of the Indian nature was 
 not complete enough to enable them to listen un 
 moved to these words. Their faces showed their 
 amazement, though they sought to hide it. They 
 did not understand how the French leader could 
 have discovered so much. 
 
 La Salle continued: "If Monso had spoken 
 the truth, would he show his face only in the 
 dark? If I were a spy of the Iroquois, would it 
 not have been easy for me to have slain you 
 while your young braves were away on the hunt ? 
 Have we brought harm to you, or bright hatchets 
 and sharp knives such as your stone hammers 
 cannot fashion? If you do not desire our friend 
 ship say so without fear, but if you be our friends 
 go fetch this lying Monso and I will show you 
 that he speaks not the truth." 
 
 The Indians had listened with deep interest 
 to the Frenchman s speech, and some of them 
 were convinced, and the others thought it at least 
 well to appear so. Therefore the feast v/as re 
 sumed and good feeling seemed to reign. But 
 La Salle was not sure of their intentions and 
 took pains to guard his men. 
 
 That night there was another secret meeting, 
 but this time it was not the Indians, but certain 
 
138 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 of the Frenchmen, who met together to declare 
 that they would not risk their lives further by 
 accompanying a madman into such dangers as 
 the Indians had pictured. Then they stole sil 
 ently out of the village and started back north, 
 to a world and men that were familiar to them. 
 
 "Tonty!" exclaimed La Salle when he learned 
 the next morning of these desertions, "this real 
 ity is worse than any imaginary danger. I fear 
 not death; I cry not when I am hungry, cold 
 or weary, but now indeed must I complain of 
 the evil which has befallen me that my men in 
 whom I trusted have deserted me!" 
 
 He called the others together and said that if 
 there were any among them who still feared to 
 accompany him he would allow them to return 
 to Canada as soon as the winter was over. 
 
 "Whom can I trust?" he asked Tonty bitterly. 
 
 Raoul longed to tell him how the desertion of 
 the others had made his own loyalty the stronger, 
 as if he would make up for the shortcomings of 
 those who had left, but he could not find cour 
 age to put his thoughts into words. That noon 
 it was the boy s duty to fetch La Salle s dinner 
 from the lodge, just across the street which ran 
 down the center of the village, where the squaws 
 cooked all the food for the white guests. A 
 savory portion of venison was poured into a 
 
TREACHERY 139 
 
 large gourd and, because it was hot to hold, 
 Raoul laid it down by the entrance of the lodge 
 while he went back to get another gourd of fish 
 which a second squaw handed him. 
 
 "I never tasted better venison in my life," 
 commented La Salle when Raoul had brought 
 it to him, for like all the others in the expedi 
 tion since they left Fort Frontenac, he had us 
 ually had far more appetite than food to satisfy 
 it. But not half an hour later he was seized with 
 terrible cramps and his face was twisted with 
 pain. 
 
 "I am poisoned, Tonty," he cried; "they have 
 poisoned me!" 
 
 Raoul was in front of the lodge when Tonty 
 rushed out and bade him fetch Etienne as 
 swiftly as possible. The burly voyageur was soon 
 there, and Tonty left him to watch La Salle 
 while he prepared a drink with a precious pow 
 der which had been given him in Italy as an anti 
 dote for poison. The two men hung anxiously 
 over La Salle to await the results. Before long 
 they were relieved to discover that the cramps 
 were disappearing and that their leader s body 
 was growing less rigid. 
 
 While Raoul stood outside the lodge, not 
 knowing what had happened, believing that it 
 
140 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 was only some matter of every-day orders for 
 which Etienne was wanted, an Indian strolled 
 by, snapping his fingers at his dog who kept 
 jumping up in the air in recognition of his mas 
 ter s notice. The man seemed to pay no atten 
 tion to the white boy, yet as he passed he re 
 peated in a low voice the words: "White 
 Thrush, White Thrush." 
 
 Raoul started, for this name was that by which 
 he had been known to the Senecas as well as 
 that of "Halo," and he glanced quickly at the 
 Indian to see if he were a member of that tribe. 
 But his leggings and the way he wore his hair 
 proclaimed an Illinois. Yet he felt sure that the 
 Indian had spoken the words with design. He 
 started to run after him, his heart beating with 
 excitement at the thought that perhaps he might 
 hear some news of the Senecas and of Denise. 
 Then he remembered that this was not the way 
 to gain what he wanted from an Indian, so he 
 stood still and let the man pass on. A few mo 
 ments later, as if moved by mere curiosity, he 
 strolled down the village, stopping to look in at 
 the lodges where braves and squaws were sit 
 ting around the fires, but never allowing the 
 man ahead to get out of sight. He followed un 
 til he entered the edge of a wood which almost 
 bordered the river, where snow-covered ever- 
 
TREACHERY 141 
 
 greens imposed an effective barrier between it 
 and the village. Here he found the Indian 
 seated on a rock, cuffing his dog good naturedly. 
 He did not even look up as Raoul ap 
 proached and asked: 
 
 "You are no Seneca?" 
 
 "Can White Thrush not see," he answered, 
 "that I am an Illinois?" 
 
 "Yet you are speaking in the Seneca tongue," 
 said the bewildered boy. 
 
 "I have friends in the tribe," he explained. 
 
 "Tell me," cried Raoul, "the news you bear 
 of them, since you call me by the name they gave 
 me. What befell the family of Old Wolf and 
 Red Wing?" 
 
 "Was there no other name you have not 
 spoken?" asked the Indian, now looking squarely 
 into RaouFs face. 
 
 "In truth, I do desire news of the French 
 maiden who abode in the lodge of Old Wolf," 
 he answered. "Have you news of her for me? 
 Be quick; I have waited so long for it." 
 
 "I have no news," the Indian said, rising and 
 walking towards the village. 
 
 "But you brought not White Thrush here for 
 naught," protested Raoul; and he would have 
 liked to cry with disappointment. 
 
142 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "If you would meet those who have news of 
 your friends you must travel farther. Yonder 
 towards the north," he pointed, "there are those 
 you may meet and question ere the Sun sleeps." 
 
 He walked away, snapping his fingers at his 
 dog, back to the village, while Raoul ran in the 
 opposite direction, in haste to learn of Denise 
 and to get back to La Salle. 
 
 When La Salle came to himself again out of 
 the depths of agony, he saw about him the anx 
 ious faces of Tonty, Etienne and Fra^ois. They 
 brightened as his eyes opened and smiled wanly 
 at them. 
 
 "They did not kill me," were his first words; 
 "but to think that it should have been one of my 
 own men, one with whom I have shared dangers 
 in the wilderness and broken bread, who desires 
 my death! It cuts me to the heart, my friends. 
 Who can it be and wherefore?" Then he sank 
 back on the skins they had laid out for him, 
 weakened by the exertion of talking. Tonty 
 thought it his duty, now that La Salle was out 
 of danger, to waste no more time in searching for 
 the man who had done the dastardly deed. So 
 taking Etienne with him, he bade Fra^ois 
 watch the Seigneur. 
 
 Soon La Salle s native vigor began to assert 
 
TREACHERY 14,3 
 
 itself and he sat up. Francois came and 
 crouched down on the floor beside him. 
 
 "Would you know," he said, "whom to sus 
 pect, look to the one who brought you food." 
 
 "What, Raoul!" cried La Salle. "Be not a 
 fool, Francois. As soon suspect an angel as 
 that lad.". 
 
 Francois did not attempt to remonstrate. He 
 spoke quietly as if only thinking aloud: "No 
 one else handled the gourd from the minute the 
 squaw filled it from the kettle from which we 
 all ate until it reached your mouth." 
 
 "Cease," commanded La Salle. "I will not 
 listen to such words. Thrice the lad has done me 
 great service; why should he seek now to kill 
 me? You are jealous, Fra^ois, because I love 
 him." 
 
 La Salle had hit the truth. Until the coming 
 of Raoul, Francois had been the youngest mem 
 ber of the expedition, the son of one of La 
 Salle s tenants at La Chine, he had made much 
 of the sturdy, brave boy, and had taken him on 
 many journeys and hunting trips. He had 
 found him zealous and eager to serve him, but 
 black-tempered and remorseless as a savage, and 
 jealous of favor which his Seigneur showed to 
 others. 
 
 "You are jealous, Fra^ois," La Salle re- 
 
144 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 peated. "That flatters me, but I will not per 
 mit your jealousy to injure another. You will 
 see that the real criminal will soon betray him 
 self, and you will live to see Raoul grow into a 
 man we shall all be proud of. Breathe not a 
 word of your unjust suspicions to anyone, and in 
 particular not to the boy." 
 
 He spoke sharply in the voice of command 
 which even Francois knew could not be disputed. 
 Nevertheless, he could not help replying: "I 
 shall have no chance of saying anything to him; 
 you will see that he will not return to be caught." 
 
 La Salle was angry at this persistence but said 
 nothing more. His mind kept going over, one 
 by one, the members of his party. Sadly he con 
 fessed to himself that there were not more than 
 half a dozen of whose innocence he could be sure. 
 Tonty and Etienne returned no wiser than they 
 went. 
 
 "Where is Raoul?" asked La Salle as evening 
 came. 
 
 No one could tell; no one had seen him since 
 noon. The following day there was no sign of 
 him, nor the day after that. Then an Indian 
 who returned from the hunt related that he had 
 met several Frenchmen traveling northward 
 and with them was a boy. 
 
 "The traitors!" cried La Salle, "and Raoul 
 
TREACHERY 145 
 
 with them! I had not believed the lad would 
 desert me if my guardian angel had foretold 
 it. I had thought him one who could be 
 trusted to the utmost. But this wilderness is a 
 stronger poison than that given to me. It kills 
 loyalty!" 
 
 Though he was forced to admit Raoul s 
 treachery in deserting him, he would not believe 
 that it was he who had sought to take his life, 
 and he waited for the future to disclose the crim 
 inals. As soon as the snow thawed he and 
 Father Hennepin set forth for the site of the 
 fort the Illinois had promised to permit them to 
 build. 
 
 "We will call it Fort Crevecceur" (Fort 
 Breakheart, near the site of the present city of 
 Peoria), declared La Salle; "yet mine is not yet 
 broken in spite of all our disasters." 
 
 The latest of these disasters was his convic 
 tion that the Griffin was really lost. He was 
 never to learn what had really been her fate. 
 When he reluctantly became convinced that the 
 vessel would not return, he realized that, since 
 there was no chance of the supplies on board her 
 ever reaching him, he must once again return to 
 Fort Frontenac to secure others. He sent Fath 
 er Hennepin to explore the river Illinois to the 
 
146 
 
 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 mouth, and leaving Tonty and the rest of the 
 party in the village, he set off with Beaver Tail 
 and four others once again on the long journey 
 back to Montreal. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 TONTY IN DANGER 
 
 WHEN Raoul had run for half an hour 
 northward along the trail he caught 
 sight of the blaze of a fire and of the five or six 
 figures bending over it. Now for the first time 
 it came to him how unwise he had been to leave 
 the village without telling anyone of where he 
 was going, or without knowing whom he was 
 seeking. For a moment he thought of turning 
 back, but the possibility that in a few moments 
 he might gain news of Denise, even at cost of 
 danger to himself, made him go on. To his 
 amazement as he approached the group he heard 
 French words and saw that it was not Indians, 
 but Frenchmen who had been warming them 
 selves the very men who had deserted! 
 
 They looked up and called to him ; made place 
 for him before the fire and put a piece of freshly- 
 cooked turkey in his hand. 
 
 "Welcome, White Thrush!" they cried, smil 
 ing. "Forgive us for our ruse, but we were cer- 
 
 147 
 
148 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 tain that your curiosity would bring you to us, 
 for you have talked so much about your captors 
 that we knew all about your adventures." 
 
 "Have you in truth no news of the Senecas 
 for me?" cried Raoul, his disappointment al 
 most choking him. 
 
 "None, save that perchance you may find 
 them if you throw in your lot with us." 
 
 "What are you doing here?" Raoul demanded, 
 a note of authority ringing in his voice which to 
 the deserters seemed an echo of La Salle s. "Do 
 you not know that the Seigneur is awaiting 
 you?" 
 
 "He is no longer our Seigneur," answered a 
 tall coureur de bois. "We are our own lords 
 now, and we will no longer waste our days and 
 endanger our lives hunting for some river that 
 belongs to the devil. We know where fortunes 
 can be made nearer at home." 
 
 Raoul started to cry out his opinion of this 
 treachery, but Poiret waved his hand to silence 
 him, and a smile broke over his face, so jolly 
 that it was difficult for the boy to consider him 
 a traitor while he looked at it. 
 
 "Let that be," said Poiret softly as if sooth 
 ing an angry child. "We know that we are 
 naughty boys who have run away, but that won t 
 make us go back again. We have other plans 
 
TONTY IN DANGER 149 
 
 we are bound north, and we shall pick out a 
 nice little country which the Jesuits haven t yet 
 combed for converts and pelts; and we and all 
 those who like to join us shall hunt for martins 
 and foxes, and all the nice little beasties the good 
 God gave warm coats to. And we shall skin 
 them and sell them to the Iroquois; and our 
 friend La Salle, or even the Governor himself, 
 won t be able to prevent it. And we shall grow 
 rich and buy ourselves seigneuries too, if it likes 
 
 us." 
 
 He recited this as glibly as if it were some 
 thing he had learned by heart, and his compan 
 ions nodded in assent and clapped their hands. 
 
 "What have I to do with such cowards and 
 slothful men as you," asked Raoul scornfully, 
 "who prefer to break faith in order to make a 
 fortune? Why did you bring me here; you 
 could never imagine that I would become one of 
 you?" 
 
 "Who wants a baby?" sneered one who had 
 not spoken before. 
 
 "The baby can read and draw up letters and 
 write down accounts, which is more than any of 
 us can do, Antoine," commented Poiret sooth 
 ingly, and turning to Raoul, he clapped him on 
 the shoulder: "That is why we need you, lad, 
 when we trade with the Dutch and the English. 
 
150 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Don t get angry but think what a life it will be 
 for you. If you love the woods, as we all do, 
 there will be days and nights of trapping and 
 shooting; if you wish money the pelts will bring 
 it to you ; and if you are ambitious, who knows 
 you are a noble but that when you grow up we 
 may choose you to rule us." 
 
 "It is little you know of nobles," said Raoul 
 disdainfully, "if you think that they desert their 
 leaders in the face of danger. I will waste no 
 more time with you," and he jumped up and 
 started to run back in the direction he had come, 
 suddenly realizing how long he had been gone. 
 
 "Not so quick, young Hothead!" cried Poiret, 
 catching hold of his jacket as he passed. "Do 
 you imagine that you are going back to tell La 
 Salle our whereabouts and our plans? If you 
 will not join us voluntarily you must at least 
 bear with our company until we are many 
 leagues from here." 
 
 Raoul looked around at the men to see whether 
 they were supporting Poiret s words. There 
 was no sign of dissent ; indeed, the expression on 
 their faces was so sinister that he turned from 
 them to the smiling Poiret. 
 
 "We have no desire to harm you, lad," he said, 
 and Raoul knew that he spoke the truth as far 
 as his own intentions were concerned; "but 
 
TONTY IN DANGER 151 
 
 neither can we let you harm us, so you will not 
 be allowed out of our sight." 
 
 There was no use pleading, and nothing to do 
 but to follow when Poiret gave the order to set 
 off. That night several more deserters joined 
 them. As they tramped northward Raoul s 
 heart was heavier than it had been even when he 
 was the captive of the Senecas and not know 
 ing whether the savages meant to torture and 
 kill him. Now he was in no real danger, but he 
 could think of nothing save what La Salle would 
 be thinking of his disappearance. Would he 
 believe that he too had deserted him, that he had 
 turned away from sharing his dangers and hard 
 ships? He was almost wild at this possibility. 
 
 For several days he trudged along, speaking 
 to no one, though Poiret tried often to rouse 
 him. All the time he watched in vain for an 
 opportunity to escape, but every one of the men 
 had made himself his jailer, and there was not 
 a minute of the day that some eyes were not 
 on him. At night Poiret made him sleep 
 between him and Antoine, and every time 
 he moved one of them was sure to wake 
 up. But it would be during the night, he 
 knew, that he must make his escape, if at all, 
 and he recalled the night when he and Denise 
 had thought to evade Red Wing. 
 
152 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 The fatigue of three days almost uninter 
 rupted travel at last made Poiret sleep heavily, 
 and the knowledge that they had come so far 
 induced him to believe that the boy would not 
 dream of trying to find the way back alone to 
 the Illinois village. Raoul, always on the look 
 out for an opportunity, noticed that Antoine, 
 still sleeping, had rolled over near the warmth 
 of the fire and left a free space of ground be 
 tween him and Poiret. The careless deserters 
 had set no guard, so Raoul rose and, creeping 
 gently as an Indian, wound his way between 
 them, and by the time day dawned he was 
 several miles away. 
 
 An ankle twisted in a fall on a frozen pond 
 hidden by thick snow delayed him; he saw no 
 game and moreover had no method of killing if 
 he had seen it. Warmth at night at least was 
 his; where there was dry wood he no longer 
 needed a tinder-box to set it ablaze. But it was 
 a wan, hungry boy who limped into the Illinois 
 village at last, his heart beating at the thought 
 of the meeting with the Seigneur. The Indians 
 stared at him but said nothing as he made for 
 La Salle s lodge. He found Tonty inside. 
 
 "Where is the Seigneur?" he asked as the Ital 
 ian cried out in amazement: 
 
 "You?" 
 
TONTY IN DANGER 153 
 
 "The Seigneur?" he repeated. 
 
 "He is gone, back to Fort Frontenac," Tonty 
 
 "Gone!" Raoul ejaculated as if he could not 
 comprehend the meaning of the word. "Gone! 
 What did he think of me?" 
 
 And Tonty told him all; how La Salle be 
 lieved that he had deserted him; how Francois 
 had accused him of having poisoned his master. 
 Raoul was so overwhelmed by this additional 
 disaster that he could not speak for a moment. 
 At last he asked: 
 
 "Did he believe that?" 
 
 "That you had poisoned him? No," the Ital 
 ian answered. "He declared, and I agreed with 
 him, that it was impossible to conceive you a 
 murderer." 
 
 "It was Duplessis, I believe," Raoul remarked 
 after thinking awhile. "I read again the signs 
 of guilt in his face when we were together there 
 in the woods. He must have poured the poison 
 into the food during the one moment I left the 
 gourd at the opening of the wigwam." 
 
 Tonty questioned him about the deserters; so 
 Raoul related all that had happened from the 
 moment the Indian had spoken the words 
 "White Thrush," and Tonty, whose generous 
 
154 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 heart pitied the boy s distress, sought to console 
 him. 
 
 It was a day or two later that two of the men 
 returned with a message to Tonty from La Salle 
 that he should make a stronghold of the great 
 cliff above the Illinois village, near the mouth of 
 the Vermilion river, about which they had often 
 spoken together as a natural fortification of un 
 usual value. So the Italian, leaving most of his 
 command at the village, set off with the others. 
 While he was gone the malcontents, freed from 
 the stern rule of La Salle and Tonty, talked 
 openly of their discontent, of how, even if they 
 should survive the dangers of the expedition, 
 their wages would never be paid since La Salle 
 was bankrupt. Raoul was troubled by this, but 
 there was nothing he could do. And one morn 
 ing when he awoke he found that the wigwams 
 where the Frenchmen had been lodged were 
 empty of themselves, of the food, ammunition 
 and all the other stored supplies. While he 
 stood there in dismay he was joined by young 
 Sieur de Boisrondet, whom Tonty had left in 
 command during his absence. 
 
 "They too have deserted us," exclaimed the 
 young noble. "How many of us are left?" 
 
 "There are the two friars," Raoul answered, 
 
TONTY IN DANGER 165 
 
 "and two more men who are faithful six in 
 all." 
 
 De Boisrondet lost no time in hastening to the 
 rock, and soon Tonty, having sent four of those 
 who were with him to speed with the news to 
 La Salle, returned to the village. 
 
 "What is this written on the side of our poor 
 ship?" he queried as he examined the hull of the 
 successor of the Griffin which was destined never 
 to be completed. 
 
 " We are all savages/ " read Raoul. "They 
 have burned the words in as a message to us. I 
 wonder if they have joined the others. Poiret 
 probably knew that they were coming and waited 
 for them. But what shall we do now, Sieur 
 Tonty? Shall we go back to the rock and forti 
 fy ourselves?" 
 
 Tonty did not reply for some time. It was in 
 deed difficult to know what could be done to 
 make themselves safe among a people none too 
 friendly towards them. At last he said : 
 
 "We have no force to oppose to theirs, there 
 fore we must trust them nor ever let the sav 
 ages believe we fear them. Are you man enough 
 to play your part, Raoul?" 
 
 "I will do my best," he replied. 
 
 Tonty made as plausible an explanation as he 
 could to the Illinois of the actions of the desert- 
 
156 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 ers. Soon the braves who had been absent on the 
 spring hunt returned to the village, eight thous 
 and of them, Raoul counted. The spring melted 
 into a hot summer, and now the cool winds of 
 autumn would soon be blowing, yet, still there 
 was no news from La Salle. Tonty and his five 
 companions had no lack of food or shelter; the 
 two friars had endeavored to begin their mission 
 ary work, but they had not yet learned to speak 
 the Illinois tongue sufficiently well. Yet though 
 the days passed quietly enough and the attitude 
 of their Indian hosts had not changed, the 
 Frenchmen were conscious that they were dis 
 trusted, that the chiefs could not understand 
 why they had come in the first place nor why 
 they now remained. 
 
 This quiet life soon came to an end. Raoul 
 and Tonty were together in the lodge now occu 
 pied by all of the Frenchmen when they heard 
 terrific cries outside. Before they could get out 
 to find the cause, the lodge flap was pulled back 
 and there streamed in as many Indians as the 
 place would hold. They shrieked, shook their 
 clubs at Tonty and cried out words which he 
 could not altogether understand, but of which 
 Raoul called out the meaning to him. 
 
 "They say their scouts have brought word 
 that an Iroquois war party is upon them, and 
 
TONTY IN DANGER 157 
 
 they hold us responsible for stirring up their 
 ancient foes." 
 
 Tonty did not need to have explained the dan 
 ger of his position, but he showed no sign of fear. 
 "We are friends, friends of the Illinois," he kept 
 saying calmly. But the Illinois were only partly 
 convinced; they seized the precious forge and 
 other stores which the deserters had not carried 
 off, and threw them into the river. Then know 
 ing that Tonty could not escape and that there 
 was little time to lose, they rushed out to prepare 
 for the Iroquois attack. 
 
 "They are carrying off their squaws and chil 
 dren to an island down the stream," reported 
 Raoul standing in the entrance and listening to 
 all that was going on. "They will leave some 
 of the braves to defend them. They think that 
 the Iroquois will attack to-morrow." 
 
 That night Tonty and his little band watched 
 the great fires that had been lighted along the 
 river and listened to the din of rattles and cries 
 of the excited braves as they danced the war 
 dance. One of the boys, Water Rat, who was 
 about Raoul s age and who had been friendly 
 with him in many ways, hunting and trapping 
 and fishing, came by to display proudly his 
 paint and the new war club he had been allowed 
 to assume. 
 
158 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "We shall kill you to-morrow," he announced 
 cheerfully, "if we find that in truth you have 
 leagued with our enemies." 
 
 "The Illinois are cowards," mocked Raoul in 
 return; "perchance there will be none of you 
 left to kill us." 
 
 In the morning the scouts returned to say that 
 the foe was encamped in the forest along the 
 Aramoni river. They had caught sight of one of 
 them clothed in French garments, and they 
 thought it was La Salle. Once more they rushed 
 to Tonty s lodge to charge him with the treach 
 ery of his commander. 
 
 "Your scouts have weak eyes," shouted Ton- 
 ty, calm in demeanor though tomahawks were 
 brandished over his head and might descend any 
 moment. "They cannot tell a Frenchman from 
 an Iroquois. Would your chiefs have proof that 
 we are your friends ? Then will we go with you 
 and fight by your side." 
 
 Once again Raoul saw the intrepid Italian s 
 courage and resourcefulness save them. Most 
 of the Indians seemed pacified and the others 
 had no time to argue, for the drums told them 
 the Iroquois were upon them. Tonty and the 
 five Frenchmen followed to the shore and saw 
 the Illinois war canoes filled with braves, shriek 
 ing and shooting with bows and guns, headed 
 
TONTY IN DANGER 159 
 
 for the other shore, where on the plain below 
 the enemy was massing. 
 
 "The odds are against the Illinois," exclaimed 
 Tonty to de Boisrondet. "They will be over 
 come shortly and all of us will perish with them 
 unless something be done." He pondered a mo 
 ment, then he turned to Raoul and said: "Get 
 me a string of wampum." 
 
 Luckily Raoul knew where the Illinois kept 
 the precious wampum belts and he knew also 
 which ones were borne by peace envoys. He 
 rushed to the lodge that was now unguarded, 
 picked out one from the case of bearskin and 
 hurried back. 
 
 "Remain here," commanded Tonty. "I and 
 the Sieur de Boisrondet will do that which our 
 duty demands, desperate chance though it be." 
 
 But Raoul disobeyed and followed them to 
 the other shore. Water Rat s older brother, who 
 had just returned from bearing a message to 
 the island where were the squaws, was jumping 
 into a canoe. Raoul told him what he guessed 
 of Tonty s intention, and the young brave al 
 lowed him to cross with him. Once on the other 
 side, the two joined Tonty and de Boisrondet, 
 and there was no time to find fault with the boy 
 for his disobedience. The arrows and shot 
 whistled before them. 
 
160 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "Go back to the foot of the hill," commanded 
 Tonty, and the three this time did as they were 
 bid. They watched Tonty as he strode forward 
 alone, weaponless, holding out the wampum. 
 
 "They breed men in Italy!" exclaimed de 
 Boisrondet in admiration of his courage. "No 
 wonder their ancestors, the Romans, conquered 
 the world." 
 
 "But see," cried Raoul, "they have surrounded 
 him; they are dancing and firing and shriek 
 ing so that I cannot tell what has happened. I 
 will climb up into this tree so that I can see 
 farther." 
 
 A minute later he called down: "A brave has 
 jabbed Tonty s side with a knife . . . Will he 
 fall? . . . No, he puts his hand to the wound, 
 but he is talking. The Iroquois point to his ears, 
 and I think they mean he must be a Frenchman 
 because they are not pierced for rings. No won 
 der they first believed him to be an Illinois. In 
 these Indian garments we all look like them, ex 
 cept for the absence of paint." 
 
 "It is quieter now," said de Boisrondet as a lull 
 in the fighting followed. "Can you hear what 
 Tonty is saying?" 
 
 "Yes!" replied Raoul. "He shouts out, 
 though the blood is flowing from his mouth, 
 that the Illinois are now the children of the King 
 
TONTY IN DANGER 161 
 
 of France, even as are the Iroquois, and that 
 Onontio you know so they call the Governor 
 will be very angry if they fight each other." 
 
 "The saints have mercy and protect us!" de 
 Boisrondet cried, "an Iroquois is waving Ton- 
 ty s hat in the air. The Illinois will think he is 
 killed and that the combat cannot be stopped." 
 
 And so in truth it happened. The fighting be 
 gan, more fiercely than before, and the Iroquois, 
 instead of listening to Tonty, threatened to kill 
 him. Raoul saw with horror that one of them 
 had hold of Tonty s scalp lock and was brand 
 ishing the knife around. He could hear 
 Tonty s firm words even while death was so near, 
 saying that the Illinois had twelve hundred war 
 riors and that sixty Frenchmen were waiting in 
 the village to join him if need be. Finally, 
 however, these words and the advice of one of 
 the chiefs who had long been friends with La 
 Salle, influenced them. They agreed that Ton 
 ty should go back to the Illinois as peace-maker. 
 
 "He has succeeded!" exclaimed Raoul, tum 
 bling down from the tree and running to meet 
 him as he returned, bleeding but triumphant. 
 
 But, alas, the peace was not to endure; the 
 Iroquois were prepared to break the treaty as 
 soon as they found a favorable opportunity, and 
 Tonty, who refused to be fooled by their soft 
 
162 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 words and their gifts, asked them the direct 
 question when they meant to go and leave the 
 Illinois alone. The Iroquois chiefs grew angry, 
 and Tonty departed from the council lodge. He 
 realized that he had done all any man could do 
 in his endeavors to make friendly neighbors of 
 ancient foes, so he slipped away at night with 
 Raoul, Membre, Boisrondet and two others, and 
 paddled rapidly up the river. 
 
 The Illinois, believing the Iroquois intended 
 to turn over a new leaf, had unwisely separated 
 into their different tribes. The Iroquois, taking 
 advantage of this, attacked one of them the 
 Tamaroas and a fearful massacre of the wom 
 en and children took place, the horrible proofs 
 of which La Salle was to come across later on. 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 HUNTING AND TRAPPING 
 
 IT was good, thought Raoul about six weeks 
 later, as he sat before the fire of his lodge 
 scraping a pelt, to be among friends once again, 
 to have one s stomach filled and one s scalp tight 
 on one s head. The Pottawattamies were friends 
 of La Salle, and Raoul liked to listen when the 
 old chief talked of the Frenchman and said that 
 he knew only three great captains in the world: 
 Frontenac, La Salle and himself. Now that he 
 was in safety, he shuddered at the memory of 
 all he had gone through since the day Tonty, 
 carrying the wampum, had tried to make peace 
 between the Illinois and the Iroquois. While 
 he was passing from one danger to another, en 
 during hardship after hardship, he had been 
 either too excited or too numbed with fatigue, 
 cold and hunger to look back to the woes of yes- 
 
 163 
 
164 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 terday or forward to the strain of to-morrow. 
 
 Now, with the heat of a blazing fire envelop 
 ing him, he shivered, thinking of the thirty-five 
 days of bitter cold during which they had trav 
 eled northward on land or over the frozen sur 
 face of Lake Michigan, until they reached the 
 hospitable Pottawattamies at Green Bay, who 
 welcomed and sheltered the forlorn five: Tonty, 
 de Boisrondet, Father Membre, Renault and 
 himself; for Father Ribourde had strolled away 
 from them one day and had been scalped by a 
 wandering band of Indians. Father Hennepin 
 had left them some time before to explore the 
 Illinois and had had many strange adventures 
 which cannot be related here. He recalled their 
 slipping away from the village of the Illinois, 
 when the treaty Tonty had succeeded in making 
 between the Illinois and the Iroquois came to a 
 sudden end, and the Frenchmen found them 
 selves suspected by both tribes; the time when 
 de Boisrondet was lost for several days; their 
 long tramp along the borders of the bay, and 
 finally, when Tonty was ill and all of them starv 
 ing, their arrival at their quiet winter haven. 
 
 Now that their own troubles were over they 
 had time to worry about La Salle and to won 
 der why they had not heard something about his 
 movements. Raoul s anxiety was even greater 
 
HUNTING AND TRAPPING 165 
 
 than that of the others, for he suffered con 
 tinually at the thought that La Salle believed 
 him to be a deserter. 
 
 He brooded over this in spite of Tonty s ad 
 vice, but at last he hit upon an activity which 
 would help him pass the time and which con 
 soled him with the knowledge that he was do 
 ing something for the man he so respected. He 
 knew that the great expedition could not suc 
 ceed without money, and that La Salle had 
 spent all he owned and had mortgaged his prop 
 erty and had borrowed from friends and re 
 lations. He knew too that the great source of 
 revenue in New France was furs, necessary cov 
 erings for men against the rigors of the Cana 
 dian winters and a rich ornamentation for the 
 belles at the Court of King Louis. He had 
 seen the great stone storehouses at Fort Fron- 
 tenac and at Ville Marie piled to the top of 
 their dark interiors with evil-smelling, precious 
 pelts. 
 
 He had heard men tell that the regulation of 
 the traffic in furs troubled the governor and 
 even the royal ministers across the sea; that some 
 of the men and some of the religious houses were 
 allowed to trade in them with the Indians, and 
 that others were shut off from this manner of 
 making a fortune. He had listened to the cour- 
 
166 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 eurs de bois when they boasted of the way they 
 had outwitted those in authority by disposing at 
 good figures of the skins won by their own guns 
 and traps. He knew that some of the bloody 
 warfare between the different Indian tribes was 
 caused by the refusal of certain tribes to allow 
 others to hunt or to trade in what they considered 
 their own territories. So skins were to him, as to 
 all in New France, a kind of currency ; and he de 
 termined that while waiting for La Salle he 
 would get together as much of these riches as 
 possible. 
 
 One of the Pottawattamie hunters, Black 
 Duck, was starting out one afternoon to set his 
 traps. Raoul watched him with interest as he 
 entered the forest. Then, urged by a sudden im 
 pulse, he ran after him. 
 
 "Let me go with you," he begged. 
 
 Black Duck nodded and seemed pleased to 
 have the company of the French lad. They 
 talked as they went, arid Raoul enquired if there 
 was a great number of animals to be caught near 
 the village. 
 
 "There are enough for all our own bodies and 
 coverings for our lodges," the Indian replied. 
 "If Black Duck wants more, skins for barter, 
 skins to pile up, many skins like snowflakes, he 
 knows a place." 
 
HUNTING AND TRAPPING 167 
 
 "Where?" asked Raoul. 
 
 "Black Duck knows, but Black Duck won t 
 tell," was all the answer he got. But presently 
 the Pottawattomie, kneeling down on the snow 
 in front of a trap he was baiting for a fox, 
 looked over his shoulder, his small, good-natured 
 eyes half closed, and asked: "Would white boy 
 like to go there with Black Duck?" 
 
 Raoul did not waste time in settling this mat 
 ter. On their return to the village he asked Ton- 
 ty for permission to accompany Black Duck on 
 a fortnight s hunting trip. Tonty consulted the 
 chief, of whose friendship he could not doubt. 
 
 "It is good," he replied, "let him go. Black 
 Duck is my brother s son. He is good. The 
 boy is old enough to kill deer for his own leg 
 gings." 
 
 So Raoul, clad now as warmly as his com 
 panion and carrying bow, arrows, a hatchet and 
 a knife, set off delightedly. Black Duck, a 
 man of about fifty, was as quick and active as 
 Raoul, and of much greater endurance. He 
 showed Raoul how to manufacture the traps he 
 used, some small ones for rabbits and squirrels, 
 and larger ones for foxes, mink, beaver and ot 
 ter. They traveled fifteen to twenty miles a 
 day, Raoul judged; and though to him there 
 was no sign of a trail, the Indian rarely hesi- 
 
168 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 tated. Sometimes he shot a deer, sometimes 
 smaller beasts, an opossum, or perhaps a duck 
 or a wood pigeon. An hour or more before sun 
 set they would stop and quickly picking out the 
 best spot, Black Duck would bait his traps. 
 Then followed supper, a nodding over the huge 
 fire and then sleep under the stars until dawn. 
 The traps were then visited and emptied; never 
 was one found empty, except once or twice when 
 its occupant had succeeded in springing it. 
 
 "A bear!" sniffed Black Duck one morning 
 as he pointed to the broken trap and some foot 
 prints in the snow. 
 
 Each day farther from the village the evi 
 dences of game increased. Everywhere were 
 little tracks crisscrossing the white surface, and 
 here and there bits of furs and spots of red 
 showed where some hungry animal had made a 
 meal off a small victim. All along the trail 
 Black Duck made caches for what his traps and 
 bow had brought him; sometimes he skinned 
 the beasts when they had need of food and bur 
 ied the pelts. Raoul had grown quite expert in 
 helping, and now made and set his own traps 
 and cached his booty. He had not been as suc 
 cessful with his bow; often he missed what he 
 aimed at, and Black Duck would laugh with 
 amusement. 
 
HUNTING AND TRAPPING 169 
 
 "Hold it so," he then explained, "not let it 
 quiver. Wait till arm is firm as rock before you 
 pull cord." 
 
 And when Raoul did bring down a pigeon and 
 at last a deer the Indian s kindly face shone with 
 satisfaction. 
 
 "Will be great hunter some day," he prom 
 ised. 
 
 In six days, after traveling nearly eighty 
 miles, according to Raoul s calculation, they 
 reached their destination. 
 
 "The beasts come here to get warm," ex 
 plained Black Duck, pointing to a large dark 
 pool that yawned through all the white of the 
 landscape. Behind them was the forest through 
 which they had come, and sloping down from it 
 to a small frozen river below, was an almost 
 open field. Just where it joined the forest was 
 the pool. 
 
 "Put your hand in," commanded Black 
 Duck, and when Raoul knelt down and did so he 
 jumped back in astonishment, for the water was 
 warm. 
 
 "Spirits of animals dead make pool warm for 
 their brothers so they won t die in winter," was 
 the Indian s explanation. 
 
 All about were tracks large and small. Raoul, 
 who could now distinguish the prints of the ani- 
 
170 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 mals from one another, noticed those of a bear 
 cub. Black Duck went off into the forest to cut 
 wood for the many additional traps they would 
 need, and Raoul, concealing himself behind a 
 rock between the crevices of which he could see 
 the pool, waited. The wind was blowing from 
 the river towards him, so he knew that any crea 
 tures coming from that direction could not scent 
 him. Soon he heard the crying of some small 
 animal, and after looking around, discovered a 
 dark object on the edge of the forest. It was a 
 bear cub which seemed to have cut his foot on a 
 jagged branch of a tree that had been shivered 
 and broken by a summer thunderbolt. 
 
 Raoul watched to see what would happen. He 
 half hoped and half feared that the mother bear 
 would hear the crying and come to the aid of her 
 young. Soon he caught sight of her lumbering 
 up from the river, where she had broken the 
 thin ice along the edge and pulled out a fish. He 
 felt for his bow, but something withheld him 
 from shooting; he didn t know whether it was 
 fear or pity for the cub. The old bear soon 
 reached it and began licking the wounded paw. 
 Then she gave the cub a gentle blow with her 
 own huge brown leathery paw and started it to 
 wards the pond. She guided it to the edge and 
 make it dip the wounded member into the warm 
 
HUNTING AND TRAPPING 171 
 
 water, and the cub seemed to appreciate the 
 comfort it gave. 
 
 Raoul was so amused at watching this scene 
 that he forgot all caution and came out in front 
 of the rock to see better. The mother bear sud 
 denly lifted her head, sniffed the air, then turned 
 and started for him before he could realize that 
 he was even in danger. His first thought was 
 for his bow, but when he started back for it he 
 tripped on a frozen ridge of the rock. His heart 
 sank as he heard the bear behind him, near 
 enough for her panting to be distinctly audible. 
 He jumped to his feet but knew that there was 
 no hope of outrunning the creature, awkward as 
 it seemed to be. He prayed that Black Duck 
 would appear and cried out on the chance that 
 his call might reach him. But there was no 
 time the great brown beast was now not more 
 than ten feet away. He pulled out his knife; 
 at least he could try to defend his life. The 
 bear reared; it seemed as if a dark mountain 
 were about to descend upon him. He thrust out 
 the knife, blindly ... it struck something, and 
 something tore his shoulder, and then all was 
 darkness. . . . 
 
 When he regained consciousness he heard 
 Black Duck saying: "He has slain a bear! A 
 bear which would do honor to a great chief!" 
 
172 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Raoul got painfully to his feet, and there in 
 the reddened snow beside him, lay the beast. The 
 Indian felt of RaouFs shoulder, and with a ges 
 ture not unlike that of the mother bear with her 
 cub, shoved him to the pond, and pulling up the 
 deerskin shirt, made him stoop down while he 
 bathed his lacerated skin in the warm water. 
 
 Later, when stiff but proud, Raoul was eating 
 some of the bear s meat, Black Duck laid on his 
 knees a perfect skin of a white fox. 
 
 "Never has Black Duck seen a finer," he said 
 smoothing it out. "It is fit for the little white 
 maiden, who will make herself a cap and mocca 
 sins of it. Ever since she said kind words to me 
 last summer and made the Pottawattamie hunter 
 welcome in the lodge of the Senecas, I have 
 looked for a fitting gift to bring her. She too 
 was once French, she told old Black Duck 
 when she laughed with him." 
 
 "A French maiden in the lodge of the Sen 
 ecas!" cried Raoul, forgetting the pain of his 
 wound and the pride of his exploit in this news, 
 "tell me where is she?" 
 
 So Black Duck told how the summer before, 
 when he had wandered with his pelts to dispose 
 of them to the Miamis, who in turn would bar 
 ter them to voyageurs, he had come across a vil 
 lage of the Iroquois, of the Seneca tribe. At 
 
HUNTING AND TRAPPING 173 
 
 first he had been afraid to advance, but a little 
 girl had run out and had led him by the hand to 
 the lodge of the chief, Old Wolf, who for the 
 child s sake had received him in a friendly fash 
 ion. 
 
 "What were they doing there so far from 
 their own lands?" Raoul questioned eagerly, 
 "and are they there now?" 
 
 "Black Duck knew not why they came and he 
 knows not where they journeyed. All he knows 
 is that some day he will see the little maiden 
 again and that he will give her this fox skin." 
 
 Raoul was long silent. He was too familiar 
 with the habits of the Indians to believe that, 
 even though Black Duck might lead him to the 
 exact spot, he would find the Senecas still there. 
 He could not set off to hunt for them, for then 
 should La Salle return and find him gone, he 
 would indeed be justified in calling him a de% 
 serter. The knowledge that Denise was alive 
 and evidently well cared for was at least a great 
 relief. 
 
 "Black Duck," he begged, "listen to what I 
 say and swear by your medicine that you will 
 serve me, even as I would serve you, now that 
 we are friends." 
 
 The Indian looked up and a smile softened the 
 lines of his mouth which was often stern. "I 
 
174 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 am your friend," he said, "and what is mine, 
 meat, bow, cunning, strength, endurance, is 
 yours." 
 
 "Did you ever hear the Senecas speak of 
 White Thrush," asked Raoul, smiling his 
 thanks. "Of a French boy captive?" 
 
 "Yes," replied Black Duck, his eyes sudden 
 ly lighting with understanding. "And you are 
 White Thrush?" 
 
 So Raoul told him his story, of his capture 
 and of his escape, of his search for Denise and 
 of his failure to get news of her. 
 
 "What I ask of you," he continued, "is that 
 you will try to find her for me, then tell her of 
 me, where I go and how I will come for her on 
 my return from the great expedition. If it be 
 possible, send word of her to meet me some 
 where." 
 
 "Black Duck is a good hunter," the Indian 
 answered proudly, "and he will follow the trail 
 of the Senecas for White Thrush." 
 
 For nearly a week the two shot and snared 
 game and packed the pelts until their loads were 
 almost as heavy as they could carry. Then 
 they started back on their way to the lake, stop 
 ping to gather all the skins they had cached at 
 different spots. Raoul would have been sorry 
 to end this life in the woods, which suited him 
 
HUNTING AND TRAPPING 175 
 
 better each day, but he hoped that on his return 
 he might find that La Salle had arrived or that 
 there was news of him. 
 
 All the mission was astounded at the results 
 of his hunting, but he was disappointed there 
 was no news yet of the Seigneur. Weeks went 
 by and RaouFs store of pelts increased to double 
 its size; spring came and Tonty determined to 
 go to Fort Michillimackinac, believing it would 
 be at that point where La Salle would ultimately 
 search for them. 
 
 So the little party bade farewell to the Potta- 
 wattamies who had been so good to them, Black 
 Duck alone accompanying them part of the way, 
 as he was bound westward to dispose of his 
 skins. 
 
 It was nearly June when an Indian canoe 
 brought word that La Salle was only a day s 
 journey behind him. Raoul thought he should 
 never live through the day, and as soon as dawn 
 broke he went to the shore of the lake to watch. 
 At last far in the distance he caught sight of 
 the canoes, and he called loudly to Tonty and 
 Friar Membre. When La Salle stepped ashore 
 tears were in the eyes of all, and he embraced 
 Tonty and the friar, kissing first one cheek and 
 then the other, again and again. 
 
176 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "I had not thought ever to behold you alive," 
 he cried. 
 
 Then he caught sight of Raoul whom emotion 
 and shyness had kept in the background. 
 
 "Raoul!" he cried in great surprise, "and have 
 I indeed done you wrong in my heart all these 
 many months?" 
 
 When the first excitement was over he sat 
 down in a room of the fort and sent for the boy. 
 He closed the door and walked up and down. 
 "Tell me, lad, about it all," he said, in a voice 
 that was gentler than Raoul had ever heard it. 
 
 And Raoul related it all, told in actual words 
 what he had told in his thoughts a thousand 
 times everything that had happened. He ended 
 by blurting out: "You did not believe it was 
 I who poisoned you, Seigneur?" 
 
 "Never, lad!" the man exclaimed. "Never. 
 I beseech your pardon for the hard thoughts I 
 had when I believed you had deserted me. It 
 was not that I had the right to blame you if you 
 had feared to follow my fortunes, but I was bit 
 ter because I found out how dear you were to 
 me and because I believed I had lost you. I 
 have no son, Raoul, and I shall never have home, 
 wife and son. But God has sent you to take 
 the place of one, if you will." 
 
 Raoul was not ashamed that his tears fell on 
 
HUNTING AND TRAPPING 177 
 
 the Seigneur s hand as he kissed it. After they 
 had been silent, and after they had talked both 
 silence and talk equally a pledge of the new 
 bond between them Raoul proudly took La 
 Salle out to see the skins he had gathered to 
 gether for him. 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 SWIFT FOX 
 
 IT was a balmy evening when La Salle, seated 
 on a grassy slope at Michillimackinac over 
 looking the lake, recalled for Tonty, de Bois- 
 rondet, and Raoul all that had happened to him 
 since he had left them in the village of the Illi 
 nois. 
 
 Your great poet, Dante, Tonty," he said, put 
 ting his hand on the head of the boy who lay at 
 his feet, "has declared that there is no greater 
 sorrow than recalling happy days when one looks 
 back on them through present despair. It seems 
 to me he might also have said that there is no 
 greater happiness than looking back when happy 
 upon past troubles. You remember, friends, 
 when I set off how urgent was our need to re 
 place the supplies lost in the Griffin. So though 
 the thaws of approaching spring greatly in 
 creased the difficulty of the way, interrupted as 
 it was everywhere by marshes and rivers, to 
 
 178 
 
SWIFT FOX 179 
 
 say nothing of the length of the journey, which 
 is about five hundred leagues in a direct line, 
 and the danger of meeting Indians of four or 
 five different nations, through whose country 
 we were to pass, as well as an Iroquois army, 
 which we knew was coming that way ; though we 
 must suffer all the time from hunger; sleep on 
 the open ground, and often without food ; watch 
 by night and march by day, loaded with baggage, 
 such as blanket, clothing, kettle, hatchet, gun, 
 powder, lead, and skins to make moccasins; 
 sometimes pushing through thickets, sometimes 
 climbing rocks covered with ice and snow, some 
 times wading whole days through marshes where 
 the water was waist-deep or even more, at a 
 season when the snow was not entirely melted 
 though I knew all this, it did not prevent me 
 from resolving to go on foot to Fort Frontenac, 
 to learn for myself what had become of my ves 
 sel, and bring back the things we needed."* 
 
 "Yet you did not succeed in learning what had 
 in truth befallen the vessel?" asked de Boisron- 
 det. 
 
 "Nay, I saw it not attested by a notary, but I 
 am certain the good craft was scuttled by the 
 same men who helped build her, traitorous de- 
 
 * These words are taken from one of La Salle s own letters. 
 
180 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 serters that they were," exclaimed La Salle, and 
 continued: "We traveled on snowshoes, by 
 sledges or canoes according to the state of the 
 ground, but it was always hard going. At one 
 time a body of Indians came upon our trail, 
 though it was in a land where few Indians go, 
 as it is claimed by no nation and each fears the 
 other there. They believed us to be Iroquois, 
 so we drew Iroquois drawings and signs on the 
 rind of trees from which we stripped the bark, 
 and we burned the grass to cover our tracks. 
 But it would be wearisome for you to listen to 
 all our hardships and for me to recount the days 
 of travel and of sickness. At length, after six 
 ty-five days, I saw before me the walls of Fort 
 Frontenac and that night slept, not more 
 soundly, but more comfortably, on mine own 
 bed." * 
 
 4 Did you rest there long?" questioned Tonty, 
 "after the most arduous journey surely ever un 
 dertaken by a white man in this new country?" 
 
 "I found no good news there to bid me be a 
 laggard," answered La Salle; "my creditors had 
 sought to strip me bare, and I hastened perforce 
 to Ville Marie to procure the supplies we needed. 
 Men said I could not get them, that no one would 
 advance more money to me ; yet I managed, and 
 was back within seven days at Fort Frontenac. 
 
SWIFT FOX 181 
 
 How could I rest, knowing that you waited for 
 me?" 
 
 Perhaps never before in his life had La Salle 
 felt himself so understood as now by his three 
 sympathetic listeners. He was warmed by their 
 interest as they were warmed by the late spring 
 sunshine. "Then," he continued, "as I was 
 about to start came your letter, Tonty, telling 
 me of the desertion of my men at Fort Creve- 
 coeur rightly was it named! This was not all 
 two faithful habitants hurried to tell me that 
 these same deserters, joined by others, had stolen 
 the furs which I had left stored here at Michilli- 
 mackinac, destroyed the fort on the St. Joseph 
 river, and that, after separating, some to take 
 their booty to the Dutch at Albany, the others 
 were on their way to kill me." 
 
 "What did, you do?" asked Raoul, bending 
 his head back that he might look into La Salle s 
 face. 
 
 "I went to meet them," was the answer. "I 
 waited with trusty men at a bend in the bay, 
 and when they turned it, my guns, pointed at 
 them, bade them surrender. Two only were 
 killed, the others I brought back as prisoners to 
 Fort Frontenac." 
 
 "And then," queried de Boisrondet, "then 
 surely you had time to rest and to sleep and to 
 
182 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 eat good food cooked by French hands and to 
 look at white faces and not always on those of 
 the redskins?" 
 
 "How could I rest, man," asked La Salle al 
 most angrily, "when I thought of you waiting for 
 me in the midst of the savages ? Small was your 
 force, I knew. Had I known what had hap 
 pened to you, how you were reduced, my heart 
 would have been sadder still; but even then I 
 could have made no greater speed. Twenty-five 
 men and a great quantity of stores went with 
 me when, early in August, I started westward 
 again. There is no need to tell of the journey. 
 We passed by here, and when I found no news 
 of you, Tonty, I thought you must be still where 
 I had parted from you. Yet I feared, for there 
 were rumors that the Iroquois meant to attack 
 the Illinois." 
 
 "They did," assented Kaoul grimly, talking 
 to himself. 
 
 "I pushed ahead with half my men," contin 
 ued La Salle, "down to the river of the Illinois, 
 and there on the plains I beheld such a sight as 
 I believe no white man ever saw before. Every 
 where, like sheep in a meadow at home, were 
 buffaloes such masses of them that I almost 
 thought we must have died and come to the In- 
 
SWIFT FOX 183 
 
 dians happy hunting ground. You should 
 have seen them, Raoul; such great beasts, the 
 big shaggy bulls, the cows and the clumsy 
 calves. They paid no attention to us but we 
 could not pass by such a feast. We shot at them 
 for three whole days, and the bulls now grew 
 savage and made the hunt dangerous. Twelve 
 of them we killed, beside other game, and I 
 thought how glad Tonty and all of them will be 
 of this fresh meat." 
 
 He stopped and the memory of the disappoint 
 ment and the anxiety which had met him where 
 he had hoped to feast with his friend over 
 whelmed him once more. Then he went on: 
 
 "When there was no sign of you or sign of 
 any gun or fortification on the Rock of St. 
 Louis, I knew that something terrible had be 
 fallen. When we came to the village of the 
 Illinois where we had left you, there was naught 
 but silence and blackened grass. Then when we 
 landed, dreading to find trace of you, horror 
 awaited us wolves and buzzards alone were 
 alive in a field of human bones. The Iroquois 
 had torn open the graves of their foes, and never 
 have my eyes seen such things as they then 
 looked on. Yet I forced myself to examine the 
 skulls, wondering each step whether the hair 
 would tell me some awful story of my friends." 
 
184 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Unconscious of what he was doing, he leaned 
 over and stroked RaouTs sunburned locks affec 
 tionately, as if to reassure himself. 
 
 "Once again I split up my force and with four 
 men continued down the river in search of you. 
 At Fort Crevecoeur I found our helpless un- 
 launched vessel and on its planks scrawled the 
 words, we are all savages ." 
 
 "Aye, that were they!" exclaimed Tonty; 
 "that was the insolent message they left when 
 they deserted us." 
 
 "Still we went on," said La Salle, "and I saw 
 everywhere signs of Iroquois deviltry. I will 
 not keep the lad awake with horrors by telling 
 you all I beheld, of men and women half charred, 
 still bound to the stakes where they had been tor 
 tured. We followed the river until we came to 
 where it joined the great river of my dreams, 
 of which I have spoken so often, and I could 
 see the yellow glow of the Mississippi which, 
 please God, we shall soon explore together. On 
 our way back we saw a comet in the heavens, 
 and I wondered if you too were looking at it 
 as free men or in captivity. I picked up the 
 men I had left near the burned village, and we 
 continued northward, looking eagerly for the 
 first clue of you. And what do you think it 
 was? A piece of wood we found cut by a saw; 
 
SWIFT FOX 185 
 
 so we praised the saints, knowing that you had 
 escaped alive." La Salle bowed his head for 
 a moment and then continued: "Back through 
 terrible cold and storms we went, and at 
 last reached the rest of my men at Fort 
 Miami, but they shook their heads sadly when 
 I asked for news of you. And in sadness and 
 bitter anxiety there I remained the long win 
 ter." 
 
 "And when spring came what did you do?" 
 asked Tonty after he had once again related the 
 story of their own wanderings and disappoint 
 ments. 
 
 "I knew that I must make new friends and 
 new allies among the Indians," explained La 
 Salle. "I must band the various tribes together 
 to stand firmly against the Iroquois. They 
 would then protect one another, Abenakis, Mo- 
 hegans, who had come from their far New Eng 
 land home, Shawanoes, Outagamis, Miamis and 
 the Illinois who were returning slowly to their 
 old home. I succeeded, going among them with 
 wampum and with solemn words. They prom 
 ised to forget their differences and to be my 
 friends. I was blind from the snow for three 
 days, but they boiled pine needles and bathed 
 my eyes in this water until my sight returned. 
 And then as great a happiness as the return of 
 
186 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 my sight was the news that some Outagamis 
 hunters told us that you were safe with the Pot- 
 tawattamies." 
 
 Now that he had finished telling of his own 
 adventures, he questioned Tonty about how he 
 had passed the winter. "I do not need to ask 
 Raoul," he added, "for his pelts told me the tale 
 of his winter hunting." 
 
 When all had heard the full story and the 
 night was falling Tonty questioned: "And now, 
 what are we to do now?" 
 
 "Once again must I return to Fort Frontenac 
 for more money and more men," said La Salle. 
 "Will you go with me, Tonty, or await me here?" 
 
 He spoke cheerfully as if the long journey, 
 the difficult task of procuring loans and the re 
 newed postponement of his beloved enterprise 
 were nothing; but Tonty, though he marveled 
 at his courage, knew better. He realized that 
 his commander had need of company on his 
 way. "Of a surety I go with you," he answered; 
 "go we not all of us?" 
 
 "Nay, we leave the others here until autumn." 
 He saw the disappointment pictured in Raoul s 
 fact, but it did not move him to change his plans. 
 "You can help Father Membre, lad, if you will, 
 to save heathen souls. Remember it was for 
 this purpose you crossed the seas." 
 
SWIFT FOX 187 
 
 Raoul made the best of it and watched the 
 two depart in the canoes for their thousand- 
 mile journey. He did not follow La Salle s 
 suggestion about teaching the Indians. He still 
 believed it a great and sacred duty for Chris 
 tians to impart the truths of their faith to the 
 savages, but he had learned that he himself had 
 not the gifts of a missionary. Nevertheless, he 
 was the cause which brought many moccasined 
 feet over the sill of the little chapel. He was 
 glad to serve Father Membre by singing parts 
 of the mass, and his sweet voice attracted the 
 Indians. They had heard Black Duck call him 
 White Thrush, and that was now the name by 
 which he was always to be known among them. 
 He made many Indian friends; his intimate 
 knowledge of their ways and their language 
 made it possible for him to enter into their life 
 as few white men could do. "We are brothers," 
 he said, and they knew that this was not a mere 
 meaningless phrase, but that he considered the 
 redmen worthy of his friendship. Like La Salle, 
 he had the gift of insight into their pride, their 
 hospitality and their loyalty. Like him too, he 
 would fight them fiercely when need was, but 
 when he could he would be friends with them. 
 
 There was a boy of his own age that winter, 
 Swift Fox, a Huron, to whom he had seemed a 
 
188 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 rival. Swift Fox hated him because he heard 
 Raoul praised so often by his own tribe. Once 
 his mother cried out to him when he returned 
 empty-handed from the forest: "Go, learn of 
 White Thrush how to shoot thine arrow. Then 
 I need not go hungry to sleep." He brooded 
 much over his jealousy and waited until he 
 found his opportunity. 
 
 One day when Raoul was walking alone on 
 a bluff which overhung the lake, he ran up be 
 hind him and pushed him over and laughed as 
 he heard the body strike the water. 
 
 "Never again shall he boast of his hunting," 
 he declared, lying flat on the rock and looking 
 over it down into the water below. He could 
 see Raoul come to the surface and struggle 
 weakly. He could not know that White Thrush, 
 who had learned to swim on the stormy Breton 
 coast, would have thought little of his sudden 
 bath if his head had not struck a rock on the 
 shallow bottom. As it was, Swift Fox saw that 
 he was drowning and he knew that there was no 
 one else near enough to hear the faint cries for 
 help. Suddenly something seemed to snap in the 
 Indian boy s brain, and he discovered that he 
 had lost his hatred of White Thrush. His one 
 idea now was to save him. He ran hastily down 
 the slope nearer the spot where Raoul had been 
 
SWIFT FOX 189 
 
 swept, and dived. Just as Raoul was sinking for 
 the third time Swift Fox caught hold of him by 
 his hair and swam rapidly, pulling him to the 
 shore. 
 
 During the half hour he worked over him, 
 staunching the blood on his head and pumping 
 the water out of his lungs, he was amazed to 
 discover that his hatred had given place to an 
 almost affectionate interest in his victim and 
 patient. When Raoul opened his eyes his first 
 consciousness was a quick flash of memory of 
 the time when Denise too had helped save him 
 from drowning. 
 
 "For the sailor I believed myself to be it is 
 rather humiliating to have to be twice saved 
 from drowning," he thought to himself. He had 
 not seen his assailant, but he was almost cer 
 tain that it was Swift Fox who had tried to 
 kill him. Now, however, that he owed his life 
 to him, it was not worth while to reproach him. 
 
 "Thank you, Swift Fox," he said when at 
 last he was able to rise. "I have often seen how 
 strong you are, but I did not know that your 
 strength would be for my use some day. Will 
 you go sometime with me into the forest? I 
 hear that no boy of your age in your tribe is so 
 good a hunter." 
 
 "I will go with White Thrush," answered the 
 
190 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Indian, his eyes fixed on the ground from shame 
 at the other s praise. Then after a struggle he 
 lifted them and said: "I hated you, White 
 Thrush, and sought to kill you. Now my heart 
 is changed, and I would be your brother if you 
 will forget." 
 
 "I remember nothing but that you jumped 
 into the lake after me, Swift Fox," said Raoul. 
 "We are brothers." 
 
 So from that day on the two boys were con 
 stantly in each other s company. The Indian 
 showed the French lad where to catch the big 
 gest, finest fish in the lake ; played ball with him 
 and taught him how to thread lacrosse crosses, 
 and initiated him into all the methods by which 
 he had become the leader of the boys of his vil 
 lage. In return, Raoul gave him a steel knife 
 and taught him some of the tricks of trapping 
 which Black Duck had shown to him. 
 
 With this companionship, and the interest of 
 the coming and going of voyageurs and coureurs 
 de bois at the fort, the summer days passed 
 quickly enough, and with November came the 
 message from La Salle that he was at Fort 
 Miami and that Father Membre, Sieur de Bois- 
 rondet and Raoul should join him there at once. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 THE GREAT RIVER 
 
 THIS time, please God, there will be no 
 turning back," exclaimed La Salle. "You 
 read of Csesar in school, did you not, Raoul? 
 Well, I too have crossed my Rubicon, and 
 neither debts nor winter, neither deserters nor 
 hostile Indians, shall rob me this time of the 
 fruits of my efforts." 
 
 Tonty, Father Membre and some of the men 
 had started off a few days before, and now in 
 Christmas week La Salle was about to follow. 
 
 "Count me the men, Raoul," he commanded 
 as they waited until all the canoes, filled with 
 stores of food, clothing, ammunition and trink 
 ets, were tied tightly on the sledges which were 
 to drag them over the frozen lake and rivers. 
 
 191 
 
192 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "A score have already gone with Tonty, Seig 
 neur," and he called off the names from a small 
 notebook. "Now come the Indians, Abenakis 
 and Mohegans, eighteen there are of them, and 
 the squaws and even three children," he added 
 contemptuously. 
 
 "We were better off unencumbered with 
 women and children," La Salle assented, "but 
 the braves would not come without them, and 
 perhaps the squaws may prove useful after all." 
 
 "Then there are we three, Seigneur," Raoul 
 added, closing the notebook in which he had 
 recorded the names of the fifty- four; "you, 
 Etienne and I." 
 
 "Are you too glad the time has come?" ques 
 tioned La Salle, fastening his snowshoe firmly, 
 though Raoul could see that his hands were trem 
 bling, "are you glad to be going instead of re 
 maining here to hunt with your Pottawattamie 
 trapper?" 
 
 "You know, Seigneur," Raoul replied, his 
 heart beating with excitement though his voice 
 was low and quiet. 
 
 "Then forward in the name of St. Louis!" 
 cried La Salle, striding out after the thin line 
 of sledges already a quarter of a mile ahead, but 
 not beyond the sound of the barking dogs and 
 farewell cries of the Indians and white men at 
 
THE GREAT RIVER 193 
 
 Fort Miami, on the St. Joseph river, all of whom 
 had assembled to witness the departure. 
 
 Across the lake they went and over the frozen 
 Chicago river, till once again they found them 
 selves on the river of the Illinois. 
 
 Raoul had now a definite duty assigned to 
 him, and he stood one watch every night in ad 
 dition to his work during the day, which was to 
 be responsible for the contents of one of the 
 sledge-borne canoes. Camp was made each 
 night, the sledges drawn up in the center and 
 huge fires lighted in a circle around to keep off 
 wild beasts and the cold. 
 
 It was on the fourth night of their journey that 
 RaouFs courage was tested. They had not made 
 so many leagues as La Salle would have liked 
 to put behind him because progress with so large 
 a party was necessarily slow, and the lake still 
 lay not very far in their rear. It was the second 
 watch of the night, and Raoul was pacing up 
 and down in the snow a few feet beyond the 
 fire. It was so hard to stay awake that he was 
 expending more of his attention on keeping his 
 eyes open than on peering into the surrounding 
 blackness, as was his duty as a sentinel. Sud 
 denly, though he heard no sound, he was con 
 scious that someone had approached and, turn 
 ing quickly, he saw a figure not ten paces away. 
 
194 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 He felt a thrill of fear and remorse; he knew 
 that he should have observed the stranger sooner 
 but there was no time to warn anyone; he must 
 rely on himself. He had no chance to fire his 
 gun; he heard an arrow whiz close to his ear. 
 Unreasoning, like a watchdog, he sprang for 
 ward and grappled with the Indian and, to the 
 surprise of both, Raoul s onslaught toppled him 
 over into the snow. 
 
 "Yield! Yield, or I will kill you!" cried Raoul, 
 mad with excitement. 
 
 By this time the noise of his cries had awak 
 ened Etienne, who was about to relieve him of 
 his watch, and he came running up. 
 
 "What is it?" he asked. 
 
 "I have caught a prisoner," Raoul replied, 
 panting. 
 
 The prisoner made no attempt to escape. In 
 stead he preceded the two towards the fire. 
 When the blaze lighted his face Raoul exclaimed 
 in amazement: "Swift Fox! Is it indeed you?" 
 
 "It is your brother, White Thrush," the Hur 
 on replied. "I followed from Michillimackinac 
 to Fort Miami and over the portage here. When 
 I thought that White Thrush was going where 
 I could not see him for many moons, perhaps 
 never again, I bade my mother farewell and set 
 out on your trail." 
 
THE GREAT RIVER 195 
 
 "But why did you shoot at me, Swift Fox?" 
 Raoul asked, still puzzled. 
 
 "Just to frighten you, to see what you would 
 do," the Indian boy said laughing. "My arrow 
 was not aimed to hurt you. You have seen me 
 shoot between two wood pigeons flying side by 
 side without hitting either." 
 
 "I am glad you have come, Swift Fox," Raoul 
 said. "To-morrow morning I will take you to 
 the Seigneur, and I think he too will welcome 
 you on the expedition. Now warm yourself and 
 then we shall sleep." 
 
 La Salle was pleased to have another strong 
 young Indian to go with him, one whose friend 
 ship for Raoul vouchsafed for his loyalty. The 
 two lads worked together and shared the same 
 fire and food. Raoul pointed out to the Huron 
 the ruined town of the Illinois and told him the 
 story of the Iroquois attack. By the time they 
 had reached Lake Peoria the weather had be 
 come warmer, and a few miles beyond the ice 
 vanished and the canoes slipped from the sledges 
 into the water. The passing of the ice seemed 
 a symbol of the change in La Salle s spirit. His 
 troubles melted also ; each day he rose buoyantly 
 to the call of the quest; he encouraged the 
 grumblers, promised success to the fainthearted, 
 and spurred on the laggards. 
 
196 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 He consulted oftener with the Indians, and 
 time after time spread out on his knee, or on a 
 stone when they rested on shore for the noon 
 meal, the parchments on which he had drawn 
 the course of his journey so far, and the prob 
 able points of the land ahead, as it was described 
 to him by the Indians along the way. He knew 
 that the entrance to the river could not be far 
 distant. 
 
 "See!" he cried to Tonty one day almost at 
 sunset as he pointed ahead of their swift canoe, 
 his voice ringing out until it was echoed back, 
 "yonder is my Great River!" 
 
 Frenchmen and Indians, who had heard 
 rumors of the great stream which flowed for so 
 many leagues through the lands of many tribes, 
 gazed eagerly in the direction to which La Salle 
 pointed. They felt the wonder of the moment, 
 but no one, not even Raoul who came nearest to 
 doing so, could realize what the sight meant to 
 La Salle. 
 
 "I did not know a river could be so large and 
 so swift," said Etienne to Raoul as later they 
 found themselves borne along on the yellow 
 flood of the Mississippi. 
 
 "It is wonderful, Tonty, is it not?" La Salle 
 said the night after they had passed the mouth 
 of the Missouri, "that we should not know what 
 
THE GREAT RIVER 197 
 
 is ahead of us. How monotonous an existence 
 it is always to walk along highroads traversed 
 by all the world ! Had there been no new world 
 to explore and had I been obliged to tread only 
 in old paths, I believe I should have tried to 
 find some way to reach the stars!" 
 
 He spoke so enthusiastically that Raoul, who 
 was amusedly watching a squirrel approach cau 
 tiously toward the fire, was struck by his tone 
 and words. 
 
 "He is indeed young," he explained to Swift 
 Fox when he had repeated what he had heard. 
 "Because he is a grown man it is natural for us 
 to think of him as having left his boyhood far 
 behind, but now I know there is a side of him 
 that is as young as we are." 
 
 "He is a fine brave," the Indian assented. 
 
 Each day they swept swiftly farther south 
 ward, passing the mouth of the Ouabache river 
 ( Wabash) , and a town of the Tamaroas. Little 
 that was startling happened except that one of 
 the men who set out one day to hunt did not re 
 turn, and it was thought that he had been killed. 
 Search parties went out and six days later he 
 was found. He said that he had lost his way and 
 had almost died from hunger. 
 
 "My fur cap and my coat are too warm," ex 
 claimed Raoul one morning to Swift Fox. 
 
198 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "Never have I felt such a sun in this moon. The 
 leaves are already open here, though at Mich- 
 illimackinac the lake is still frozen solid, and here 
 the ground is covered too with sprouting vines 
 and bushes." 
 
 "The warm air is good," the Indian admitted, 
 stretching himself lazily out on a little beach 
 where they were resting. "It is better to be 
 warm than cold." 
 
 Day by day it grew warmer. Snow was for 
 gotten and green vines hung down from the 
 banks of the river as they drifted along. A 
 thick fog one morning cut off the world all 
 around. 
 
 "Hearken!" cried La Salle. "What is that 
 sound to the right?" 
 
 Everyone listened and now the noise came 
 plainly over the water. 
 
 "It is the beating of a war drum," said Tonty, 
 "and the cries must be those of braves dancing 
 a war dance." 
 
 It would perhaps have been possible to slip 
 by under cover of the fog, but La Salle s 
 policy would not permit of his leaving in his 
 rear hostile tribes or those of whose feeling he 
 was uncertain. He ordered the canoes to make 
 for the opposite shore, and landing all of his 
 
THE GREAT RIVER 199 
 
 party, he soon had them erecting a rough fort 
 of logs which they had hastily cut down. 
 
 "We must expect the worst," called Etienne 
 to his nearest neighbor as he lifted huge logs in 
 his strong arms. "Naught is known by white 
 men of these Indians here; but remember the 
 tales the Illinois told us of the monsters we 
 should find. They can t be worse though than 
 the Iroquois, I m thinking." 
 
 The Frenchmen, now somewhat protected by 
 their rampart, waited for the fog to lift. When 
 it suddenly cleared they saw the Indians on the 
 other side gazing at them in amazement. La 
 Salle made signs to come over and Beaver Tail, 
 Haoul, and Swift Fox called out to them in 
 different Indian languages that they were 
 friends. Finally some of the Indians jumped 
 into a canoe and paddled over part of the way. 
 
 "Take the calumet and go down to the bank," 
 La Salle commanded Etienne. The French 
 man walked leisurely down to the river as if he 
 were sauntering along a street in Quebec, and 
 held out the calumet. 
 
 "They are coming ashore," Tonty exclaimed. 
 "They have greeted Etienne as a friend. We 
 shall not have to fight after all." 
 
 So La Salle, after a few words with them, in 
 which they told him they were a Kappa band 
 
200 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 of the Arkansas, gave orders to embark again 
 in the canoes and make for the Indian village. 
 
 "I have never seen friendlier Indians," he re 
 marked later in the day, "nor finer physical 
 specimens than they." They had been welcomed 
 as guests by the whole village except the squaws, 
 who had shyly run away to hide. The Indians 
 built huts for their visitors, brought them fire 
 wood and food. Father Membre was particu 
 larly struck with their characteristics: "They 
 are gay, civil and free-hearted," he said to La 
 Salle during the three days they rested among 
 them. "The young men, though the most alert 
 and spirited we have seen, are nevertheless so 
 modest that not one of them will take the lib 
 erty to enter our hut. They are so well formed 
 that I am in admiration of their beauty."* 
 
 "We must not go farther until we have se 
 cured this land to France," said La Salle to 
 Tonty. "Come, Father, unfurl the banner and 
 let us take possession in the King s name." 
 
 The Arkansas rushed from their huts when 
 they caught sight of the little procession and 
 the waving banner. They flocked to the open 
 space where councils were held and listened in 
 astonishment to the hymn which Father Membre 
 and Raoul sang, and to the shouts of "Long live 
 
 *This opinion is quoted from a letter of Father Membr6. 
 
THE GREAT RIVER 201 
 
 the King!" Swift Fox was scarcely less im 
 pressed at the ceremony which he comprehended 
 only dimly. . 
 
 Their hosts told them of the other tribes whose 
 lands lay below theirs on the Great River, and 
 of the wonderful town of the Taensas (about 
 twenty miles from the present city of Natchez) . 
 They seemed sad when the Frenchmen departed. 
 
 As they floated along Raoul and Swift Fox 
 amused themselves shooting their arrows at 
 ducks and other waterfowl; and if the current 
 were not too strong, one of them would spring 
 overboard and bring back the quarry. When 
 there was no game they sometimes practised 
 aiming at trees on the bank. 
 
 "I will hit that log ahead directly in the mid 
 dle," boasted Swift Fox, and drew his bow. The 
 arrow struck the very spot at which he had 
 aimed but, to the utter amazement of the two 
 boys, the log lifted itself up slightly in the water 
 and they saw that it was alive. 
 
 "It is a beast," cried Raoul. "Oh, I know, it 
 must be an alligator of which the Kappas spoke. 
 But is it possible they can be telling the truth 
 when they say they are hatched from eggs like 
 fowls?" 
 
 Soon they had become quite accustomed to the 
 
202 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 sight of the curious creatures and had killed 
 several of them. 
 
 Now the villages because more frequent. 
 Tonty and Father Membre went to visit the town 
 of the Taensas where the houses were large and 
 square with a domed roof, and where there was 
 a temple with a fire that was never allowed to 
 go out. Tonty told the chief of La Salle, and 
 the chief, perhaps actuated by curiosity, an 
 nounced that he would waive his usual custom 
 and go to see the stranger instead of waiting 
 for him to come to him. 
 
 "They believe he is a descendant of the Sun," 
 explained Swift Fox, who had been talking to 
 some of his people, while the white-clad chief, 
 before whom walked two men carrying large 
 white fans and another with a copper disk, talked 
 with La Salle, who knew just how to please the 
 chief with ceremonious greetings and presents. 
 
 Farther on, a few days later, they passed 
 through the villages of the Natchez. Here again 
 La Salle knew how to make friends with them, 
 and once again he planted a cross and declared 
 the land the property of the King of France. 
 
 "They do not know what it means," remarked 
 Etienne dryly; "for if they did they might not 
 be so friendly with us. Though I admit the 
 
THE GREAT RIVER 203 
 
 Seigneur really means well by them and would 
 not let us harm them." 
 
 Everywhere they passed, the different tribes 
 greeted them as friends until they came opposite 
 a Tillage of the Oumas. Some fishermen fled 
 when they caught sight of the white men, and 
 when some of the Frenchmen pursued, the In 
 dians shot at them. La Salle, realizing that this 
 act was caused rather by the fear of a few in 
 dividuals than by the policy of the whole tribe, 
 called off his men before there was further fight 
 ing, and they continued on their way. 
 
 RaouFs own eagerness to reach the mouth of 
 the river gave him an understanding of La 
 Salle s deep emotion as they neared the goal for 
 which he had toiled so many years. Though he 
 had been glad of the companionship of Swift 
 Fox, now he could not bear to be away from the 
 Seigneur. Neither of them talked much, but the 
 boy was conscious that his commander felt his 
 silent sympathy, and that it was a comfort to 
 him. 
 
 On the sixth of April they came to a point 
 where three branches of the river forked. 
 
 "I will take the westernmost branch," said La 
 Salle. "You, Tonty, the middle one, and you, 
 D Autray, the eastern one. We shall meet 
 later." 
 
204 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Raoul, without waiting for an order, jumped 
 into the canoe with La Salle and took a paddle 
 from one of the Indians, feeling the need of 
 physical action to help bring, himself, the 
 longed-for moment more quickly. For the rest 
 of the day they swept on through low marshes 
 from which ducks and other birds flew up as they 
 approached. Once Raoul caught sight of white 
 wings flashing in the sky above him, and he won 
 dered if he could be right in believing them to 
 belong to a seagull. 
 
 That night it was difficult to find ground firm 
 enough for a camp, but at last they discovered 
 above the marshes a strip of sandy soil, dry and 
 covered with a coarse grass. Raoul could not 
 sleep. At dawn he got up and felt a strong 
 breeze from the southward. He put out his 
 tongue and felt that it was salt! He started to 
 run with the wind in his face, and soon his ears 
 caught the sound of a dull, regular roar. 
 
 "The sea! The sea!" he cried out as he sped 
 on. 
 
 Then suddenly he stopped and closed his eyes 
 until he should have decided the question that 
 had just come to him. 
 
 "If I go on," he said, speaking out loud, "I 
 shall see the sea in another few minutes, and I 
 shall be the first . But shall I not then be rob- 
 
THE GREAT RIVER 205 
 
 bing the Seigneur? Is it not he who has this 
 right?" 
 
 It was hard to turn back, but with eyes still 
 closed for fear he might behold what he so longed 
 to see, Raoul started back, the wind now behind 
 him, and when he reached the camp, he threw 
 himself down, and though he would not have 
 thought it possible, soon fell asleep again. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE GOAL 
 
 THE wind was still blowing when he awoke 
 and the sun was shining in the bluest of 
 skies. La Salle too had tasted the brine of the 
 wind, and was as if intoxicated by it. 
 
 "Up, men," he cried. "The sun is calling us." 
 More than the sun was calling to him: all the 
 dreams of his youth and manhood were exulting 
 in this moment of success. All the fatigues and 
 failures of past years, the doubts and delays, 
 were forgotten, or rather, they were remem 
 bered only as a bitterness which made the pres 
 ent draught of achievement all the sweeter. 
 
 He would not wait even for food, and soon 
 the canoes were launched and the men were 
 pushing their way through the marshes. With 
 in a quarter of an hour the sound of the waves 
 was plainly audible, beating like a drum to La 
 Salle s eager spirit. Then the reeds came to an 
 
 206 
 
THE GOAL 207 
 
 end and the sunshine flashed upon the endless 
 waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 
 
 The water spoke to him of achievement and 
 promise, of what he had done and what he had 
 still to do. He had proved gloriously, against 
 all disbelief, the possibility of a passageway 
 from France, via Quebec and the great inland 
 seas, down the Father of Waters, as the Indians 
 called his Great River, to this new southern sea. 
 Here, safely past hostile savages, he had brought 
 this little band of Frenchmen. Now, he believed, 
 the way to China and Japan was half traversed. 
 Already his imagination was actively pic 
 turing the commerce which, because of his dream, 
 his faith and his endurance, should ascend and 
 descend to New and Old France by the way he 
 had cleared through forest and prairie. He felt 
 himself uplifted as one who beholds for the first 
 time a great land from a mountain summit. 
 
 La Salle gazed in silence as if he could never 
 see enough. He had no words for his emotion; 
 only his hand found Raoul s hand near and he 
 almost crushed it with his nervous fingers. But 
 the others were not silent: Frenchmen and In 
 dians cried out their delight, and their shouts 
 sent seagulls from their nests whirring into the 
 air above them. From the distance towards the 
 east came two echoes, so that La Salle knew 
 
208 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 that Tonty and D Auray had also reached their 
 end of the journey. Soon they had all met and 
 camped on firm ground above the water line. 
 
 "Cut down yonder tree and fashion it into a 
 post," commanded La Salle after he had listened 
 with a smiling face to the congratulations of his 
 comrades. "Surely never a tree in this western 
 world grew to such a destiny as this." 
 
 When it was cut and smoothed he bade them 
 carve on it the Lilies of France and the words : 
 
 "Louis Le Grand, Roy de France et de 
 Navarre, Regne; Le Neuvieme Avril, 1682." 
 
 Every Frenchman stood the straighter as they 
 sang the Latin hymns of thanksgiving, the Te 
 Deum, the Exaudial, and the Domine Salvium 
 fac Reg em. The Indians uttered whoops of joy 
 and danced about while muskets rang out and 
 cries of "Long Live the King!" Raoul helped 
 La Salle to plant the post and when it was firm, 
 the Seigneur, with his hand resting on it, called 
 out in a loud voice, as if challenging all the other 
 kings of the earth to witness: 
 
 "In the name of the most high, mighty, invincible, and 
 victorious Prince, Louis the Great, by the grace of God, 
 King of France and of Navarre, Fourteenth of that name, 
 I this ninth day of April, one thousand six hundred and 
 eighty-two, in virtue of the commission of his Majesty, 
 which I hold in my hand, and which may be seen by all 
 whom it may concern, have taken, and do now take, in 
 
THE GOAL 209 
 
 the name of his Majesty and of his successors to the 
 crown, possession of this country of Louisiana, the seas, 
 harbors, ports, bays, adjacent straits, and all the nations, 
 peoples, provinces, cities, towns, villages, mines, minerals, 
 fisheries, streams and rivers, within the extent of the said 
 Louisiana, from the mouth of the great river St. Louis, 
 otherwise called the Ohio ... as also along the river 
 Colbert, or Mississippi, and the rivers which discharge 
 themselves thereinto, from its sources beyond the country 
 of the Nadouessioux ... as far as its mouth at the sea, 
 or Gulf of Mexico, and also to the mouth of the River of 
 Palms, upon the assurance we have had from the natives 
 of these countries, that we are the first Europeans who 
 have descended or ascended the said river Colbert; hereby 
 protesting against all who may hereafter undertake to 
 invade any or all of these aforesaid countries, peoples, or 
 lands, to the prejudice of the rights of his Majesty, 
 acquired by the consent of the nations dwelling herein. 
 Of which, and of all else that is needful, I hereby take to 
 witness those who hear me, and demand an act of the 
 notary here present." * 
 
 "Your king has a great subject," said Tonty 
 to Raoul when the ceremony was over. "I won 
 der if he will ever realize what a realm Sieur de 
 La Salle has won for him, greater far than all 
 of fair France. From the mountains of the east, 
 the Alleghanies, to the mountains to the west of 
 the Mississippi, and from this gulf north to 
 where the Great River begins this Louisiana 
 of his extends. How musical is the word its 
 
 * La Salle s own words. 
 
210 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 finder has given it. I believe his heart has re 
 peated it to him for many years already, as a 
 man repeats the name of the woman he loves." 
 
 The great work was done, and now all began 
 to ask what next. There were some who were 
 disappointed that the end of their long journey 
 had not led them to the treasures of gold and 
 precious jewels they had dreamed of finding, but 
 La Salle felt that the story he had to tell was 
 worth more than nuggets and pearls. 
 
 "We must go back," he said, "to report our 
 discovery and to make ready for the days when 
 traders will begin to pass back and forth. Would 
 that our Griffin had not been lost. We could 
 have loaded her with furs along the way and 
 so have made the beginning of the commerce 
 which shall pass over these waters." 
 
 It was indeed necessary to start at once. 
 There was almost no food left in the canoes and 
 the alligator meat, which was all they could 
 shoot, was strange and unpleasant to their pal 
 ates. 
 
 "Shall we stop among the Quinipissas, who 
 proved not over friendly on our way down?" 
 asked Etienne. 
 
 "I think we cannot wait longer for food," La 
 
THE GOAL 211 
 
 Salle decided. "The squaws and the children are 
 already suffering." 
 
 Their fears of a hostile reception seemed un 
 founded. The Quinipissas at their approach 
 came down to the river and brought them corn 
 and other food and bade them come ashore to 
 rest. 
 
 "Seigneur," said Raoul as they were seated 
 beneath a widespreading live oak, watching the 
 squaws cook the food, "trust them not over much. 
 Swift Fox, though he understands no more of 
 their tongue than I do, misdoubts them." 
 
 "That falls in with my own feeling," La 
 Salle answered; "yet it was worth risking some 
 thing in order to be fed. We will not enter the 
 lodges they offer. It is so warm, we will say, 
 that we like best to sleep out there where it is 
 open. You, Swift Fox, Etienne, and other 
 trusted men, will keep careful watch during the 
 night." 
 
 It was after midnight that the two boys be 
 held dim figures creeping through the darkness, 
 and gave the alarm. Muskets at once opened 
 fire and the Quinipissas fled in terror, leaving 
 several dead on the field. As soon as it was 
 light La Salle gave orders to embark and they 
 departed without further molestation. 
 
 Some of the other tribes which had greeted 
 
212 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 them in so friendly a fashion on their way down 
 the river had changed their attitude, and La Salle 
 could feel that they were no longer sincere, even 
 when they called him their friend and brought 
 food to him. 
 
 "It is likely they have been influenced by the 
 Quinipissas," he suggested, "and fear us. Well, 
 let them plan any tricks they like; they will find 
 us ready for them." 
 
 So whatever the plans of the Indians may 
 have been, though their braves kept the explorers 
 surrounded, the armed Frenchmen never gave 
 them a chance to strike. 
 
 For several days Raoul had noted a change 
 in the Seigneur. It seemed to him that his in 
 terest in everything about him was dulled. "I 
 do not understand," he said to Etienne when 
 they had halted in the shade one noon because 
 the sun was too hot to be borne. "Is he angry 
 with any of us, think you, Etienne? He would 
 not let me in his canoe this morning, and he has 
 allowed Sieur Tonty to give all the orders to 
 day. He is like another man." 
 
 The voyageur looked grave and was silent for 
 a time, thinking. "He is ill, boy, with the 
 fever," he said. "I have seen it coming for sev 
 eral days. There is little enough we shall be 
 
THE GOAL 213 
 
 able to do for him, but I count on you to help 
 me." 
 
 That night La Salle s condition was apparent 
 to everyone. He lay in a stupor on the rough 
 bed of leaves covered with his coat. Everyone, 
 Frenchmen and Indians, wondered what would 
 become of them if he should not recover. They 
 respected Tonty, but all, even the youngest 
 child, knew that it was La Salle whose will kept 
 them going and in safety. 
 
 Raoul shared the sick watches with Etienne. 
 The helpless man to whose lips he lifted water 
 was dearer than ever. He prayed while he 
 watched that La Salle might soon be restored to 
 health. 
 
 Tonty, and La Salle himself in lucid mo 
 ments, knew that it was better to hasten to 
 higher ground; so a canoe was made comfort 
 able as it could be for the ill man, and they con 
 tinued the journey. At last they reached Fort 
 Prudhomme which they had built on a bluff on 
 their downward journey. 
 
 "I can go no farther, Tonty," La Salle said 
 in a feeble voice when they had borne him ashore. 
 "You must leave me and carry the great news to 
 Michillimackinac. From there they will spread 
 it over all New France. I can wait no longer 
 to let the world know of our success." 
 
214 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "Yet how can I leave you here, ill?" asked 
 Tonty with real concern. 
 
 "I shall be better here where there are no 
 marshes and where the air blows fresh and 
 strong. Father Membre, Etienne and Raoul 
 will care for me, will you not, lad?" he turned 
 to smile at the boy, who came nearer as if to 
 prove that he could be counted on every minute. 
 "I will follow you as soon as I may," he con 
 tinued, "and fear not for me. It is not of a fever 
 I shall die, I am assured." 
 
 Raoul repeated these words to himself for 
 comfort many nights when it seemed as if La 
 Salle could not live till morning. But at last, 
 when July was nearly over, and he had been ill 
 for forty days, Father Membre pronounced his 
 patient well enough to travel. So once again 
 they set off, traveling slowly. 
 
 It was September before all of those who had 
 taken part in the expedition met again at Mich- 
 illimackinac. La Salle was still weak, but the 
 sight of Tonty and the cool autumn winds 
 brought the color back into his cheeks. Soon he 
 was almost himself again and eager to begin his 
 work in settling a colony on the Illinois river 
 where would be the storehouse for the furs he 
 meant to collect up and down the Mississippi. 
 It might serve to hold the Iroquois in check, 
 
THE GOAL 215 
 
 and as he had learned that that nation was plan 
 ning another raid against the western tribes, he 
 knew he must lose no time. So once more they 
 started off southward and before long they had 
 chosen the spot, a steep rock on the banks of 
 the Illinois, for their fortress, which La Salle 
 called Fort St. Louis (near the present town of 
 Utica, Illinois). 
 
 "There are few better natural fortifications in 
 the world, I should say," said Tonty as they 
 toiled up the one hundred and twenty-five feet 
 to the summit. "See how easy it will be to de 
 fend this ascent with a few guns, and the other 
 side is a sheer wall down to the river." 
 
 "It is lucky that it is so flat on top," added 
 La Salle; and at once gave orders to cut down 
 the trees, and to build first a palisade and then 
 the necessary houses. 
 
 "Now we are settled," he said a day or two 
 later, "and our winter s work must be to prove 
 to the Indians that we mean to be their friends 
 and to protect them from the Iroquois. You, 
 Raoul, can give me great help and render a loyal 
 service to your King this winter and after I 
 leave for France, by using all your knowledge 
 of Indian ways to make them like us. We 
 French are not like the English and the Dutch, 
 who look down on the redmen. We have found 
 
216 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 that they can be loyal and hospitable and that 
 our interests can be the same." 
 
 "I shall be proud if I can serve you thus, 
 Seigneur," Raoul answered, "but I would it were 
 not necessary for you to go again to France, 
 or if you must go, will you not take me with 
 you?" he begged eagerly. 
 
 "I have talked to you, lad, as if you were my 
 son," La Salle answered. They were standing 
 on the edge of the cliff, looking down at the clear 
 river below. The snow had not yet come and 
 the forests were still red with the brilliant leaves 
 the winds had spared. Behind them rang the 
 cheerful sound of axes, and far off in the dis 
 tance they could hear the barking of dogs in a 
 village of the Illinois, who had come close to the 
 new fort for protection. 
 
 La Salle continued: "I have told you some 
 thing, but not all, of the new trouble my ene 
 mies have stirred up for me since the news 
 reached them of my success. My good friend, 
 Count Frontenac, has been recalled to France 
 from the governorship of Canada just because 
 he is my friend, and the new Governor, Le 
 Febvre de la Barre, is not well disposed towards 
 me. He is jealous of me. I have written to 
 him, asking for his support, though I told him 
 that I knew that my enemies would seek to 
 
THE GOAL 217 
 
 influence him against me. Therefore, when the 
 time comes, I must go to France to defend my 
 self against the charges of those who would in 
 jure me, and to beg the King to assist me fur 
 ther in the new plans I have for securing and 
 settling the new province I have won for him." 
 
 "I understand," Raoul replied, and added 
 rapidly, as if he feared that La Salle might an 
 swer before he had finished, "that you must go, 
 but will you not let me go with you? Perhaps 
 I may be able to serve you even in France, and 
 perhaps it would please you to know that there 
 was one about who would die for you." 
 
 "It pleases me much, my son," said La Salle 
 with a rare smile. "I will take you gladly, so 
 that when we weary of court language we can 
 speak the tongue of the Illinois together." 
 
 "Will it be soon that we leave?" Raoul ques 
 tioned joyously. 
 
 "Not for many moons yet, young warrior," 
 replied La Salle affectionately. "I am but look 
 ing into the future." 
 
 In the months which followed Raoul lost no 
 opportunity of making friends with the different 
 tribes who were now settled near the fort. There 
 were not only the six thousand or more Illinois 
 who had returned to their old haunts, but Swan- 
 oes, Abenakis, Miamis and Chickasaws. White 
 
218 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Thrush was welcomed everywhere: he hunted 
 with the hunters, trapped beasts for their pelts 
 which he took to La Salle and gave the meat to 
 the old squaws who had no sons to hunt for them, 
 and played lacrosse with lads of his own age. 
 Swift Fox was often with him, but a certain 
 jealousy between the different tribes kept him 
 from being as welcome a guest in strange lodges 
 as the French boy. La Salle depended much 
 on RaouFs reports to keep him in touch with 
 the temper of his Indian allies. He found that 
 month by month they grew more accustomed to 
 look to the French for protection. When spring 
 came they told Raoul of the rumor that the Iro- 
 quois were about to make another attack on 
 them ; so once again La Salle was forced to post 
 pone his departure. 
 
 With La Salle s consent, Raoul was fre 
 quently absent on hunting trips and visits to 
 the different tribes. The boy often smiled when 
 he thought what a difference a few years had 
 made in him since the day he was washed ashore 
 at the Dubois farm, so ignorant of all that a man 
 must know who was to live in the new country. 
 Now few Indians of his age were better fitted 
 than he to find his way through the forests, to 
 kill what he needed for food, or to meet a wel 
 come at the fire of a strange wigwam. It was 
 
THE GOAL 219 
 
 one day, after months had passed and the threat 
 ened attack had failed to take place, when the 
 softly falling snow had covered all tracks, that 
 Raoul, on the trail of a great buck, let himself 
 he led farther than he had yet gone away from 
 the fort. For two days he had followed the deer, 
 keenly happy in the present and eager to match 
 his endurance and his cunning with that of the 
 beast, which too seemed conscious of the contest. 
 A faint whiff of smoke came to RaouFs nos 
 trils. The caution which had become his second 
 nature made him pause. He knew that there 
 were no villages of the friendly tribes in this part 
 of the country, and he remembered the rumors 
 of the intended invasion by the Iroquois. He 
 saw regretfully that the buck s tracks led to the 
 left, while the smoke came from the right, but 
 he decided to give up one chase for the possi 
 bility of bigger game. He was now so white 
 with snow flakes that there was little danger of 
 his being seen at a distance, but he lay down on 
 the ground and slowly crawled along in the di 
 rection of the fire. As he stopped often, it was 
 a half hour before he came in sight of it, and 
 then he waited for the dusk before moving far 
 ther. Pie could now see that it was a campfire 
 about which were grouped a dozen Indians, Iro 
 quois braves. Their ceremonious gestures and 
 
220 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 the pipes told him that he was witnessing some 
 council deliberation. There was no sign of a 
 village anywhere. Doubtless, he thought, they 
 had come to this secret place to debate something 
 they did not wish to discuss in a general council. 
 He noticed that the braves were all young; per 
 haps they were afraid that the elders of the tribe 
 would not approve of their plan. 
 
 When it had grown dusk Raoul once more 
 crept forward on his stomach to within hearing 
 distance. The stump of a fallen tree hid him 
 completely. 
 
 "It is well," he heard one voice say, "what 
 our brother Eagle Wing has said. We, the chil 
 dren of the Five Nations, are destined by the 
 Great Spirit to rule all the land. But if we 
 will rule we must not forget that we cannot ex 
 pect to sleep in lodges and listen to the chatter 
 ing of squaws. We must spend our days on 
 the warpath." 
 
 "You speak wisely, Brown Owl," a deeper, 
 older voice replied, "yet even the Five Nations 
 of the Long House have not braves enough to 
 fight every western tribe and to overcome the 
 English settlers on the seacoast and the French 
 who seek to build forts along the Great River. 
 We must use our wits as well as our arrows and 
 tomahawks, that we may not leave too many 
 
THE GOAL 221 
 
 of our warriors dead on the warpath. We must 
 make the English and the French fight and slay 
 each other; we must side first with the ones and 
 then with the others, and stir up strife contin 
 ually between them." 
 
 "Waste we no more time," a third voice said 
 as he finished. "What both of our brothers have 
 spoken is wisdom, yet we know wherefore we 
 are here, and what we have in hand. I will speak 
 it. There is the French man who, more than 
 any paleface, is not only a great warrior but a 
 leader in council, who speaks such words that 
 our enemies, the Illinois and the western tribes 
 listen and follow him as he wills. He has tra 
 velled to the mouth of the Great River; he has 
 built forts on it ; he is settling a colony which he 
 means to be like the dam of the beavers to hold 
 us back to the eastward of it. Is he not our 
 greatest enemy, the one most to be feared?" 
 
 There was a general murmur of assent under 
 cover of which Raoul drew a couple of paces 
 nearer, so afraid was he that he might lose some 
 thing of what was being spoken. 
 
 "Then why wait we until the beaver builds 
 the dam," the voice continued; "have we not 
 arrows and war clubs and has not he a scalp-lock ? 
 Let us kill him speedily, and the dam that he has 
 begun will crumble into the water and we shall 
 
222 
 
 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 pass westward and drive back the craven tribes 
 which cannot stand against us save the French 
 strengthen their arms." 
 
 Cries of delight greeted the ending of this 
 speech, and Raoul listened eagerly, hoping 
 to hear the exact time and place of the deed 
 they planned. But the main step decided, the 
 Iroquois now broke up the council, and when 
 they had eaten the dried meat and the parched 
 corn they had brought with them, they wrapped 
 themselves in their blankets and went to sleep. 
 Then, Raoul, stiff from the cold and his cramped 
 position, crawled cautiously away till he dared 
 get to his feet and run to a distance he considered 
 safe. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 THE MEDICINE BAG 
 
 RAOUL slept little that night. Many 
 plans he made to offset the danger to his 
 Seigneur, but the trouble was that none of them 
 could be carried out. No matter though La Salle 
 were warned, though he and Etienne and Beaver 
 Tail should be always on guard against an open 
 assault or a secret assassination, some day or 
 some night an Iroquois arrow or tomahawk 
 would find its mark. La Salle was sure to scorn 
 the danger and would refuse he knew him well 
 the precautions they would urge him to ob 
 serve. As he lay there in the dark silence, Raoul 
 conceived a desperate idea of creeping back to 
 the council and sticking his knife into as many 
 of the twelve as he could kill. But the strength 
 and valor of even a grown man could not cope 
 with a dozen enemies. If only, he thought, there 
 
 223 
 
224 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 were an Illinois village near where he might find 
 a party of warriors to help him ! But there was 
 nothing to be done. The snow had ceased falling 
 and a wind had sprung up which was blowing 
 the snow in drifts and baring the ground in 
 spots. He made himself as comfortable as pos 
 sible on the lee side of a boulder and at last, after 
 praying the saints to show him how he might 
 help his master, he fell asleep. 
 
 When he awoke he felt unaccountably happy, 
 as if something pleasant had taken place in his 
 dreams. Once or twice in his life he had experi 
 enced the same strange feeling of vivid exhilara 
 tion, and it had always come before one of his 
 strange moments of "vision." He sat up and 
 waited for he know not what. Then, as if some 
 one had called him, he rose and walked without 
 hesitation in a direction which led neither to 
 wards the council fire nor towards Fort St. 
 Louis. For half a league he went unquestion- 
 ingly, until on a slight hillock which the brisk 
 wind had swept clear, his foot hit against some 
 thing soft. He leaned down and picked up a 
 medicine bag formed of the whole skin of an 
 otter, the head and tail still dangling. It was 
 old, so old that the fur had long since been 
 rubbed away from it except in a few small 
 patches. 
 
THE MEDICINE BAG 225 
 
 It was so insignificant a possession that any 
 one but an Indian or one who knew Indians as 
 Raoul did, would have thrown it away in disgust. 
 Yet to him it was more precious than a sack of 
 louis A or, and he knew that it was the anticipa 
 tion of finding it which had made him so unac 
 countably happy. Now the strangeness of his 
 "vision" had passed; he was conscious of his sur 
 roundings once again and of his need to decide 
 his future steps. 
 
 He sat down for a minute to think exactly 
 what the possession of the medicine bag meant 
 to him and how he could make the best use of it. 
 He had recognized it at once as the ancient 
 medicine bag of the Senecas which had passed 
 into the keeping of Old Wolf. It was, he knew, 
 a sacred relic, the exact value of which could be 
 understood only by those who belong to the 
 secret organization of which Old Wolf was the 
 head. But he was aware that it was highly ven 
 erated by all the Senecas and that its magic fame 
 had spread among other tribes of the Iroquois. 
 
 "It must be," he cried aloud, "that Old Wolf 
 passed by here a short time ago and lost it. Or 
 perhaps he came back to look for it and the 
 snow had covered it up. Praise God for the 
 wind last night ! And if Old Wolf came by here, 
 was Denise with him too?" 
 
226 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 He would have liked to ponder more on this, 
 but he felt need to keep his thoughts on how he 
 could make use of his discovery to save La Salle. 
 "Suppose," he thought as he began to form his 
 plan, "I am mistaken and this is not Old Wolf s 
 medicine bag after all?" 
 
 His hand explored the depths of the pouch 
 and brought out several strange objects, bones, 
 hairs, and then a bit of dirt-colored fabric which 
 might once have been silk. He recalled a little 
 red silk bow of which Denise had been so proud, 
 the only bit of ribbon she possessed. Could it 
 be, he thrilled at the thought, that this was it? 
 
 It was not possible to be absolutely certain 
 that this was the medicine bag he had often seen 
 in Old Wolf s hands, though he had slight doubt 
 that it was; nor could he be sure that the plan 
 his mind was revolving would succeed. If he 
 were wrong in his guess, if he were unsuccessful 
 in carrying out his plan, then he must pay for 
 his mistake with his life, and La Salle too would 
 probably soon fall a victim to Iroquois hate and 
 cunning. Yet he must try; there was nothing 
 else to do. 
 
 Now he started to run until he once again 
 came in sight of the camp of the night before; 
 then he rested to get his breath, that he might 
 not appear to have hastened. He could see that 
 
THE MEDICINE BAG 227 
 
 the braves were about to leave; already they 
 were covering the ashes of their fire with snow. 
 This time Raoul approached without any at 
 tempt at concealment, holding his hand before 
 him as one who came on a peaceful mission. Al 
 ready the warriors had seen him and cried out 
 to know who he was. Raoul answered in the 
 Seneca tongue, saying that he was a friend and 
 had a message for them. 
 
 In spite of his peaceful aspect, the braves did 
 not lay aside their suspicion of a ruse. Because 
 they could see that he was French, and because 
 they were conscious that they were plotting 
 against a Frenchman, it seemed to them for a 
 moment that their plans might have been dis 
 covered. Raoul, for his part, realized that his 
 every movement, his every word, must pass a 
 test that might prove fatal. 
 
 "Who are you and wherefore do you, a French 
 boy, wander here in the forest?" asked one of 
 the Iroquois when they had seated themselves 
 gravely, Raoul taking boldly the place due to a 
 messenger with tidings of importance. 
 
 "I am the bearer of this medicine bag," he 
 explained, "which is honoured in the wigwams 
 of the Senecas and revered by all the Five Na 
 tions." 
 
 The Indians started and gazed at the boy, but 
 
228 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 did not attempt to take the bag out of his hands. 
 He had discovered that they were not Senecas 
 themselves, but Mohawks and Onondaguas. All 
 the better, he thought, for his purpose. "Great 
 is the medicine of him who owns it," he con 
 tinued; "his wisdom and his knowledge of what 
 the spirits ordain is recognized in all the villages 
 of the Long House." 
 
 "Do you speak of Old Wolf?" asked one of 
 the warriors, "and if so, wherefore do you, one 
 of the palefaces, bear his medicine bag?" 
 
 "What other chief has a name like his?" ques 
 tioned Raoul in return. "I who have dwelt in 
 his lodge and travelled with him through the 
 forest know that he has never yet let his medicine 
 bag pass into the hands of another, so intimately 
 is its medicine bound up with his spirit. There 
 fore, if now I who come before you hold it in my 
 hands, are not my words to be hearkened to?" 
 
 "Old Wolf is very wise," assented one of the 
 Mohawks, then laughed scornfully. "But even 
 his wisdom cannot tell wherefore we are holding 
 this council in this forest." 
 
 "Listen," said Raoul, speaking slowly and 
 impressively: "Mohawks and Onondaguas are 
 not painted with war paint, therefore they are 
 not setting forth on the warpath. That much 
 any dweller of Quebec could tell ; but only those 
 
THE MEDICINE BAG 229 
 
 who are wise can read your hearts and know that 
 there is one, a Frenchman, whose death you have 
 sworn, by tomahawk or arrow." 
 
 The result of these words was astounding. 
 Not even the Indian features trained to repress 
 emotion could help showing their amazement. 
 The boy s knowledge was to them something 
 so miraculous that they did not even seek to 
 deny his accusation. At last an Onondagua 
 spoke : 
 
 "Old Wolf is a wise chief, indeed, and sees 
 far. What words of advice has he then for us?" 
 
 Raoul s heart beat rapidly at his success so 
 far. Now came the hardest part. 
 
 "Old Wolf s medicine is a strong medicine," 
 he assented, "and all the tribes envy the Senecas 
 their great chief and his ancient medicine bag. 
 Listen then to this wisdom : It is a well-thought 
 plan you have made, and truly the death of the 
 French chief would put an end to the hopes of 
 the Illinois, your foes. Yet the plan must be 
 carried out with care, says the medicine, for the 
 Frenchman s medicine also is very strong." 
 
 "He speaks truly," exclaimed one of the 
 braves. "Few men could have lived through all 
 the French chief has suffered." 
 
 Raoul hastened to continue, afraid that some 
 thing might break the spell: "If you seek to 
 
230 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 slay him in the winter your arrow or your toma 
 hawk will grow cold while his medicine grows 
 hot and cannot harm him. If you seek to slay 
 him in the spring moon your weapons will have 
 only the strength of a hazel branch when it first 
 greens; if you strike in the summer his medicine 
 will blind you like the sun. It is only in the 
 time when the leaves fall that his medicine leaves 
 him bare as the trees are bare, and defenseless." 
 
 It did not seem possible to the boy that these 
 silly words could convince these men thirsty for 
 the blood of his beloved Seigneur. He had said 
 "autumn" because long before that time he 
 believed that La Salle would be on his way to 
 France. To his relief, he saw that the Indians 
 were impressed by what he had spoken; to them 
 it seemed quite natural that so great a white 
 chief should be all but invulnerable. They had 
 no doubt that what he suggested might be the 
 wisdom which would lead them to success, but 
 Raoul was quick to feel that they were suspicious 
 of him as the messenger of this wisdom. His 
 heart beat and he wondered how he could con 
 vince them. 
 
 "The words sound indeed like words of good 
 medicine, but why should our Seneca brother 
 choose a white boy to carry them to us? Is 
 
THE MEDICINE BAG 231 
 
 there no young Seneca, brave, or even lad, who 
 could be his messenger?" 
 
 "How know we even if in truth this medicine 
 bag be the medicine bag of which our fathers 
 have told us? Not one of us ever beheld it 
 before." 
 
 "How know we that he is not a spy?" cried 
 another excitedly, jumping up and peering so 
 savagely into Raoul s face that it took all his 
 self-control not to shrink back. 
 
 "If he is French what does he in the secrets 
 of the Five Nations?" cried another. 
 
 Their suspicions increased with each moment 
 that Raoul did not reply. He could think of 
 nothing to say or of any way by which he 
 might prove that the medicine bag did in truth 
 belong to Old Wolf. Yet he knew that if some 
 thing did not happen within the next few 
 minutes in his favor the Indians would kill him 
 for a spy. But even this knowledge did not 
 help him to act. It seemed to him that he had 
 counted twelve braves in the council the night 
 before, yet now there were only eleven. Then, 
 between the dancing, screaming figures before 
 him he caught sight of the missing warrior who 
 was coming towards him. Several ducks swung 
 across his shoulder showed that he had been 
 chosen as the purveyor of the food for the coun- 
 
232 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 cil s journey. Raoul was glad of any interrup 
 tion, though there was little chance that it would 
 better the situation for him. The Indians 
 quickly explained to him Raoul s message and 
 their suspicions, and pointed out the medicine 
 bag the boy still held. 
 
 Spotted Deer listened gravely, and his expres 
 sion quieted the others. He advanced towards 
 Raoul, laid a reverent hand on the bag, and 
 turned it slowly over and over. 
 
 "He speaks true words," he said at last. 
 This is indeed the ancient medicine bag of Old 
 Wolf, venerated by all the dwellers of the Long 
 House. But it may be, as my brothers say, that 
 this white boy has stolen it. I, who know the 
 great chief, will ask him some questions." 
 
 Raoul breathed more freely that another 
 chance had been given him. He waited anxiously 
 until Spotted Deer asked: 
 
 "If indeed you know the lodge of Old Wolf, 
 by what name is his squaw called?" 
 
 "She is Sun Cloud," replied Raoul. 
 
 "And what name is the one by which his 
 nearest kin is known?" 
 
 "Red Wing." The very name brought back 
 memories of the long journey through the forest 
 and down the river and the thrashing the young 
 brave bestowed on him when he and Denise tried 
 
THE MEDICINE BAG 253 
 
 to escape. He could see that his answers were 
 turning the tide in his favor. 
 
 "Yet there is one in his lodge whom Old Wolf 
 regards even more than squaw or Red Wing," 
 continued Spotted Deer. "If you know his 
 lodge tell me who that is?" 
 
 The boy s mind jumped to the conclusion 
 this could be no other than Denise, who must 
 have become in truth the adopted and beloved 
 child of the Seneca. 
 
 "It is a maiden whose face is as white as 
 mine," he answered, "who with me was taken 
 to Old Wolf s lodge." 
 
 "He has stood the test," said Spotted Deer, 
 turning to his companions. "I had heard that 
 the chief had taken both a French boy and girl 
 to be adopted and brought up in the tribe. You 
 have listened to the stories told of her wisdom 
 and medicine, young as she is ; but little has been 
 heard of the boy. Yet we may not doubt now 
 that Old Wolf has chosen him wisely for his 
 messenger." 
 
 Raoul felt a weight fall from him, and turned 
 slowly to listen to the next speaker. 
 
 "We have hearkened to our brother and we 
 thank him for showing us that our hearts were 
 fearful for nothing. Let us feast this mes 
 senger, the bearer of the sacred trophy, and then 
 
234 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 send him back to Old Wolf with the word that 
 we will do as his medicine points out. When the 
 autumn comes we will slay the French chief, 
 that he may no longer protect our enemies." 
 
 Though Raoul longed to get away at once, 
 he sat down quietly while the ducks were being 
 cooked, and listened to the stories the braves told 
 of the many times when Old Wolf s medicine had 
 helped the Iroquois. He learned at last the 
 reason of the sudden departure of the Senecas 
 that day from their village on Lake Erie. It 
 was because, in a general council of all the 
 Iroquois, it had been decided that some of them 
 must take up their position farther west to hold 
 the Illinois in check. So the Senecas, and in 
 particular Old Wolf, had been chosen to hold 
 this outpost position. Raoul discovered that 
 Denise had not been so far away from him lately 
 as he had believed. 
 
 When the feast was over he rose and bade 
 his hosts farewell. 
 
 "Where now is Old Wolf?" asked Spotted 
 Deer. 
 
 "He desires that to be kept a secret for the 
 present," answered Raoul, trusting that this 
 would satisfy them. Luckily it did, and they 
 allowed him to depart unmolested. Once again 
 he was eager to set off to search for Denise, 
 
THE MEDICINE BAG 
 
 235 
 
 but he knew that his duty to La Salle required 
 him to hasten to him. He could only pray that 
 the Indians whom he had fooled would not 
 discover the deception until the Seigneur had 
 left for France, but he must not tarry with 
 his warning. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 THE FOREST LODGE 
 
 T A SALLE laughed at RaouFs fears when 
 * he returned to the fort and laughed still 
 more when he and Tonty had listened to the 
 whole story the boy related. They examined 
 the medicine bag curiously and advised Raoul 
 to guard it carefully, because some day Old 
 Wolf might be willing to pay highly for its 
 return, in pelts or by the exchange of some 
 French or Illinois prisoners. 
 
 But Etienne and Swift Fox did not laugh at 
 the possibility of an attempt on the Seigneur s 
 life. "If your Onondaguas and Mohawks do 
 not catch up with Old Wolf and find out the 
 truth, you have done a good day s work," re 
 marked Etienne while the three were descending 
 to the river to catch fish. 
 
 Swift Fox did not quite know what he ought 
 to think of RaouFs strange use of the venerated 
 
 236 
 
THE FOREST LODGE 237 
 
 medicine bag, but he too agreed that as long 
 as the Iroquois believed the message genuine 
 they would obey it. 
 
 "But we must guard the great chief," he said, 
 "so that if they should come they may never 
 get near enough to harm him." 
 
 "We will be his bodyguard," suggested Raoul, 
 much pleased at the idea. "Let us arrange that 
 one of us is always near him though we must 
 not let him see that we are watching him. We 
 can take turns." 
 
 "Not a bad plan that," commented Etienne. 
 "The devils know well enough that they could 
 scatter the rest of us easily if once they suc 
 ceeded in killing the Seigneur." 
 
 So from then on the three guarded La Salle, 
 unaware of their vigilance. There were rumors 
 of threatened attacks by the Iroquois, but noth 
 ing came of them. Early in the autumn La 
 Salle, feeling he could wait no longer, decided 
 he must soon start off on his way to Quebec 
 to set sail for France. 
 
 Swift Fox s mother, together with many 
 others of the Hurons, had come south to form 
 part of the new colony. Though Swift Fox 
 lived at the fort, he was often among his people. 
 
 "I will leave now for many days, White 
 Thrush," he said one morning. 
 
238 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "Where do you go then, Swift Fox?" Raoul 
 asked. 
 
 "My people say I am old enough now to 
 become a brave. I go first to fast and to listen 
 to the Great Spirit," the Indian youth replied. 
 
 Raoul had often heard of the tests to which 
 the young Indians were subjected before they 
 were admitted to the ranks of the warriors. He 
 was eager to know more about it all, and begged 
 Swift Fox to tell him the customs of his tribe. 
 
 "I wish I might be made a brave too," the 
 French boy remarked wistfully, his thoughts 
 turning to the little chapel in the old castle in 
 Brittany where so many of his ancestors had 
 watched their armor the night before they were 
 made knights. He had learned so much, done 
 so much, since he came to Canada that he felt 
 as if he needed to mark the entrance into the 
 coming estate of manhood. 
 
 "Why should not White Thrush become a 
 Huron brave also?" suggested Swift Fox with 
 sudden enthusiasm. "The warriors of our tribe 
 would gladly welcome him as one of them." 
 
 "Why should I not?" cried Raoul aloud in 
 French. "Would not the Seigneur say that this 
 would be another bond between his Indian allies 
 and ourselves?" 
 
 Bidding Swift Fox delay his departure a 
 
THE FOREST LODGE 239 
 
 little, he rushed into the storeroom where Tonty 
 was superintending the stacking of ammunition 
 and food supplies, and asked his opinion. 
 
 "I see no harm," answered the Italian after a 
 moment s consideration. "You would be no less 
 a loyal subject of King Louis s for being an 
 Indian brave, and I think it would give you an 
 added influence with our allies. But remember, 
 it is a severe test, they say, and it would not do 
 to undertake it and then fail and bring disgrace 
 on yourself and on us." 
 
 La Salle, when he was told of the plan, was 
 of the same view: Raoul might undertake the 
 test provided he felt that he was equal to it. 
 Raoul thanked him for his permission and took 
 leave. He and Swift Fox clambered down the 
 rock at its steepest slope and set out for the 
 village of the Hurons, a day s journey away. 
 When they reached it both lads were given a 
 warm welcome, Raoul being well known and 
 well liked in the tribe. He played with the dogs 
 while Swift Fox put the question to the chief. 
 
 "It is well," nodded the older man. "White 
 Thrush has already proved himself a hunter and 
 a fighter. Our people will be proud to claim 
 him. Let him fast when you fast ; let him listen 
 for the voice of the Great Spirit. It will speak 
 to white ears as well as to red ears." 
 
240 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 An uncle of Swift Fox, Little Lightning, 
 went with the boys into the forest and helped 
 them to build the two lodges near enough so 
 that they could see each other, but too far apart 
 for them to talk. Then he led them back to the 
 village to the sweating-lodge, where the Indians 
 went for the hot baths which served both 
 medicinal and ceremonial purposes. A huge 
 fire had heated the big stones within, and water 
 poured on them sent up clouds of steam which 
 almost stifled Raoul. 
 
 The brave explained: "The youth who would 
 prove himself ready to become a warrior must 
 show that he can stand many things, heat and 
 cold, hunger and thirst." 
 
 Raoul determined to ask no questions, but 
 to do whatever Swift Fox did. He threw aside 
 his clothes when Swift Fox did and climbed after 
 him up to a kind of shelf and sat there in silence 
 until it seemed to him that hell itself could be 
 no hotter. When Swift Fox jumped down at 
 last he did the same and ran after him to the 
 river and plunged into the icy water. The cold 
 made him gasp for breath. Back to the sweating- 
 lodge they ran, and this time Raoul was glad 
 of the heat for a few moments. Again they 
 rushed out to the shock of the river, and three 
 times they alternated the cold and the heat. 
 
THE FOREST LODGE 241 
 
 Little Lightning, sitting before the lodge of 
 Swift Fox s mother, watched them and seemed 
 satisfied. He strolled up to them and when they 
 had clothed themselves, still keeping the com 
 plete silence, left the sweating-lodge behind and 
 escorted them to tjie lodges in the forest, far 
 away from any sound of the village. 
 
 "Lie here, Swift Fox," he said, "and may 
 your manitou appear soon to you. Forget not 
 that the manitous of your family will help you 
 in your fast." 
 
 Then when Swift Fox had lain down upon 
 the mats his mother had woven especially for 
 this great occasion, Little Lightning went back to 
 the waiting Raoul. 
 
 "Lie here, White Thrush," he bade. "May 
 the Great Manitou send you a vision." 
 
 Raoul too obediently lay down, and in a mo 
 ment Little Lightning had departed and there 
 was nothing to break the deep silence of the 
 forest. It was probably the effect of his baths 
 that made Raoul, who had intended to stay awake 
 and to try to bring his thoughts into the channel 
 into which he wished to direct them, soon fall 
 asleep. 
 
 It was dawn when he awoke. The birds were 
 twittering, the sun was throwing a first ray 
 through the oak trees, lighting up the globes 
 
242 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 of the acorns nearly ripe enough to fall. Raoul 
 jumped to his feet and ran a few paces to limber 
 his cramped legs. He wondered if Swift Fox 
 were awake and whether he had fallen asleep 
 as early the evening before as he had done. He 
 looked across to the other lodge, so far away 
 that he could just see the form of his friend 
 dimly. He knew that he must neither go to 
 him nor call out. Only in silence and loneliness 
 could the test be sustained. After a few minutes 
 he returned to his lodge and lay down on the 
 mat again. There was plenty of time for think 
 ing, so he let his thoughts wander where they 
 would. First they went to Fort St. Louis, to 
 Tonty and Etienne, even to the little puppy 
 he had made a playmate of. Then they jour 
 neyed to France, skimming the three thousand 
 miles in a moment. They wandered about the 
 old chateau, the rocky coast of his boyhood, and 
 then to the royal gardens at Versailles. He had 
 a clear picture in his mind of the King as he 
 had first seen him when he stepped majestically 
 from his barge and of the little black-gowned 
 lad trembling because his hand had thrown the 
 stone that grazed the royal person. 
 
 "Was that little priestling indeed the same as 
 this youth lying in an Indian lodge?" he asked 
 himself, and he followed the black gown from 
 
THE FOREST LODGE 243 
 
 Versailles back to the gray corridors of his 
 school, across the ocean, to the seminary window 
 at Quebec, where its owner gazed longingly out 
 at the busy life below from which he was 
 removed. He saw it again in the Dubois farm 
 before the fire; then a second figure, that of a 
 dark-eyed, red-cheeked girl joined it. Then 
 followed pictures of a canoe journeying swiftly 
 along a great river. He saw the frozen lake 
 where a French boy in Indian shirt and leggings 
 brought food to the great La Salle. Until then 
 his thoughts had traveled in order along one 
 main road; now they began to run this way and 
 that, oblivious of any trail, from Lake Ontario 
 to the Gulf of Mexico, from icy plains to sun 
 burnt sands and misty marshes. But always, 
 wherever they went, they obeyed three calls : one 
 the call of loyalty to a leader, one the call of 
 the freedom of the wilderness, and one the call 
 of chivalry, the need to rescue a woman child 
 from bondage. 
 
 It seemed to him that it must have been hours 
 since he had been reliving the past, yet the sun 
 was still only a quarter above the horizon. Little 
 creatures of the forest were scampering about, 
 rabbits, squirrels, muskrats, birds. He thought 
 of his bow and arrow and how easy it would 
 be to shoot enough for a feast. But he put away 
 
WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 from him the thought of food. He was not 
 really hungry. He remembered now why he 
 was lying there not only to prove that he had 
 the endurance of a man, but, as the Indians 
 believed, that a spirit, some manitou as they 
 called it, should reveal itself to him and in some 
 way become a symbol of help for his future life, 
 the life of a man into which he was now entering. 
 He had lived too much among the Indians to 
 find this strange. He knew that they believed 
 in a Great Manitou, a great spirit above the 
 earth, and also that every human being had his 
 own special manitou which would aid him during 
 life. Nor did he find it hard to understand that 
 these manitous appeared to them in visions in 
 the forms of animals, for his long days trapping 
 in the forest with Black Duck had shown him 
 how close the Indians seemed to their brethren, 
 the beasts. Had he not even heard Black Duck 
 beseech the bear he was about to kill to allow 
 himself to be slain? 
 
 He did not know just what he expected, but 
 he recalled what he had been told at home in 
 Brittany of the vigils and prayers, and bathing 
 and fasts a young Christian warrior once had to 
 undergo before he could be made a knight ; and 
 it pleased him to think that what he was now 
 enduring was not so different from the tests 
 
THE FOREST LODGE 245 
 
 of his ancestors. The forest was as silent as a 
 chapel, and prayers of praise and thanksgiving 
 and petitions for guidance welled up within him. 
 Night fell before he had risen from his knees. 
 
 The next morning a sharp craving for food 
 awoke him; his healthy young appetite was 
 clamoring. He rose and walked about for a 
 while, endeavoring to forget what every squirrel 
 and bird reminded him of. He wondered if 
 Swift Fox experienced the same gnawing. All 
 day long as he lay on his mat looking up into 
 the brilliant October sky, a red leaf occasionally 
 falling at his feet, he tried to keep his thoughts 
 away from food, but in vain. He would have 
 welcomed even a piece of tough alligator flesh. 
 
 That night his sleep was restless and broken, 
 and the next morning he felt faint and dizzy. 
 How much longer, he wondered, could he hold 
 out? By this time surely Swift Fox had had 
 his vision, even if none had come to him; then 
 they would have proved their endurance. Once 
 or twice he had seen Swift Fox walking about, 
 but there was no sign to testify that his manitou 
 had appeared to him. That day and night his 
 suffering was intense. With dawn came Little 
 Lightning bringing food in gourds. The smell 
 of it brought tears into RaouFs eyes. 
 
 "Will you eat, White Thrush?" asked the 
 
246 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 brave. "Four days and nights you have fasted 
 now." 
 
 "Will Swift Fox eat?" questioned Raoul. 
 
 "I will see," replied Little Lightning, going 
 across to the other lodge. Raoul awaited his 
 return eagerly. When he came he said: "Swift 
 Fox has not yet seen his manitou. He will not 
 yet break his fast. But it may be that an Indian 
 has more endurance than a Frenchman. I will 
 leave this broth outside your lodge and you may 
 eat when you will." 
 
 When he was alone again Raoul was tempted. 
 Perhaps it was the truth that Indian stomachs 
 were different from those of the French; perhaps 
 Swift Fox s sufferings were not equal to his 
 own. Why should he abide by a custom of 
 savages? If he died from starvation was he not 
 thus deserting the Seigneur when he needed 
 him? All these and other reasons for eating 
 seemed right, but he only shook his head. Better 
 to die than to fail. Yet all day long the inner 
 struggle continued. He prayed to God and the 
 saints for courage to endure. Much of the time 
 now he was lightheaded and did not know where 
 he was. A cold rain was falling and he opened 
 his mouth unconsciously that the drops might 
 fall on his tongue. 
 
 When he awoke again it seemed to him that 
 
THE FOREST LODGE 247 
 
 he was in the great hall of his father s castle on 
 the Breton coast. In the colored panes of glass 
 in the windows which looked out on the stormy 
 waters he saw again the Greyhound that sur 
 mounted the de Larnac coat-of-arms. He was 
 alone in the hall and he looked at the huge stone 
 fireplace on the smoke-stained hood of which 
 was carved the Greyhound and on the back of 
 the oaken settle by its side. Suddenly the scene 
 changed he was once again in the forest. There 
 in the distance he saw something coming through 
 the trees, something huge and gray and swift. 
 Its head was so high that it touched the tree tops, 
 but Raoul could see the soft brown eyes. He 
 was not afraid, for he knew their owner. It was 
 the Greyhound. It stopped quickly before the 
 lodge, its lithe beautiful flanks heaving gently 
 from its coursing, and it spoke in a voice that 
 was as familiar to Raoul as if he had always 
 heard it: 
 
 "Son of the Greyhounds, you are worthy of 
 your race. They have endured, have sped 
 swiftly to their ends, have been true. Fear not 
 that you will disgrace them." 
 
 Raoul longed to reply, but he could find no 
 words. Only a feeling of intense happiness came 
 over him. He kept looking up into the soft 
 
248 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 eyes of the Greyhound, which seemed so like 
 those of his father. 
 
 On the morning of the sixth day Little Light 
 ning, a gourd of food in each hand, found the 
 two lads unconscious in their lodges. He roused 
 Swift Fox by bathing his face and asked : "Will 
 you not eat, for you have fasted long enough?" 
 
 Swift Fox opened his eyes and said in a 
 weak voice: "I have seen my manitou. The 
 Bear appeared and said to me that my strength 
 should be as great as his and that my medicine 
 should be great. I would eat now if White 
 Thrush too will eat." 
 
 Little Lightning now aroused Raoul. 
 
 "I have seen the manitou of my ancestors," 
 the French boy replied to his question. "He 
 came as a Greyhound, a dog such as you know 
 not, swift and faithful." 
 
 "That is well," said the warrior approvingly. 
 "Eat, for Swift Fox too breaks his fast." 
 
 Hearing this, Raoul let himself be fed and 
 Swift Fox finished too his share. When they 
 were stronger Little Lightning led them back 
 slowly to the village. The news of their long 
 fast brought all the braves, squaws and children 
 out to greet them. They cried out words of 
 praise for the young braves endurance, and 
 when they had learned of the visions, they 
 
THE FOREST LODGE 
 
 bestowed on the two their new names, Strong 
 Bear and True Dog. The chief presented them 
 with three-pointed blankets, which only braves 
 had the right to wear. 
 
 "Now," he said, "you must set out on the war 
 path as soon as possible and win your eagle 
 feathers." 
 
 The next day a great feast was prepared for 
 them, but Swift Fox, or Strong Bear, could 
 not eat the bear steaks, as never as long as he 
 lived might he feed on the flesh of the animal 
 which was his manitou. And Raoul was glad 
 to have the same excuse for refusing dog flesh. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 KING LOUIS REMEMBERS 
 
 WHEN Raoul returned to the fort all 
 gathered about him to listen to the 
 account of his initiation as a brave. But to no 
 one, not even to La Salle, did he speak of his 
 dream, or vision, of the Greyhound. They would 
 laugh at it, he felt sure, while to him it seemed 
 like some strangely sweet and intimate fairy tale 
 such as his mother had been wont to relate to 
 him before the great hearth on winter evenings; 
 and he could not bear to hear it ridiculed. 
 
 When he had finished talking and had 
 shown the blanket given to him as a symbol that 
 he had become a brave, La Salle told him that 
 the time had come for them to sail for France. 
 Tonty bade them farewell, and Swift Fox prom 
 ised that as soon as he returned from the war 
 trail against the Iroquois he would stay at the 
 
 250 
 
KING LOUIS REMEMBERS 251 
 
 fort and serve Tonty during the absence of the 
 Seigneur. 
 
 It was with a thrill that Raoul saw once again 
 the canoes made ready for the journey. 
 
 "How can men be content to live always in 
 the same place?" he exclaimed to La Salle as, 
 with paddle in hand, he put his full strength 
 into propelling the boat through the leagues of 
 water that stretched beyond them. "I should 
 die as a trapped beast dies if I were shut up 
 always in a house or a town." 
 
 "Yet who knows," replied La Salle, "if you 
 may not change your mind when we reach Paris, 
 and decide to abide there, leaving me to return 
 to the wilderness alone." 
 
 But it did not need Raoul s scornful laughter 
 to reassure him. 
 
 They had traveled many days, omitting no 
 precautions. There were many cuts and por 
 tages known to Beaver Tail that were shorter 
 than the regular trail, and often he piloted them 
 by shallow streams or over rapids where no 
 inexperienced traveler had ever dared venture. 
 The forests were brilliant in the war paint of 
 autumn; the persimmon trees bore the sticky, 
 honey-sweet fruit in its puckered coverings; the 
 chestnuts were dropping to the earth with soft 
 thuds, advertising thus their arrival to the expec- 
 
252 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 tant squirrels, and geese were flying southward 
 high up in the blue sky. Raoul guided the 
 second canoe. The stream was full of rapids, 
 and Beaver Tail in La Salle s canoe led the way. 
 The river forked, split by a narrow island, per 
 haps two or three miles long. Though the other 
 canoe had kept to the right, Raoul, with no 
 motive other than an instinctive youthful desire 
 for independence, went to the left of the island, 
 knowing that he could rejoin the other farther 
 down. 
 
 He was alone in the boat, which was filled 
 with supplies and ammunition. Before him rose 
 a steep cliff, and his sense of smell, keen now 
 as an Indian s, told him that somewhere within 
 a mile or so, there must be a camp or a village. 
 He noticed something white on the cliff and as 
 it moved decided that it was probably a human 
 being. He looked to see that his gun was in 
 reach, but as he approached nearer he discovered 
 that it was a woman whose white buckskin robe 
 glistened in the sunshine. She was evidently 
 fishing from the rock. He was almost abreast 
 of the cliff before she heard the noise of his 
 paddle. She lifted her head and Raoul was 
 amazed to see that, though she was dark and 
 tanned by the sun, her face was not that of an 
 Indian. She glanced down at him with equal 
 
KING LOUIS REMEMBERS 253 
 
 astonishment, and just before a rapid caught 
 the bow and threatened to upset the canoe, he 
 recognized in this tall maiden the features of 
 Denise. 
 
 "Denise!" he called back, but he could not 
 turn to see whether his voice had carried to her, 
 for one rapid after another whirled him about 
 like a cork, requiring all his skill to keep his 
 canoe afloat. When he reached smoother water 
 he pulled to the shore and had jumped out when 
 La Salle s anxious halloo came to him from the 
 distance. Once again he had to choose; if he 
 went back to search for his old companion of 
 six years ago he would fail the Seigneur to 
 whom every day was of utmost importance. He 
 hesitated nevertheless; then he seemed once 
 again to see the Greyhound and to hear him 
 say: "they sped swiftly to their ends, have been 
 true. Fear not that you will disgrace them." 
 Slowly he stepped back into the boat and soon 
 had caught up with the rest. He did not tell 
 La Salle what had happened; he knew too well 
 that the Seigneur, who at another time would 
 have been keenly interested, now had no thought 
 for anything but for the furthering of his own 
 gigantic plans. But when he came back from 
 France, Raoul swore to himself, nothing should 
 prevent his setting out in search of the com- 
 
254 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 panion of his boyhood he still felt half guilty 
 of having deserted. 
 
 Villemarie (Montreal) and Quebec seemed to 
 him, fresh from the forests, almost uncomfor 
 tably crowded with people, and for the first 
 night or two he spent under cover he slept 
 restlessly and with a sense of suffocation. He 
 had a feeling of mental suffocation also when 
 he learned of all the efforts La Salle had to 
 make to settle his financial affairs, to satisfy this 
 creditor by selling furs, and to assure that one 
 that he had really descended the whole length 
 of the Colbert River, as he called the Mississippi, 
 and that a trading station had already been 
 planted at Fort St. Louis. There was no time 
 to spare in Quebec, but Raoul spent an hour in 
 the gray-walled seminary, where the fathers did 
 not hide from him their disappointment and dis 
 approval that he had given up the life of a 
 missionary. 
 
 La Salle breathed a long breath once they 
 were embarked, and a still longer one when they 
 had seen the last shores of New France sink into 
 the sunset. 
 
 "For weeks now we shall hear no complaints, 
 no hints of disaster, no cries for moneys," he 
 said to Raoul as they sat on a coil of rope in the 
 vessel s stern, the great sails bellying above them. 
 
KING LOUIS REMEMBERS 255 
 
 "How have you done it all?" asked Raoul. 
 1 I can understand how you have borne the 
 fighting, the hunger when necessary, long 
 marches and dangers even from disloyal fol 
 lowers; but to me worse than all these is the 
 striving against men with ears deaf to all that 
 is great, against misunderstandings and misrep 
 resentations. How have you found courage to 
 try again and again when you have lost your 
 ships, have had your goods stolen from you, 
 have had to meet the opposition of the 
 Governor?" 
 
 La Salle did not take his eyes away from the 
 gray-green waste as he answered: "You are 
 growing up, my son. You see now that life 
 is no broad highway, but that one must cut one s 
 own trail. How do I go ahead after disappoint 
 ments and setbacks? Can the captain of this 
 ship help going forward when the wind fills the 
 sails? I too am blown by the wind of a great 
 desire. Though I sail into strange seas, though 
 men call me mad, I must go ahead. I have 
 dreamed a dream and I must see it fulfilled. 
 Not until death s calm bids the wind cease can I 
 drop anchor, no matter what rocks lie ahead." 
 
 They were silent for a long time while dusk 
 fell and the ship s lanterns one by one were 
 lighted. As they rose to go below to supper, 
 
256 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 to which a cabin boy had just bidden them, 
 Raoul said: "I pray, dear Seigneur, that the 
 King will have willing ears for your great 
 dream." 
 
 "He must listen to it," replied La Salle in a 
 tone as calm as it was assured. 
 
 How delightful it was to see the French fields 
 again, though the winter coloring was somber, 
 and the canals, and the highways so gay with 
 travelling folk who looked with kindly curiosity 
 at the Seigneur and his bronze-cheeked com 
 panion. How beautiful were the long lines of 
 poplars growing with wide spaces between them, 
 as Raoul had not seen trees grow for many 
 years; the little towns so bright with midday 
 markets and perhaps a regiment in brilliant 
 uniforms and a fanfare of brass passing through 
 the rows of ancient dwellings, their windows 
 shining with women s faces. The slender church 
 towers on the hills, the terraced vineyards, the 
 orderly farmyards all filled Raoul with keen 
 pleasure. 
 
 "If you are so happy now what will you be 
 when we reach Paris?" queried La Salle. 
 
 But in Paris Raoul felt lonely and strange. 
 He had left his master at his old lodgings in the 
 rue de la Truanderie, and then had gone to those 
 
KING LOUIS REMEMBERS 257 
 
 of his brother Gervase. He had been greeted 
 most kindly. His two brothers who had been 
 expecting him, welcomed him with real affec 
 tion ; but after the first few hours of novelty, of 
 asking questions, and of shaking of heads over 
 the possibility of understanding what difference 
 it made whether a redskin were an Illinois or 
 an Iroquois, and an incomprehension of any life 
 away from Paris, or France at least, Raoul felt 
 as if he were speaking another language that no 
 interpreter could ever make plain to them. 
 
 La Salle, knowing that waiting in ante 
 chambers was part of his campaign, strove for 
 patience as if it were the fortress of an enemy 
 which he must conquer. Yet his friends assured 
 him, he had no right to complain, that seldom 
 had a petitioner at court lost so little time. 
 
 "You come at the right moment," one of them 
 declared. Seignelay s (the minister) great idea 
 has been to build a fort on the Gulf of Mexico 
 so that we may hold the Spaniards in check, and 
 now that we are at war with Spain, he will be 
 all the more willing to listen to your plans and 
 to advise the King. You know too how the 
 Spaniards have forbidden our ships to sail on 
 your Gulf and how little likely the Sun King 
 is to give up our rights in this matter." 
 
 Versailles and the court were well used to 
 
258 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 great spectacles, to the arrival of victorious com 
 manders bearing the standards of many battles. 
 Nevertheless, the day when it was known that 
 His Majesty was to receive Seigneur de La 
 Salle, who was said to have traveled half round 
 the world and fought his way through hosts of 
 savages and cannibals, the courtyard, the stair 
 ways and the corridors were filled with courtiers 
 and ladies eager to catch sight of the renowned 
 explorer. When La Salle, accompanied by 
 Raoul, was guided by a page through the halls 
 to the room where Seignelay was to talk with 
 him before the royal audience, the onlookers 
 were disappointed. His wellmade clothes, his 
 air of quiet grace, neither too assured nor timid, 
 had about them no note of exotic strangeness 
 for which they were waiting. It was rather 
 Raoul, whose garments could not succeed in 
 hiding the free easy carriage of the forest, who 
 satisfied them. 
 
 "They say he is the brother of Monsieur de 
 Larnac," whispered one lady behind her fan as 
 he passed by, blushing at the stare of so many 
 eyes. " Tis a pity his older brother has not more 
 of his good looks." 
 
 "Have you the memorial?" questioned Seig 
 nelay as soon as he had greeted La Salle. "It 
 is a great project of yours, Monsieur de La 
 
KING LOUIS REMEMBERS 259 
 
 Salle, and I would have you know that I am 
 proud to have the chance to put it before 
 France s King." 
 
 "I thank you for your courtesy, Monsieur," 
 La Salle replied, his heart beating swiftly with 
 hope. 
 
 Louis the King, looking a little older in spite 
 of rouge and wig and lace collar and fine linen 
 and satin than the day when Raoul had seen 
 him before, was waiting for the audience in a 
 small room that seemed to Raoul to glow with 
 crimson as the ruby on the royal finger. The 
 sovereign asked many questions and showed an 
 intelligent interest in the accounts which La 
 Salle gave him of the descent of the Mississippi 
 and his plans for building up the western 
 Indians as a barrier against the Iroquois. 
 
 "Seignelay spoke of a memorial," said the 
 King, "in which you had set forth all you desire 
 of me." 
 
 "It is here, Sire, for him to read if you will 
 deign to listen," replied La Salle, handing the 
 parchment to the minister. 
 
 "It seems to me that yonder young man 
 should have a good voice," remarked the King, 
 who had been looking at Raoul. "If he has 
 been taught his letters in your forest let him 
 read it aloud to me." 
 
260 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Raoul took the memorial mechanically, feeling 
 certain that his voice had left him forever. He 
 opened the parchment and opened his mouth, 
 but no sound came forth. The King was amused 
 at his embarrassment and waited, smiling, until 
 a voice that seemed to the lad to belong to 
 someone else at last began the preamble. As he 
 went on, the knowledge of what deeds, what 
 hardships, what bravery and what hopes these 
 words were expressing came to him; his voice 
 grew stronger, and he was proudly conscious 
 that it was he, the favored companion of the 
 Seigneur, who was granted the privilege of 
 bringing them to the King s ear. 
 
 He read how La Salle had made five journeys 
 of upwards five thousand leagues, had travelled 
 more than six hundred leagues of unknown 
 country among unknown tribes; of how he now 
 proposed to return by way of the Mexican Gulf 
 and the mouth of the River Colbert to the 
 countries he had discovered, where the Indian 
 tribes should profit by listening to the teachings 
 of the Gospel, and the King s glory be secured 
 by these new provinces, rich in silver mines that 
 the Spaniards would be unable to hold against 
 the valor of the French. One year after reach 
 ing the mouth of the river would suffice ; and for 
 all this, all the discoverer asked was one vessel, 
 
KING LOUIS REMEMBERS 261 
 
 two hundred men with arms, munitions, pay and 
 maintenance. He went on to read how the plan 
 was to build some forts along the river. "Should 
 the foreigners anticipate us," the young voice 
 rang out, "they will complete the ruin of New 
 France, which they already hem in by their 
 establishments of Virginia, Pennsylvania, New 
 England and Hudson Bay." 
 
 The King turned to whisper to Seignelay, 
 but La Salle, eager as he was, could not judge 
 from his countenance how he was affected by 
 what he had heard. Then the minister motioned 
 to Raoul to continue. 
 
 He read that the spot La Salle intended first 
 to fortify was about sixty miles above the mouth 
 of the river, which the French could easily 
 defend, or from which they could make an 
 offensive campaign. He read how the Indians 
 loved the French and would join them against 
 the Spaniards whom they detested. To accom 
 plish this, La Salle said that he would send word 
 to four hundred Indian warriors at Fort St. 
 Louis to descend the river, and with them and 
 the ship and the cannon for his fort and the men 
 for which he besought the aid of the King, he 
 would be successful, or within three years he 
 would forfeit money and the government of the 
 forts he might then hold. 
 
262 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 When Raoul had finished there was silence; 
 only from the corridors without came faint 
 sounds of laughter and footsteps. La Salle 
 waited. Finally Louis turned to the minister 
 and said: 
 
 "Seignelay, I do not agree with Monsieur 
 de La Salle." 
 
 All the crimson of the chamber turned to 
 black for the two whose hopes had beat so high. 
 
 "No," continued the King, "two vessels are 
 not enough; let us give him four. And, besides 
 the men he asks for, let us send also families, 
 that we may start at once a colony, not merely 
 a fort." 
 
 The two heads that had drooped now quickly 
 straightened again, and La Salle, half incredu 
 lous, listened to the King s promises of help. 
 
 "If you are winning me a new kingdom," his 
 sovereign said, "I can at least give you a handful 
 of men and guns to hold it." 
 
 When La Salle had thanked him and told 
 him that he planned to leave just as soon as he 
 could get the expedition together, the King said : 
 
 "Suppose, though, you leave your young lieu 
 tenant, who, I understand, is a brother of 
 de Larnac. How would you like a place as 
 lieutenant in my guards, my son? I will see 
 that you have fighting enough." 
 
KING LOUIS REMEMBERS 263 
 
 Raoul could not be sure whether his sovereign 
 was in earnest or teasing him, but in either case 
 he did not know how he ought to reply. He 
 glanced at La Salle for aid, but he did not 
 speak. "Sire," he stammered, "I am most 
 grateful for your gracious kindness and the 
 memory of it will make me fight the harder 
 for your cause at all times. Yet, I pray you, 
 let me fight for it in forests rather than in fields, 
 for I have sworn to my Seigneur here that I 
 will never leave him." 
 
 "As you will then, lad," the King replied, 
 "but keep your scalp-lock safe from the savages. 
 A wife will want to caress it some day." 
 
 Raoul bowed in acknowledgment of this royal 
 pleasantry. He and La Salle were at the door 
 and the crimson curtain was half lifted to let 
 them pass, when the King, to whom his minister 
 had whispered, called: 
 
 "Come back here, young sir. Are not you 
 the lad who years ago hit my arm with a stone?" 
 
 Raoul stood before him in utter confusion. 
 He had thought this incident forgotten, and now 
 his thought was not so much of the consequences 
 to himself of the King s displeasure, but of his 
 disappointment that so great a man could harbor 
 a grudge so long for a childish blow. He stam 
 mered an answer. 
 
264 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "If your arm has grown in strength since 
 then," Louis continued, "I pity the savages. I 
 can feel the sting yet. But if you must hit them, 
 here is a better weapon." 
 
 He took from the case which Seignelay, smil 
 ing, had handed him, a pistol of ivory carved 
 and banded with silver, and held it towards 
 Raoul. Never had his young eyes beheld so 
 beautiful a firearm. He took it, scarce believing 
 it could be his, and said, as he knelt to kiss the 
 King s hand: 
 
 "This shall be to me always a symbol of your 
 kindness, Sire, and I trust I may use it well 
 against your enemies." 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 DISILLUSIONMENT 
 
 "TT is a God- forsaken voyage this," exclaimed 
 A one of the men aboard the Aimable, as on 
 the first day of the year 1685 the storeship of 
 the little fleet sailed slowly along a marshy 
 coast. "It is like a nightmare when I think of 
 it: two months from Rochelle to that sickly isle 
 of San Domingo, where we all but died, even 
 the Seigneur himself; the disputes between him 
 and old Seadog Beaujeu, whose naval dignity 
 would not brook interference in the management 
 of his ships; the never-dying winds; the loneli 
 ness, and all for what yonder dreary coast!" 
 
 "I think the King will lose his money," his 
 companion answered, yawning. "I see no gold 
 or silver mines here to be won; not even a 
 savage is there to fight. I would I were back 
 within smell of the Seine again." 
 
 Raoul, walking the deck with Father Membre, 
 
 265 
 
266 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 who had decided to return to the New World 
 with La Salle, overheard them. He started for 
 ward to explain to them that it was too soon 
 yet to condemn an expedition which was just 
 begun. Then he changed his mind and shrugged 
 his shoulders. Their words had found an echo 
 in his spirit; he could not spur his own enthu 
 siasm. Like them, he had been influenced by 
 the mishaps of the voyage. He, too, had been 
 ill, but not as La Salle had been within close 
 call of death. He had suffered from the difficul 
 ties which had arisen between Beaujeu and 
 La Salle even before they set sail. He longed 
 for the moment when they should reach their 
 destination; trackless forests, savage Indians 
 anything would be a welcome change from the 
 narrow deck of the ship where so much dis 
 content was bottled up. 
 
 One of the four ships which the King had 
 given, the St. Francois, had been taken by Span 
 ish pirates, and the news of this loss of ship 
 and provisions had caused a relapse in La Salle s 
 illness which had nearly proved fatal. Now the 
 Aimable and the Belle were sailing close to 
 gether, and the flagship, the Joly, bearing Beau 
 jeu, was somewhere in the rear, out of sight. 
 Raoul stared at the coast before him, trying to 
 see if there were any landmarks he could recog- 
 
DISILLUSIONMENT 267 
 
 nize. He knew that La Salle had taken some 
 kind of reckonings when he had first reached the 
 Gulf after their descent of the Mississippi, and 
 that, according to them, he believed that they 
 were now nearing the mouth of the river. 
 
 La Salle now came on deck with his brother, 
 Abbe Cavelier, and after studying the land 
 carefully, gave orders to anchor. He sprang 
 into the small boat with eagerness and, in com 
 pany with the engineer, went ashore to explore 
 the marshy land. 
 
 "Not yet," he replied to Raoul when he 
 returned to the ship, "but we cannot be far 
 from it." And once again they set sail westward. 
 
 Raoul did not know why it was so, but with 
 every knot farther westward they advanced his 
 depression increased. It was as if something 
 were drawing him back to the east. It had been 
 a long time since he had experienced one of his 
 "visions," but that night as he lay on deck, 
 wrapped in his cloak, he seemed to see the river 
 he had explored two years before, to follow it 
 again mile by mile until he saw it empty far 
 to the east of where they now were. Next morn 
 ing he strove to shake off this impression, to 
 reassure himself that the Seigneur s reckonings 
 were far more likely to be correct than his own 
 strange feeling, but he did not succeed. On the 
 
268 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 sixth of the month La Salle, who could not be 
 made to quit the deck, cried out at the sight of 
 yellow mud spreading out into the gulf from the 
 shore, "Yonder is the mouth, my friends. Here 
 we are at last!" 
 
 Still Raoul was not convinced. The picture 
 before him was not the same as the one in his 
 mind of the meeting of river and gulf that 
 memorable day when their canoes had reached 
 their long journey s end. 
 
 Since the Joly had still not made her appear 
 ance, La Salle would not land for fear that he 
 might miss her. "Doubtless she has already 
 passed us," he suggested; "we must sail on in 
 search of her. If old Beaujeu would but keep 
 better watch my patience would not be so tested, 
 Raoul. But after all, he is not a bad sort of 
 sailor, I am beginning to think." 
 
 So westward they sailed again. Once Joutel, 
 whose father had been a gardener of La Salle s 
 uncle, tried to land, but without success for a 
 time, and when he did get through the breakers 
 he came back with nothing more valuable than 
 some wildfowl. Even some Indians who swam 
 out to the Almable could give them no infor 
 mation, for their tongue was unlike any Indian 
 speech that either La Salle or Raoul was familiar 
 with. At last La Salle, who had sailed as far 
 
DISILLUSIONMENT 269 
 
 westward as the waters now known as Corpus 
 Christ! Bay, decided that the Joly must be 
 behind rather than before them, and so ordered 
 their course to be changed to the eastward. 
 
 Finally, when the fog rose, the Joly was 
 sighted. When one of Beaujeu s officers came 
 on board the Aimable, each side blamed the other 
 for the separation and the anxiety of the search. 
 There was also much dispute as to their position. 
 Raoul discovered that one day La Salle would 
 be certain the marshy lands before them be 
 longed to the delta of the Mississippi, and on 
 the next he would suggest they might as well 
 sail a little farther in search of it. Beaujeu 
 rejoined that his provisions were giving out, 
 that the soldiers would soon have devoured all 
 of them, and that a decision must be reached. 
 
 At last, one day all of La Salle s doubts 
 seemed to lift like the fog, and he asserted that 
 the wide opening before them was the long- 
 sought haven, and he named it the Bay of St. 
 Louis (Matagorda Bay) . 
 
 "Here will we land," he announced to Beau 
 jeu. "There will be a fair anchorage for the 
 Aimable and the Belle" 
 
 "I doubt not that you know how to navigate 
 a canoe on a river, Seigneur La Salle," the naval 
 officer said sneeringly, "but even the King s 
 
270 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 favor cannot make a seaman out of a landlubber, 
 There is not water enough yonder for the ships 
 to ride in. You will endanger them if you 
 persist." 
 
 But La Salle did not change his orders. "Take 
 some men, Raoul," he commanded, "and lay out 
 a site for a camp. Cut down trees as quickly 
 as possible, so that there may be a cleared space 
 about to prevent Indians approaching unseen." 
 
 Now, that he was once ashore and had work 
 to do, Raoul was able to shake off the persistent 
 feeling that the Mississippi s mouth was to the 
 eastward. Most of the men who were with him 
 had never before been in a wild country and 
 were only too willing to accept his leadership. 
 He set some of them to felling trees and taking 
 a few others along, went off to explore the firmer 
 ground back of the marshes. He had had no 
 orders to do this, but his eagerness to learn more 
 of his surroundings spurred him on. In the 
 distance he saw a herd of buffalo, and was ex 
 plaining to his companions the nature of these 
 beasts and how to hunt them, when a sudden 
 shower of arrows fell amongst them. The 
 handful of Frenchmen drew quickly together, 
 but before they would fire the two guns they 
 had with them, a score of Indians had run up 
 
DISILLUSIONMENT 271 
 
 over the top of a sand dune and surrounded 
 them. 
 
 "It is my fault," cried Raoul remorsefully. "I 
 should never have led you so far." 
 
 There was no use, he saw, in trying to resist 
 such a superior force, but he shouted to one of 
 the other men, who had luckily lagged behind, 
 to hasten back to the shore and notify La Salle 
 of their capture. 
 
 The messenger came upon La Salle just as 
 he was landing and watching the Almable tack 
 slowly to the anchorage he had assigned to her. 
 
 "Raoul let himself be ambushed!" he ex 
 claimed disdainfully to Father Membre. "I did 
 wrong to trust him. After all, he is but a boy 
 in years, and I must remember may be led away 
 by a boy s will." 
 
 Bidding all the men ashore take their arms, 
 he hurried off, and in a few minutes saw a party 
 of Indians ahead. They seemed undecided 
 whether to attack or to fly, but La Salle s ges 
 ture of friendship reassured them. By means 
 of signs and some words he had picked up since 
 he had been exploring the gulf coast, he learned 
 that his men had been carried farther inland. 
 He hastened on and soon came in sight of the 
 village. 
 
 "It looks like a colony of bee hives," one of 
 
272 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 the men exclaimed as he came near enough to 
 see the curious rounded huts. To his relief, 
 La Salle heard a whistle which came from the 
 center of the crowd filling the space between the 
 ring of huts and knew that it was Raoul s. The 
 Indians had arrows fitted to their bows and La 
 Salle anticipated a severe fight before he would 
 be able to rescue the prisoners. 
 
 Just then a cannon boomed, and at the terrific 
 sound, coming they knew not whence, the In 
 dians fell flat upon the earth, hiding their faces 
 in the sand. 
 
 "We are saved," cried a Frenchman, "just 
 in the nick of time, or some of us would have 
 been lying as the savages lie yonder." 
 
 "We may be saved," La Salle admitted, "but 
 look, the Aimable is lost." 
 
 Back of them they could see the gallant little 
 ship ashore on a reef. His heart was sick at this 
 new misfortune, but no Indian, gazing at his 
 stern, determined face, would have guessed that 
 any thought of weakness was harbored there. 
 He showed no signs of displeasure or fear when, 
 recovering from their fright, they surrounded 
 him and brought him buffalo meat to eat. He 
 acted to them as he always did to the savages, 
 as if they were his friends, and his assurance 
 and calmness overawed them. He thanked them 
 
DISILLUSIONMENT 278 
 
 for the feast they offered and promised he would 
 come to them some other day. Just now, he 
 said, he had need of his men, whom they had 
 seized by mistake, wrongly imagining them to be 
 foes. And to the great astonishment of the 
 Frenchmen, who had not expected to escape 
 without bloodshed, the Indians made no attempt 
 to gainsay him. 
 
 "Ah! Seigneur/ cried Raoul as they hastened 
 back, their ears catching the cries and orders and 
 counter-orders of the sailors who were trying to 
 pull the Aimable off the reef, "what have I done? 
 If I had not taken you away ..." 
 
 "Much harm, Raoul," La Salle answered 
 sadly; "yet I, too, am guilty. Beaujeu was 
 right ; there was not water enough in the channel 
 for the ship." 
 
 Never had Raoul seen his Seigneur so down 
 cast as on their short journey to the shore. He 
 knew the great value to him of the ship and her 
 supplies. But once on the scene, his master 
 gave orders calmly and wisely. Since the ship 
 herself was hopelessly lost, all attention must be 
 paid to saving her cargo. Flour and gunpowder 
 were of utmost importance. 
 
 "Can I trust you, Raoul, to guard the gun 
 powder?" he asked, and his question was the 
 boy s chief punishment. 
 
274 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 When the sea rose and the waters were full 
 of the precious stores, a band of Indians rushed 
 down from the dunes, eager to carry away the 
 unexpected treasures. La Salle ordered the 
 drummer to beat an alarm and his men drove 
 the savages off. Every now and then, though, 
 during the night, as Raoul walked back and 
 forth among the casks and bales, looking out 
 that no one, red or white for he had reason not 
 to trust many of the expedition removed any 
 of the stores, he could catch a glimpse in the 
 lantern light of La Salle as he sat among the 
 piled-up bags and boxes. He knew that for 
 him, too, there *was no sleep, and he felt, as if 
 with his own mind, the keenness of his master s 
 regret. He longed to go and beg for forgiveness 
 for his share in the disaster, but he was aware 
 that he had no right to intrude even his remorse 
 upon La Salle now. All he could do was to guard 
 faithfully what had been entrusted to him. In 
 the future he would find some way, some service, 
 to offset the harm he had done. 
 
 When morning came La Salle looked about 
 him to muster his colony and the store remaining. 
 The ground where they had been forced to camp 
 was low and marshy and, from the mists he had 
 seen rising, he knew that it must be unhealthy. 
 He could see that alreadv some of the men and 
 
DISILLUSIONMENT 275 
 
 women were shaking and their morose expres 
 sions showed only too plainly the state of their 
 feeling. After a breakfast of such scraps as 
 they could lay hands on, he ordered the men to 
 pile the boxes and bales and the cannon and their 
 mounts around the camp as a protection for 
 them all, and to pen in the swine and fowls 
 which they had brought with such care from 
 overseas. He came across a girl crying from 
 homesickness, and the sight of her dejected body, 
 as she had thrown herself across a bag of flour, 
 made him realize as he had never realized before 
 the weight of his resonsibility. 
 
 For several days he and Raoul had no words 
 alone. The boy did his utmost to assist La Salle 
 in his endeavors to better the condition of the 
 colonists. He showed them how to get oysters 
 and sought in vain to build an oven for baking; 
 but there were no stones and no clay, and the 
 women, protesting that such food was not fit for 
 the pigs, boiled flour in brackish water. Many 
 fell ill and each day several died. The Indians, 
 growing bold, robbed some of the colonists of 
 their blankets. Some volunteered to go after 
 them, and though they reached the camp from 
 which the inhabitants had fled, they were am 
 bushed on their return and two men were killed 
 and another wounded. 
 
276 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "Raoul," commanded La Salle after this had 
 occurred, "we must have more cannon. Will 
 you go to Captain Beaujeu and ask him to send 
 ashore those that are still on the Joly, and also 
 the iron? 
 
 Raoul was only too eager for this embassy. 
 It was almost like returning home to step upon 
 the smartly kept deck of the ship after the con 
 fusion on shore. Beaujeu, too, seemed pleased 
 to see him. 
 
 "Tell Seigneur La Salle," he said, "that 
 before I sail for France I will go to Martinique 
 if he wishes for reinforcements and provisions, 
 and that I wish I could give him his iron, but it 
 is impossible to unload it except in a harbor, 
 for it is my ballast and lies under the cannon. It 
 would take three days to get it out, which cannot 
 be done in this place where the sea runs like 
 mountains when the slightest winds blow out 
 side." 
 
 Raoul, who now, like La Salle, had overcome 
 his first dislike to Beaujeu, thanked him for his 
 courtesy and went back to report what he had 
 said and returned again with La Salle s answer 
 that he felt he had reached the place he sought 
 and was in a fair way of success if he could but 
 have the cannon, cannon balls and iron stored on 
 board the Joly." 
 

 EACH MORNING LA SALLE FELT SURE HE WOULD 
 DISCOVER SOME MARSH. 
 
DISILLUSIONMENT 277 
 
 "Do you think he has reached the mouth of 
 the Colbert River?" asked the officer, giving 
 Raoul a quick searching glance. "I understand 
 that you were with him when he first explored 
 it." 
 
 Raoul did not answer. He felt it disloyal to 
 breathe to another the suspicion that the Seig 
 neur could have made a mistake. 
 
 "I understand," Beaujeu remarked gravely. 
 "I wish I need not leave him; but at all events, 
 he shall have his iron if I endanger my ship by 
 moving everything in the hold." 
 
 It was several days later when he sailed, tak 
 ing on the Joly only those whose spirits could not 
 recover from their first disappointment and fear. 
 
 "My own brother would have left me, Raoul," 
 said La Salle as they watched the ship sail, "if 
 I had not shamed him into staying. What, think 
 you, would our loyal Tonty say to that? There 
 are but a few of us here whom I can trust, lad; 
 Moranget, my nephew, the friars, the Marquis 
 de la Sablonniere, and our faithful Joutel." 
 
 When the ship was out of sight he turned and 
 his mood had changed. "Now," he cried, "we 
 must depend upon ourselves. Let us waste no 
 more time. We must learn more of our sur 
 roundings. Will you come with me, lad?" 
 
 Joutel was left in charge, and the two with 
 
278 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 several soldiers, set off to explore. Each morn 
 ing La Salle felt sure he would discover some 
 marsh which would prove to be an opening into 
 the river, perhaps an Indian camp where he 
 would find the friends he had made two years 
 ago. And each night he was a little less certain. 
 Raoul felt that he could scarcely bear to wit 
 ness the growing conviction of his mistake. It 
 was not until they returned to the camp and 
 heard of the attacks it had suffered from Indians 
 during their absence, that La Salle opened his 
 heart. "I was wrong, Raoul, wrong. This is 
 not our river! God knows now much farther it 
 is behind us to the eastward. But we must find 
 some way to reach it yet. It cannot be that my 
 great plan is not to be successful!" 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 THE FINAL EFFORT 
 
 "T TOW long, Joutel, think you we shall have 
 A A to wait for news?" queried Raoul as he 
 stood at the older man s side, watching the 
 soldiers and sailors harnessed to logs they had 
 felled and were now dragging slowly along, to be 
 used in building the storehouse and the dwelling 
 houses on the higher ground along the Lavaca 
 River, whither La Salle had moved the colony 
 temporarily until he should find the Mississippi, 
 for which he had once again gone in search. 
 
 "It is idle to guess," Joutel answered and in 
 terrupted himself to call out orders in several 
 different directions. "I would the Seigneur were 
 back, though," he continued a moment later, "I 
 never was born to rule a colony of homesick and 
 bodysick men and women, and I should be glad 
 to hand over my responsibilities to him again." 
 
 "But you do manage the fort as if you were 
 born to it," Raoul insisted, "and now that all 
 
 279 
 
280 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 have learned not to eat immoderately of fruits 
 and berries there is less illness and everyone is 
 more cheerful." 
 
 "I doubt whether the Seigneur would approve 
 of our singing and dancing at night," Joutel 
 remarked, shaking his head. "He is grave, you 
 know ; but I believe it is needful to do something 
 to take our thoughts away from our disappoint 
 ments and our worries." 
 
 A young girl of about ten ran by them, chas 
 ing the one precious pair of goats. Her joyous 
 laughter, as they butted into one of the few hogs 
 curled up in the midst of the black and white 
 litter, brought a smile to Joutel s lips. "It is 
 good that she at least is not wondering what is 
 to become of us all. Even if the Seigneur does 
 find the mouth of the Mississippi soon which, like 
 you, I feel certain lies many leagues to the east 
 of us, can he bring us in safety all the way north 
 to the colony of your Indian friends, the Illinois 
 of whom you have told me?" 
 
 "I do not know," answered Raoul. "I am 
 now a man in years, and I fear not to fight with 
 any man and to bear hardships, but I could not 
 bear the burden of the Seigneur. Who else but 
 he can tell what must be done? I would though, 
 Joutel," he added, speaking in a lower tone, 
 "that he had different men to serve him. There 
 
THE FINAL EFFORT 281 
 
 are but few of all who came from France on 
 whom he can rely. His own brother, Abbe 
 Cavelier, is no help; his nephew, young Mor- 
 anget, is so arrogant and hot tempered that he 
 makes everyone angry with him, and then these, 
 nursing their anger, hold the uncle responsible 
 for the nephew s faults. Moreover, the Aimable, 
 you and I know, did not go on on the rocks save 
 by treachery. Those two brothers, Duhaut I 
 do not trust. I have caught them whispering 
 at times with the surgeon Liotot: I feel as if 
 there were all sorts of unseen enemies about us, 
 like the alligators that infest these marshes. If 
 they were open enemies like the savages we have 
 driven back from our palisades, or like the 
 buffalo bull you killed when he came near being 
 the end of Father Douay, I would charge 
 straight at them." 
 
 "I think the fever has not quite left you, son," 
 the older man said, laying his hand affectionately 
 on Raoul s shoulder. "Tonight you must sing 
 for us, and that will do you good, as it will 
 us, and the girls will learn why the Indians 
 named you White Thrush. " 
 
 That night while they were singing and danc 
 ing and playing cards, forgetting for a moment 
 that France was far away and the savages near, 
 Raoul, who had just gone out to visit the sentries, 
 
282 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 rushed back, calling out to Joutel . "There is 
 a canoe yonder on the river with a white man in 
 it." 
 
 Everyone jumped up and ran down to the 
 bank. 
 
 "It is Duhaut," exclaimed Joutel in disap 
 pointment and amazement; "what does he here 
 alone?" 
 
 Duhaut now sprang ashore, and to their eager 
 questionings replied that he had loitered one 
 day behind La Salle and the others and when he 
 tried to overtake them had lost his way, and it 
 was only after a month s wanderings that he 
 had succeeded in finding the fort. 
 
 "I do not believe him," Raoul whispered to 
 Joutel; still he listened to Duhaut s story of 
 how some of the sailors of the Belle had been 
 killed by the Indians. The feeling of anxiety 
 which never left him for La Salle s safety was 
 increased by Duhaut s return. 
 
 One early spring day Joutel climbed to the 
 top of the highest house the only point of 
 vantage on the flat coast and looked out over 
 the prairie. He called down suddenly to Raoul 
 below : 
 
 "I see a small party of white men approach 
 ing. It must be La Salle." 
 
 He hurried down and they set out to meet 
 
THE FINAL EFFORT 283 
 
 them. There were hearty greetings on both sides 
 and many questions. 
 
 "You see we are very ragged, my friends," 
 La Salle said smiling as he pointed to their 
 clothes. "We have had many encounters with 
 briars and marshes, with waters and with savages, 
 and our garments would not be allowed in the 
 streets of Paris." 
 
 He had no words of despair for his disappoint 
 ments. As soon as they were rested, he said, and 
 had supplied themselves with ammunition, he 
 would set forth again. 
 
 "Who is that?" he asked Joutel, eyeing sharp 
 ly the back of a man who seemed to be trying 
 to slip into the storehouse unnoticed. 
 
 "It is Duhaut," Joutel answered, and he re 
 peated the story Duhaut had told. 
 
 "It is a lie," cried La Salle. "He deserted 
 us for fear of the dangers that might still be 
 ahead. He is not to be trusted but ..." 
 
 Raoul could finish the sentence for him. He 
 knew that he meant that Duhaut was but one 
 of the many who would desert any moment if 
 there were but any place where they could go. 
 
 The fatigue of his long wanderings and the 
 news the next day that the Belle was either lost 
 or that her crew had sailed for France, leaving 
 the colony to its fate, brought back La Salle s 
 
284 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 illness. Once again Raoul tended him lovingly, 
 and at last the strong spirit bade the body obey 
 and La Salle got to his feet once more. 
 
 "You will take me with you this time, Seig 
 neur," Raoul begged. "I cannot stay behind." 
 
 "You shall go with me, son," La Salle 
 promised. "I too have missed your company 
 sorely. You will be my greatest aid. I know 
 now, Raoul, that we can look for no help to 
 come to us here. Though we stare our eyes out, 
 they will never see a ship sailing westward to us. 
 It is I who must go for succor, and you with me. 
 We shall yet find the Mississippi, and then we 
 shall hurry up to the Illinois and to Tonty, and 
 we shall get men and provisions from Canada 
 for the colony here." 
 
 It was with twenty men that La Salle set out, 
 among them his nephew, Moranget, and his 
 Indian hunter Nika, who had accompanied him 
 to France; and it was with only eight of them 
 he returned some weeks later, again unsuccess 
 ful. 
 
 "I tell you, Joutel," Raoul said that night as 
 they sat together by the river, trying to get a 
 cool breeze from the Gulf, "that the Seigneur is 
 greater in adversity even than in good fortune. 
 Had you but seen him day by day as we 
 journeyed. We killed buffalo and carried a 
 
THE FINAL EFFORT 285 
 
 much meat as we could. Old German Hiems 
 was nearly drowned in one river we crossed and 
 Pierre was devoured by an alligator. We en 
 tered Indian villages where sometimes we were 
 welcomed and sometimes attacked. Once the 
 Seigneur was swept down the river on a raft, 
 and we thought we should never see him again. 
 We saw the spoils of the Spaniards in the wig 
 wams of the Cenis, and we suffered fever. But 
 we did not find the Mississippi." 
 
 Joutel told of all that had happened during 
 their absence from the fort. "I cannot help be 
 ing glad you are back," he said. "The presence 
 of La Salle has already heartened my flock who 
 are so homesick and hopeless. His words, when 
 he wills, put new life into everyone." 
 
 "We shall not stay here long though, Joutel," 
 Raoul announced. "I know that the Seigneur 
 is eager to be off again." 
 
 Cloth was no longer to be had to piece out torn 
 garments, so at JouteFs suggestion, the extra 
 canvas sails left behind by the Belle were cut 
 up and hose and jerkins fashioned from them. 
 The sight of these garments brought many 
 smiles as La Salle and the seventeen men he had 
 chosen for his final expedition went about 
 bidding farewell. 
 
 "Take good care of the fort, Barbier," 
 
286 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 counselled Joutel as he shook hands with his 
 comrade left in charge; "there are some amongst 
 us I wish were to remain behind here, and I would 
 that you could come with us in their stead." 
 
 "Have you anyone in particular in mind?" 
 asked Barbier, and Raoul lingered to hear the 
 answer; but La Salle, who had reached the gate 
 in the palisades, called and they had to hurry 
 forward and he found no time that day for 
 further conversation with Joutel. 
 
 The party set off lustily, La Salle with hopes 
 again high, and the others exhilarated by the 
 briskness of the winter air and bright sunshine 
 and the possibility of success. There was Abbe 
 Cavelier and Friar Douay, Moranget, La Salle s 
 nephew, German Hiems, Duhaut, Liotot, the 
 surgeon, Nika, Beaver Tail and others. Five 
 precious horses carried their extra supplies and 
 goods for barter with the Indians. The poor 
 beasts quivered with nervousness at the strange 
 sights, sounds and odors. 
 
 Raoul, the two Indians, Nika and Beaver 
 Tail, acted as guides. They scouted ahead, chose 
 the best spots for camp, fished and hunted and 
 gave warning often of approaching Indians. By 
 means of signs and some words they had learned 
 from these, they were informed that the Great 
 River lay ahead of them towards the rising sun. 
 
THE FINAL EFFORT 287 
 
 For some weeks they continued and each day that 
 they toiled without success the spirit of the men 
 became more morose, and several times Raoul 
 came upon Liotot and Duhaut as they were 
 talking in low tones. 
 
 "It was a few leagues from this spot, to the 
 north, that I hid a quantity of corn and beans 
 in a hollow tree when I passed by here last 
 autumn," said La Salle one evening in the 
 middle of March. "We have indeed need of it 
 now to replenish our bags. You, Duhaut, and 
 you, Liotot, and Hiems, Teissier, FArcheveque, 
 Nika and Saget, will set off to fetch it while the 
 rest of us wait here." 
 
 When they had started those remaining ate 
 their supper and made their arrangements for 
 the night. Raoul s spirits had sunk so low that 
 he felt he could not sleep, and he sat crouched 
 before the fire, his head in his hands. He felt 
 someone sit down beside him, but he was so 
 miserable that he did not care who it was, and 
 did not even look up. A hand touched his head 
 and he heard La Salle s voice : 
 
 "Raoul, my son, what is it?" 
 
 The tenderness of the tone brought tears to 
 Raoul s eyes. It had been so long since the 
 Seigneur had spoken to him intimately that he 
 knew now that he had been hungry for his words 
 
288 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 and companionship. He straightened himself 
 and smiled, but his smile was a sad one. 
 
 "You are afraid, Raoul?" La Salle asked, and 
 reproached was mingled with the tenderness. 
 "Afraid, I mean not of any special danger, but 
 of all the unknown before us, of what may 
 happen." 
 
 "And are you never afraid, Seigneur?" the 
 youth queried quickly, as if to justify himself, 
 "afraid that the evil luck which has pursued 
 us ever since we left France may continue? 
 Does your mind never grow dark with fear that 
 after all ... after all your hopes ... all your 
 daring ... all your suffering . . . you may fail 
 in the end?" 
 
 His last words were spoken so low that they 
 were almost inaudible, but La Salle caught them. 
 The man did not answer; he threw some pieces 
 of pine on the fire, and when it blazed up brightly 
 looked searchingly into the flames, as if he would 
 read the future there. 
 
 "The end?" he repeated after a while, "the 
 end? . . . That is not our concern. It is what 
 comes before the end." 
 
 The crackling of the fire was the only sound 
 for a few moments. "And if I should fail in 
 the end, lad," he began again; "if God wills that 
 other hands shall build where I have laid the 
 
THE FINAL EFFORT 289 
 
 foundations, have I not already done what shall 
 never be forgotten? Have I not given France 
 a new empire, made savage tribes her friends, 
 conceived a great plan which shall be carried 
 out, whether or not it be I who do it? I shall not 
 fear, son; I shall not falter before the end, and 
 what the end shall be lies in the hands of God." 
 
 "Forgive me, Seigneur," Raoul begged, and 
 he did not need to say for what he asked for 
 giveness. 
 
 "But you, Raoul," La Salle now spoke in a 
 different tone, "must learn not to give in weakly 
 to moods. You have proved yourself a man in 
 valor and endurance; you must henceforth be a 
 man in spirit. You must not ask yourself what 
 will the morrow bring forth? You must wake 
 each morning and say, C I am ready for to-day. 
 You know that the New World asks for men of 
 different mould than those of Europe. I think 
 not that you regret having come to it." 
 
 "Nay, Seigneur, I could not live there again," 
 he replied. "Whatever happens, my life shall 
 be spent in New France, and with you. Am I 
 not your son?" 
 
 "You have indeed been a son to me, Raoul," 
 La Salle assented, "a son who fills me with hap 
 piness and pride. I trust that we shall work 
 
290 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 side by side while I live, and that when I die 
 you will carry on my work." 
 
 He was in the mood for talking, and they sat 
 by the fire half the night, recalling many inci 
 dents of their first meeting and of the long 
 journey down and up the Mississippi. When at 
 last they lay down in their blankets Raoul s 
 melancholy had vanished and he put himself to 
 sleep by repeating the words of affection La 
 Salle had spoken to him. 
 
 The next morning Saget returned with the 
 message that he had found the cache, but that 
 the provisions in it had rotted. However, they 
 had had great luck and had killed some buffalo 
 and were waiting for the horses to bring the 
 meat back to camp. 
 
 "Go, Moranget," La Salle commanded his 
 nephew, "you and Merle and Saget take the 
 horses and hasten, for we are all waiting hungrily 
 for the feast." 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 THE PIGMIES AND THE GIANT 
 
 "TT is good to be away by ourselves," re- 
 - marked Duhaut to Liotot as they were 
 cutting up the buffalo meat and hanging it up 
 to dry, "good not to see the stern mouth and 
 eyes of our commander, nor have to listen to 
 the overbearing insolence of that sprig of a 
 Moranget. But never mind, our time will come." 
 
 "Hush! comrade," warned Liotot. "You are 
 not yet sure of the others. There s no hurry. 
 We may lack food and clothes in this wilderness, 
 but of time we have enough and to waste." 
 
 Nevertheless, Duhaut continued, but in a 
 lower voice, "I am getting tired of waiting. I 
 cannot bear their insolence much longer. When 
 
 291 
 
292 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 we have . . . had our way," he laughed, "we 
 can rule the colony as we will and you, a sur 
 geon, ought to be learned enough to supply the 
 wits while I will provide the force." 
 
 "Here comes Hiems," interrupted the sur 
 geon; "have you sounded him?" 
 
 The German adventurer was sucking the meat 
 from a marrow-bone still too hot for his hands 
 to hold comfortably. He strolled lazily towards 
 the others, but did not offer to help them in their 
 work. " Tis a pity we can t keep all of this 
 meat for ourselves," he remarked, a greedy smile 
 on his fat face. "It would fill our bellies well, 
 but when it is divided with them back yonder 
 there will be but a small portion for each, and 
 we shall soon all be hungry again." 
 
 " T would be well an there were fewer of 
 us, you think?" queried Duhaut with a side 
 long glance. 
 
 "There s one I could do without," Heims re 
 plied, throwing the empty bone away, "and 
 that s young Moranget. The uncle s bad enough, 
 but the nephew s worse. He s repaid you well, 
 Surgeon, with insults for all your care when 
 he was ill." 
 
 "I love him not," Liotot assented dryly. 
 
 "But our dislike will not drive him from us," 
 said Duaut, determined now to test Hiems. 
 
THE PIGMIES AND THE GIANT 293 
 
 "Then why not try other means?" asked the 
 German. 
 
 The three drew closer together and, after 
 looking about to make sure they were not over 
 heard, began to discuss the matter. They aired 
 all their grievances against La Salle and Moran- 
 get, and at last came to the conclusion that they 
 would gradually win to them as many of the 
 colonists as were disaffected and, when fit occa 
 sion should arise, they would make the two 
 prisoners and take charge of the colony. 
 
 They had scarcely done talking when the sound 
 of horses hoofs brought the rest of their com 
 panions to them. 
 
 "Ho! there!" cried Moranget, riding into the 
 open space, followed by De Marie and Saget. 
 "Hurry and pack the meat, for by dawn we must 
 load and start back to the camp. You don t 
 seem to have speeded yourselves," he added con 
 temptuously, as he sprang from his horse and 
 examined the strips of meat hanging up to dry." 
 
 "Time enough," grunted Hiems. 
 
 "And where are the marrow-bones and the 
 choicest bits of the meat?" questioned Moranget, 
 making a second examination. 
 
 "Those are our own," Liotot answered, "by 
 right of ancient woodland custom." 
 
 There was a veiled insolence in his answer 
 
294 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 which did not escape the young nobleman. "You 
 have no such right," he blazed out; "it is my 
 uncle who will divide it all as he sees fit. Where 
 is it, scoundrels?" 
 
 No one answered. He turned to Nika. "Find 
 it, Nika, and you and Saget bring it here." 
 
 The Indian and the Frenchman returned in a 
 few minutes, bearing a portion of the reserved 
 dainties, and made other trips until it was all piled 
 at Moranget s feet. There was no word of pro 
 test spoken, but on every face was a look like 
 that of a dog that has seen his bone taken away 
 from him and does not dare bite. Then Mo- 
 ranget lay down to rest while the horses were 
 unbridled and watered and dinner was cooking. 
 
 Duhaut, Liotot and Hiems strolled off, one 
 after the other, then FArchiveque and all of the 
 others, except the cook and Nika, as if moved 
 by the same impulse. 
 
 "Why wait longer?" asked Duhaut when they 
 were assembled a quarter of a mile off. He 
 spoke as if he had already discussed the matter 
 with them all, but the look in their eyes had told 
 him what he wanted to know and that it was safe 
 to assume that they shared his feelings. "Shall it 
 be to-night?" 
 
 Liotot studied the ground as if it were a book, 
 then he looked up and said : "What use in ridding 
 
THE PIGMIES AND THE GIANT 295 
 
 ourselves of the nephew if the uncle is left to 
 punish us?" 
 
 "Then, in the devil s name, the uncle as well!" 
 cried Duhaut. 
 
 When dinner was over and the fire out all was 
 quiet in the camp and all slept except Moranget 
 who had the first watch. When he had paced 
 back and forth for an hour he roused Saget, who 
 an hour later called Nika. When the Indian in 
 his turn had called his successor and fallen 
 asleep, the conspirators arose. 
 
 The starlight showed faintly the barrels of the 
 muskets of those who formed a circle about the 
 sleepers and on the axe in the hand of the sur 
 geon, the hand which in France had used no other 
 weapons than those of mercy. 
 
 "The Indian first," Duhaut had counselled; 
 "he sleeps more lightly." 
 
 One blow on the head, and Nika passed from 
 dreams of hunting to the Indian happy hunting 
 grounds. Another blow, and Saget, La Salle s 
 faithful servant, groaned his last. Liotot 
 brought his axe down on the thick hair of Mo 
 ranget, but whether his arm was fatigued or 
 whether the blade turned, the blow had not the 
 force of the first two. The young nobleman, 
 instinctively fighting for life, sat up and cried 
 out. 
 
296 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 "Finish him," cried Liotot, thrusting the axe 
 into Marie s hand. A second blow from the 
 latter and Moranget fell back across Nika s 
 body. 
 
 When two days had passed and Moranget 
 had not returned, La Salle grew anxious. "To 
 morrow morning we will go in search of them, 
 Joutel," he said. "I wonder what has happened, 
 and somehow my mind is not easy. It does not 
 seem possible that my nephew could not find 
 them, and he knows how urgent is our need of 
 the meat and surely would not tarry so long 
 unless . . . Joutel, do you think they would 
 harm him? Have you any idea that they plot 
 against me? I may do him wrong, yet I admit 
 that I trust not Duhaut." 
 
 "Nor I, Seigneur," answered Joutel. "I have 
 seen no evidence of treachery but I have often 
 heard them complain of being found fault with, 
 though we know how necessary that was for the 
 sake of discipline." 
 
 "I fear Moranget is not liked by the men," 
 La Salle remarked gravely, "and in truth I my 
 self like not the manners of my nephew. Raoul s 
 way is better; when he is in authority he will 
 know well how to handle men." Then later on 
 he added: "I am uneasy, Joutel." 
 
 When morning came La Salle changed his 
 
THE PIGMIES AND THE GIANT 297 
 
 mind. "You stay here, Joutel," he ordered. 
 Father Douay will accompany me." 
 
 "I am going with you too, Seigneur," Raoul 
 begged, but La Salle shook his head. "Nay, son, 
 you will obey my command. Au revoir, Raoul, 
 and have things ready for the feast." 
 
 Raoul watched the two and the Indian guide 
 disappear into the forest. Then he sat there in 
 the sunlight, the world warm and gay about him, 
 the birds singing and the little woodland folk 
 hurrying about their business, but a black cloud 
 seemed to hide it all from him. He had not over 
 heard the talk the evening before between La 
 Salle and Joutel and did not know of their 
 anxiety. But he felt some dire disaster was ap 
 proaching and could not throw off the presenti 
 ment. Not for years had he disobeyed a com 
 mand of the Seigneur and the habit of obedience 
 was now hard to break. He rose at last, cleaned 
 his gun, and set off, running along the trail La 
 Salle had taken an hour before. 
 
 It was another hour before he caught sight of 
 them. He had not the courage to face his 
 master, and now that he saw that all was well 
 with him, he was on the point of turning back. 
 But he could see that the friar and La Salle were 
 in earnest conversation and he caught a few 
 words in the sonorous voice of the former, which 
 
298 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 carried far through the silent forest: "God be 
 praised for the state of grace in which you stand, 
 Seigneur La Salle. A man who was about to 
 die could not be more prepared than you are." 
 
 "A man about to die!" The words echoed in 
 Raoul s heart like a knell, and he moved on 
 ward, far enough behind to keep the others in 
 sight, yet with no danger that his footsteps might 
 betray his presence to them. 
 
 As he advanced, the uncertainty of the situa 
 tion weighed more and more on La Salle s mind. 
 Bit by bit, he was remembering all the dark 
 looks, the surly words and the discontent which 
 had been daily increasing. A feeling of great 
 discouragement crept over his brave spirit, a 
 mood against which he seemed unable to struggle 
 as he had always forced himself to struggle 
 against depression. Never yet, he said to him 
 self, had he failed in the end to bend men to his 
 will. Truly then, his body must be poisoned by 
 fever or miasma if now he could not throw off 
 this weight of an approaching calamity. If any 
 thing had happened to his nephew, he thought; 
 if those men whom he had always distrusted, yet 
 whom he had been obliged to make use of, had 
 injured or killed Moranget, he must treat them 
 with the utmost severity. He had no thought of 
 any fear for himself; his one thought was to 
 
THE PIGMIES AND THE GIANT 299 
 
 hasten for help for the men and women he had 
 left behind him in the colony. 
 
 He hurried onward, eager now to put an end 
 to the uncertainty he could not be far from the 
 place, and Raoul, too, quickened his steps in 
 order not to widen the distance between them. 
 
 A stre<am came in sight and the Indian pointed 
 out that the camp was on its opposite bank. La 
 Salle hastened forward and caught sight of 
 1 Archiveque, standing on the other side of the 
 water. 
 
 "Where is Moranget?" he cried out as he ap 
 proached. 
 
 L Archiveque looked across with an insolent 
 air as if the questioner were of no importance 
 and replied: "Oh! wandering about somewhere. 
 It s none of my business." 
 
 Never before had one of his men spoken to 
 him thus. Had he but taken time to notice, La 
 Salle would have realized that this insolence was 
 the very trumpet call of rebellion. "How dare 
 you answer me in such a manner?" he called out 
 angrily, approaching nearer to the ambush where 
 Duhaut and Liotot were hidden. "Go at once 
 and find my nephew and inform him that I am 
 here." 
 
 Raoul s ears had caught the tone, though not 
 the words of 1 Archiveque, and he knew that it 
 
300 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 betokened something wrong. He ran forward, 
 no longer fearing to be reproached, his one idea 
 to be at his master s side in this moment of 
 danger. When he was within twenty paces of 
 La Salle he saw on the other side of the stream 
 two musket barrels shoving aside the long grass. 
 He stood still, paralyzed with fear at the calamity 
 he could do nothing to avert. At the same in 
 stant he heard a report and saw the Seigneur 
 waver and fall. Then he rushed on, his own gun 
 pointed across the stream, but did not take time 
 to fire in his eagerness to reach his master. 
 
 The wounded man gave a smile when he saw 
 Raoul s face bending over him and moved the 
 hand which had been clapped over the spot from 
 which the blood was spurting, to clasp that of the 
 youth. 
 
 "Seigneur!" sobbed Raoul, and kissed it, red 
 dening his lips with its tragic moisture. 
 
 "Farewell, dear son," La Salle spoke firmly: 
 "Hasten before they kill you also. You must 
 live to carry on my work. You alone of all those 
 who have been with me have had the vision to see 
 the greatness of it." 
 
 His voice grew weaker and he gestured with 
 his hand for Raoul to flee. 
 
 "No, no, Seigneur," he remonstrated. "I can- 
 
THE PIGMIES AND THE GIANT 301 
 
 not leave you now, but if I live I vow to you that 
 I will follow as far as I may in your footsteps." 
 
 La Salle s head sank back on the strong young 
 breast and he murmured: "Thanks, my son." 
 
 Then he was gone. 
 
 The murderers, who for a moment startled at 
 the effect of their shot, had been gazing at the 
 giant s deathbed, now jumped across the stream. 
 Raoul, whose arms were still encumbered by La 
 Salle s body, could make no resistenee to the 
 blow Liotot gave him with the butt of his gun. 
 
 Luckily for him he could not see nor hear what 
 followed . . . the terror-stricken countenance 
 of Father Douay beneath the veil of the thick 
 grey moss hanging from the trees, the cries from 
 the murderers that the friar had nothing to fear 
 from them; the rushing together of the con 
 spirators who, like wild beasts, flocked around 
 their victim. Luckily he could not see Liotot as 
 he kicked the body of the man whose greatness 
 he could not measure, nor hear him cry out mock 
 ingly, "There thou liest, great Bashaw! There 
 thouliest!" 
 
 Stripped and naked, they dragged the dead 
 giant about and threw him into the bushes, grant 
 ing him not even the decency of a burial. 
 Lucky, indeed, was Raoul that he knew nothing 
 of all this till days after, when Father Douay 
 
302 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 and the Indian had borne him back to the camp 
 where Joutel and Abbe Cavelier needed no more 
 than the friar s panic-stricken face to tell them 
 that they had lost their commander and their 
 brother. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 RAOUL S DECISION 
 
 THE sunlight was creeping through the 
 opening of the wigwam and flecking the 
 eastern floor beneath the smoke hole. The eyes 
 of the sick man followed it and seemed to be 
 trying to read the shadows of leaves and branches 
 as if they were words in a book which could tell 
 him what he wanted to know. But he was un 
 able to make out their message and his head 
 sank back wearily. After a while the sunlight, 
 striking direct upon his face, roused him again. 
 His eyes opened and wandered about the wig 
 wam, passing over the hearth in the centre where 
 faggots were laid ready for the lighting, the 
 pile of mats and skins that marked another bed 
 such as the one he rested on, poles from which 
 dangled strips of dried meat, and a bow and a 
 
304 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 quiver lying on the ground. At these he looked 
 as if they did not exist, but his eyes widened 
 questioningly when they saw a sunbeam fall on 
 the stock of two guns resting against one of the 
 tree trunks which formed the frame support of 
 the wigwam. These and the powder horn re 
 called something indistinct, something which he 
 felt dimly he had known about in another life. 
 When one didn t know anything of one s present 
 existence, name or place, why should one s tired 
 brain try to chase facts that hid in the past? 
 Some vague feeling of this sort worried him, yet 
 he still made an effort to think what those guns 
 recalled. He sat up, though his weak body 
 wavered from side to side and looked at them. 
 Then he uttered a cry, for he remembered . . . 
 a gun half hidden by long grass, a stream, and 
 then a tall man whose body broke a flowering 
 alder bush as it fell. 
 
 "Seigneur!" he cried, and this was the first 
 word he had spoken for six weeks. 
 
 Bit by bit it came back to him more or less 
 clearly that he who lay here was Raoul de Lar- 
 nac, a man now. He remembered best of all the 
 murder and the few minutes which preceded it. 
 He remembered that he himself had been 
 wounded, though it had been only a flesh wound, 
 and even a day later, he had been able to walk 
 
RAOUL S DECISION 305 
 
 with a bandaged head. He remembered Joutel 
 and Abbe Cavelier and Father Douay, and how 
 he with them had sworn that they would escape 
 from the murderers at the first opportunity. He 
 felt again the thrill of horror than ran through 
 him whenever on their long march northward he 
 had looked at Duhaut and Liotot and 1 Archi- 
 veque. He was not afraid that they miglft kill 
 him, as were Abbe Cavelier and good Joutel; he 
 was so miserable without the Seigneur that he 
 rather hoped they would. The details of the 
 journey were all blurred in his mind; he recalled 
 little beyond a great feeling of effort and fatigue 
 and a sound in his ears of constant quarreling. 
 Then one more memory emerged distinct of 
 German Hiems who had quarrelled with Duhaut 
 and killed him with a pistol shot the same mo 
 ment that Liotot was killed by another of his 
 companions. After this he remembered nothing, 
 and his brain ached now with the strain he had 
 put upon it. 
 
 He heard footsteps approaching, and did not 
 know whether he ought to be frightened or glad. 
 A tall Indian entered and smiled as he looked 
 into the open eyes. 
 
 "The fever has left White Thrush;" he ex 
 claimed as he laid his hand on the white man s 
 
306 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 forehead. Raoul tried for a moment to recol 
 lect, then said: 
 
 "Beaver Tail. Is it Beaver Tail? Where 
 are we?" 
 
 "Safe alone in the forest," the Indian an 
 swered. "You have been ill for over two moons 
 now. For a time you walked along with us and 
 we knew not that there was anything wrong with 
 you. Later on we knew, but dared not stop or 
 leave you. Then when J out el and the Abbe were 
 eager to hurry on to Fort St. Louis, I stayed be 
 hind with you because you could walk no far 
 ther." 
 
 "Beaver Tail is a friend to White Thrush," 
 Raoul said, speaking slowly. 
 
 "Why not?" asked the Indian; "were you not 
 a son to the Great Chief? He would be sad if I 
 did not care for you until I have guided you to 
 your own people." 
 
 The Indian then lighted the fire, filled the 
 gourds with meat and water and spoke no more 
 until he had prepared a soup which he made 
 Raoul drink. "To-morrow," he said, "you shall 
 have fresh meat to give you new strength. I 
 have killed a turkey and I will sit in the sunshine 
 and pluck it while you sleep again." 
 
 The next day, to Raoul s amazement, and to 
 Beaver Tail s delight, the invalid was able to 
 
RAOUL S DECISION 307 
 
 walk a few steps; so rapid was his recovery that 
 it seemed as if his strength had only waited for 
 the fever to depart that it might return with 
 double force. But it was only his body that was 
 strong; his spirit was still listless. 
 
 When he was strong enough to join Beaver 
 Tail in his hunt for game the Indian asked: 
 "Shall we not soon be journeying on, White 
 Thrush?" 
 
 And Raoul, as if the question were too momen 
 tous to answer, replied: "I do not know. Where 
 can we go?" 
 
 The Indian was patient. He had seen a beast 
 that had been wounded in a trap licking a broken 
 paw until it healed slowly, and he knew that 
 Raoul s spirit had need of time to recover. But 
 one day later when he had put the question and 
 received the same answer, he said: "White 
 Thrush is now a man, and a man is not like a 
 papoose. He knows what trail he must follow." 
 
 "A man!" This reality came to Raoul for 
 almost the first time. In truth, he was a man of 
 twenty years. As long as La Salle had lived 
 and treated him like a son he had seemed to him 
 self but a boy whose life was regulated by an 
 other, who had no big decisions to make. Now, 
 he realized, the time had come when he must 
 stand alone, when there was no one living who 
 
308 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 could direct his goings and comings. He felt 
 suddenly cold and fearful as he had felt as a very 
 little boy when he was left alone at night in the 
 dark. In thought, as then in fact, he instinctively 
 turned to his elder brothers for protection, and he 
 wondered whether he might not be happy as they 
 were to live in France in the gay crowd of the 
 court. 
 
 From the boulder where he sat on the side of a 
 hill he could look for miles over the prairie below. 
 A herd of buffalo dashed across the plain, for 
 what cause he could not tell. A little to his right 
 an eagle was soaring into the clear sky and the 
 sunshine striking his breast, turned the feathers 
 to gold. Something seemed to break within 
 Raoul and something new to rush in and take 
 its place. He sprang to his feet and flung his 
 arms above his head as if he would reach up to 
 the eagle. Then he waved his hand to the buffalo 
 and cried out: "Run, brothers, run. This is our 
 world, the world of unchained beasts and of free 
 men!" 
 
 He hastened to the wigwam where he found 
 Beaver Tail smoking. "To-morrow morning, 
 Beaver Tail," he said, "we shall start north. I 
 have slept long, but now I am awake. We will 
 follow the trail of Joutel until we find Sieur 
 Tonty." 
 
IN His NEW- FOUND STRENGTH RAOUL ENJOYED THE 
 
 DAYS OF JOURNEYINGS. 
 
RAOUL S DECISION 309 
 
 "White Thrush, the Chief, has spoken," re 
 plied the Indian, his eyes bright with pleasure. 
 
 In his new-found strength and manhood Raoul 
 once more enjoyed the days of journeyings, the 
 finding the way through forests to the river; the 
 bargaining with friendly Indians for a canoe ; the 
 movement of the boat; the river life, and the 
 quiet companionship of Beaver Tail. They 
 talked often of La Salle, of his greatness, which 
 had been more patent to the Indian than to many 
 of the colonists; of the affection he had always 
 shown for both of them. 
 
 It was a long trip up the Great River, and 
 sometimes it seemed to Raoul as if Fort St. 
 Louis, where they hoped to find Tonty, must be 
 a dream fort that retreated as fast as they ad 
 vanced. Yet they were now passing many land 
 marks which brought back memories of La Salle. 
 
 It was a summer day when at last they saw 
 the Rock ahead of them. At the sight 
 of the Lilies of France, Raoul cried out in de 
 light; the sentinel above heard him and when 
 they landed below a crowd of Indians and 
 Frenchmen was there to meet them. Many of 
 them greeted Beaver Tail as an old friend, but 
 at first no one recognized Raoul. Then Etienne, 
 who had been looking at him searchingly, slapped 
 him on the shoulders and exclaimed: "Is this 
 
310 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 you, my Raoul? All ye saints! what a man!" 
 
 Raoul clasped his hand so firmly that the old 
 woodsman almost winced. "Yes, it is Raoul, 
 old Cooncap, and glad to see the face of a friend 
 again. Where is Sieur Tonty? I would report 
 to him at once. And is Joutel here and Abbe 
 Cavelier? And how have you kept all these 
 many moons since we sailed for France?" 
 
 "Have you not spoken French for so long 
 that it is all bottled up?" exclaimed Etienne; "so 
 many questions at once! You ll find Tonty 
 above at the fort and Joutel and the Abbe left 
 us in the spring to return to France, and as you 
 see, the wolves have not eaten old Etienne yet." 
 
 Raoul ran all the way up the Rock, his eager 
 ness now to see Tonty urging him on. The sen 
 tinel, after a glance to make sure that it was a 
 Frenchman and no strange Indian in the buck 
 skin garments, admitted him into the fort and 
 told him that he would find the commander in 
 the largest of the wooden cabins. 
 
 Tonty sat alone at a table, writing, his iron 
 hand resting on a stack of papers. He looked up 
 at the sound of the opening door, and rose as 
 Raoul entered and came towards him with out 
 stretched hands. 
 
 "Is it indeed little Raoul?" he asked, his soft 
 deep voice full of affection. "It is good to see 
 
RAOUL S DECISION 311 
 
 you again. Joutel told me how he had had to 
 leave you behind on the journey." 
 
 "It is indeed good to be back here, Sieur 
 Tonty," Raoul remarked, seating himself in the 
 first chair in which he had sat for many months ; 
 "yet it makes me sad, too, when every bit of 
 ground here, every log in the forest reminds me 
 of the Seigneur." 
 
 "Do you miss him then so much?" asked the 
 Italian. "Is Raoul, the man, as loyal and de 
 voted a follower as was Raoul, the lad, who first 
 followed his fortunes?" 
 
 "Could I ever forget him?" Raoul replied, al 
 most angry at the question. 
 
 "It must be a great pleasure to him to receive 
 such affection," said Tonty wistfully. "But tell 
 me what news you have of him now and when we 
 may expect him here?" 
 
 "Expect him!" cried Raoul in amazement. 
 
 "Surely it will not be long?" said Tonty. 
 
 Raoul leaned his elbows on the table and 
 looked across at his companion. "Do you mean," 
 he asked, "that you have not heard?" 
 
 "Yea," answered Tonty, speaking so quickly 
 that Raoul had no opportunity to interrupt, "I 
 heard that my friend had sailed from France, 
 that he had landed on the shores of the Gulf, and 
 that his colony suffered one misfortune after 
 
312 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 the other. I knew that he was in dire straits and 
 in need of assistance. Could I then sit still and 
 not go to his aid? I set forth with a party of 
 twenty-five men and eleven Indians, and again 
 I descended the river we three had first travelled 
 together." 
 
 "How far did you get?" inquired Raoul. 
 
 "All the way to the Gulf, but I found no sign, 
 though I searched long both to the east and to 
 the west of the river." 
 
 "Nay, it was God s or the devil s will," 
 Raoul explained, "that we were led far to the 
 west of you. And then?" 
 
 "Then," answered Tonty, "after I had re 
 mained as long as I could, I wrote a letter to 
 La Salle and left it with an Indian chief to give 
 to the Seigneur when he should appear, and I 
 travelled sadly northward again." 
 
 "But when Abbe Cavelier and Joutel reached 
 here," Raoul continued, "surely they told you 
 all that had happened?" 
 
 "They stayed with me through the winter and 
 I was glad to hear that they had left La Salle in 
 good health, but . . ." 
 
 ff ln good health!" shouted Raoul, "good 
 health ! Did they not tell you he was murdered?" 
 
 The room was suddenly quiet. The two men 
 gazed steadily at each other, questions in both 
 
RAOUL S DECISION 313 
 
 pair of eyes. Finally Tonty said slowly: "La 
 Salle . . . my friend . . . murdered! Ah! 
 Raoul, say that it is your fever that makes you 
 still delirious." 
 
 "Would God that were indeed so," Raoul 
 groaned. 
 
 "Tell me all," begged Tonty, rising and walk 
 ing around the table to the other s side. He 
 listened in silence to the story of treachery, his 
 sensitive mouth alone betraying his emotion. 
 
 "But what meant his brother, the Abbe, by his 
 deception?" cried Raoul when he had finished his 
 tragic account. "I never liked him, though he 
 was the Seigneur s brother; but Joutel, faithful 
 Joutel, why should he lie, too?" 
 
 "I think I understand the Abbe s reason," 
 Tonty remarked. "He wished to get hold of 
 what was left of his brother s possessions both 
 here and in France before news of his death 
 would make the creditors seize them; but I do 
 not know why Joutel, if he were inded the loyal 
 man you believe him, should have shared his de 
 ceit." 
 
 "I think perhaps I can explain," said Raoul, 
 after a little thought. "If when he arrived in 
 France, the King should believe the Seigneur 
 still alive, His Majesty would be more willing 
 to send succor to him and the colony. And Jou- 
 
314 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 tel would still have the good of the colony at 
 heart. God knows what may have become of 
 it by now!" 
 
 Each was lost in his sad thoughts. At last 
 Tonty roused himself and asked: And what 
 will you do now, Raoul go back to France?" 
 
 Before Raoul could answer, the door opened 
 and on the threshold stood an Indian brave, 
 young and tall. "White Thrush!" he cried, 
 "Swift Fox has come to greet you on your re 
 turn." 
 
 Raoul s pleasure was no less than that of his 
 old companion. So busy was he telling what had 
 happened since they parted that he did not notice 
 that Tonty had quitted the room, and left them 
 alone. 
 
 "And has Swift Fox been on the warpath 
 against the Iroquois?" he asked; and the Indian 
 pointed to a scalp-lock at his belt. "I have kept 
 my promise, too, White Thrush," he added. "I 
 have served Chief Tonty and with him I 
 journeyed down the Great River in search of 
 you." 
 
 "That is well, my friend," remarked Raoul, 
 observing the fine, strong body before him. "Let 
 us go out into the air and talk. I cannot breathe 
 long indoors." 
 
 He told the Indian the story of all that had 
 
RAOUL S DECISION 315 
 
 happened since they parted and especially of 
 La Salle s murder, and he listened in turn to 
 Swift Fox s narration of his first war foray and 
 how he had won his eagle feather. Tonty joined 
 them as they strolled along within the limits of 
 the palisaded fort. It pleased the Italian to 
 look at two such perfect specimens of manhood, 
 and the memory of many famous sculptures of 
 athletes in his own country made him wish that 
 he were sculptor so that he could put into 
 bronze or marble the contrast of their two types. 
 
 "What will you do now, Raoul?" he asked, 
 "return to France? You did not answer me be 
 fore." 
 
 "My lot is in the New World," Raoul an 
 swered in French, and then repeated his words 
 in the Indian tongue for the benefit of Swift 
 Fox. "I promised the Seigneur that I would try 
 to do my best in building up for France the great 
 empire he dreamed of and began." 
 
 "I am glad," Tonty exclaimed, smiling at him. 
 "This new land has given you much; now you 
 must pay back. But what will you do first go 
 to Quebec and ask the Governor for some posi 
 tion, or may I hope that you will remain with 
 me?" 
 
 "If you ever have need of me, Sieur Tonty, 
 you have only to send for me and I will come," 
 
816 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Raoul replied. "But just now I am eager to 
 undertake a quest which has been waiting for me 
 many years. Do you recall my story of how I 
 was carried off by the Senecas and with me a 
 little French maiden, Denise Dubois?" 
 
 Tonty nodded. Swift Fox, though he could 
 understand a fair amount of French, was appar 
 ently uninterested in the conversation. His 
 thoughts were elsewhere; he seemed to be listen 
 ing to some sound which the others had not 
 caught. Raoul continued: 
 
 "I have always felt sure that the little girl 
 must be alive. Once I heard of her through 
 Black Duck, the Huron hunter, and once I saw 
 her myself for an instant but could not stop. I 
 knew that it was my duty to rescue her from cap 
 tivity and take her back to her family; but my 
 duty to the Seigneur came first. Now alas, that 
 claims me no longer, and I shall try to find her." 
 
 Swift Fox had become certain that the call he 
 had heard was a human call and not that of the 
 dog it imitated. He sprang towards the gate and 
 a few moments later came back to Tonty and 
 Raoul. 
 
 "The Iroquois have laid waste the villages of 
 some of my people, several days journey north 
 of here, and all our tribe sets out on the warpath 
 against them. I must join them, Chief. White 
 
RAOUL S DECISION 317 
 
 Thrush, will you not come with me ? Remember, 
 you, too, are a brave of our tribe." 
 
 "That is so, Raoul," Tonty ejaculated. "I 
 had almost forgotten your initiation." 
 
 "I will go with you, Swift Fox," Raoul an 
 swered. "You speak the truth: I have lain in 
 the dream lodge of the Hurons, and there my 
 manitou spoke to me. Perhaps, too," he said, 
 turning to Tonty, "I may hear of Denise from 
 Iroquois captives. We will set off at once, and 
 if Beaver Tail wishes to go with me, tell him, I 
 pray you, to follow my trail. Farewell for a 
 while, Sieur Tonty; you shall have news of me, 
 and I pray that you will always bear me affec 
 tion for the sake of the Seigneur who loved us 
 both." 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 AMBUSHED 
 
 WHEN they were half down the hill Raoul 
 remembered what he had entrusted to 
 Tonty s care before he set sail for France with 
 La Salle and climbed back to the Fort for it. 
 
 "See!" he cried when he had rejoined Swift 
 Fox, who had waited for him by the river. 
 "Here is the ancient medicine bag of the Senecas. 
 Who knows that it may not prove valuable to 
 me again? How long ago it was that I found it 
 and rejoiced because I thought it might be the 
 means of serving the Seigneur. Oh, Swift Fox, 
 if only I could have saved him again at the end!" 
 
 That night Beaver Tail caught up with them, 
 and the three companions, Frenchman, Mohegan 
 and Huron, in the two days which followed until 
 they reached the Huron village, took silent 
 pleasure in one another s company. They spoke 
 
 318 
 
AMBUSHED 319 
 
 seldom, not from precaution, but because they 
 were not accustomed to the use of many words. 
 
 Their arrival at the village was the signal for 
 rejoicings. Swift Fox had already won the 
 name of an audacious warrior, and White Thrush 
 was remembered for his initiation as a brave. 
 There was feasting that night and many speeches. 
 The evil deeds of the Iroquois were counted over 
 and it was declared that the time had come when 
 they should be punished. 
 
 RaouFs blood was stirred by the dances and 
 the speeches. It was easy for him to forget that 
 he was anything but a Huron brave. He listened 
 while one of the chiefs, after chanting the names 
 and exploits of many members of the war party 
 which was to set forth, sang: "White Thrush, or 
 True Dog, accompanies his brethren. Though 
 his skin is white, he has lain in the lodge of the 
 Hurons, has fasted and heard the voice of his 
 manitou. He, too, goes forth against the hog- 
 eating Iroquois. Let them tremble at his com- 
 
 ing." 
 
 It was decided that the warriors were to be 
 divided into two parties which were to approach 
 from different sides the Iroquois bands that had 
 come so far from their usual homes, and had laid 
 waste the territories of the western tribes. Raoul, 
 Swift Fox and Beaver Tail kept together on the 
 
320 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 trail. Judging by the information brought back 
 by scouts, it would be three days before they 
 were likely to catch up with the foe. Raoul and 
 Swift Fox, urged by excitement, found the pace 
 of the party too slow. The older braves and 
 Beaver Tail kept continually warning them to 
 be more patient and wary. 
 
 One dawn Raoul awakened early and Swift 
 Fox was roused by his getting up. "I can t 
 sleep," Raoul whispered; "let us scout ahead 
 a little and see if we can find any sign that our 
 enemies have passed lately by this trail." 
 
 Beaver Tail opened his eyes slowly as they 
 crept by him and said: "Come back and wait. 
 Are ye still boys that ye do not know the wisdom 
 of a warrior?" 
 
 "We cannot sleep, Beaver Tail," Swift Fox 
 said laughing. "We may not know all the wis 
 dom of old braves, but we have the valor of 
 young ones. We do not fear to walk in any 
 woods at dawn." 
 
 The older Indian snorted in disdain, but got 
 up and followed them. The sun had not yet 
 risen and the trail led through dark shadows of 
 innumerable trees, and great masses and bould 
 ers, from which hung vines and ferns, hemmed 
 in the trail on either side. 
 
 "Let us go back," Beaver Tail whispered. 
 
AMBUSHED 321 
 
 "Here should one pass only at the brightest 
 
 noon." 
 
 "If Beaver Tail is afraid," sneered Raoul, "let 
 him turn back. We will scout to see that it is 
 safe here for our warriors." 
 
 His words were but the ghost of a whisper, but, 
 as if they had been a trumpet call, an arrow sped 
 in response towards them. Straight in the heart 
 it hit Beaver Tail, who fell across the jagged 
 edge of a rock and then to the ground beneath it. 
 
 "Fly back!" commanded the dying man. "The 
 Seigneur always bade me look out for you, White 
 Thrush." 
 
 Raoul had crouched down beside him and tried 
 to staunch the wound with moss. "Oh! Beaver 
 Tail," he cried in remorse, "forgive me for my 
 unkind words." He held his hand against the 
 red flood as if he could dam it back, and though 
 he knew and Swift Fox knew the danger of 
 waiting longer, neither dreamed of fleeing while 
 there was any chance of saving the Mohegan s 
 life. When a few moments later all was over, 
 they hurried noiselessly back on the trail by which 
 they had come. Then the silence of the forest 
 was broken by horrible screeches and laughter, 
 and Iroquois poured over every rock and slid 
 from behind every tree. 
 
 The first sensation of the two young warriors 
 
322 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 was that of shame that they had beeen so careless 
 as to walk into an ambush. Then, since there 
 was no possibility of flight, they made ready to 
 defend themselves. Raoul drew his sword and 
 stood at defense, and Swift Fox, fitting stones 
 into the thong of his sling fired them as rapidly 
 as a cloud emits hailstones. The Frenchman s 
 blade and the Indian s stones halted the rush of 
 their foes for a moment, but in the next they 
 dashed forward again and threw themselves upon 
 the two who, unwounded, were borne down to 
 the ground by the sheer impetus of the mass. 
 
 As the Iroquois bound their arms behind them 
 with deer sinews, they kept up a continual stream 
 of taunts and boasts : "So you dreamed that you 
 could walk unheard by Iroquois ears! . . . 
 What kind of warriors are you who have not 
 learned that no forest is safe from Iroquois am 
 bushes? . . . Truly the Great Spirit hath not 
 given wisdom to the western tribes. . . . The 
 squaws in your wigwams will wait long for your 
 homecomings ! . . . We shall see if your courage 
 is greater than your foolhardiness when you 
 suffer the tortures we have ready for you." 
 
 Then they danced around Raoul and peered 
 into his face, their small, bright eyes lighted by 
 fiendish glee. One brave called out: "Has a 
 Frenchman no home that he dwells with red men ; 
 
AMBUSHED 323 
 
 have his own people cast him off that he must fol 
 low the Hurons on the war path?" 
 
 Raoul did not blanch. He knew that no 
 matter what happened he must not show the 
 slightest sign of fear. To his pride as a French 
 man was added the stoical endurance of an 
 Indian brave he must not shame either of his 
 trainings. 
 
 He and Swift Fox walked ahead of their 
 captors on the trail toward the east. They won 
 dered whether the Huron war party behind them 
 had been surrounded by others of their foes, or 
 whether those who had ambushed them were the 
 only Iroquois who were still so far from their 
 main band. Raoul s thoughts were constantly 
 with Beaver Tail; he recalled how kind he had 
 been to him during all the years they had both 
 served La Salle; the pride the Mohegan had 
 taken in the lad s prowess as a hunter ; the stories 
 he had told him of bewitched beasts and old 
 legends; and, man though he was, he felt his 
 throat tighten when he realized that if he had 
 followed Beaver Tail s protests, the Indian would 
 not have been killed, and he and Swift Fox 
 would still be free. 
 
 For three days they journeyed, passing no 
 villages; but once they encountered another 
 party of Iroquois with fresh scalps dangling from 
 
324 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 their girdles, and five Illinois prisoners. The two 
 parties now journeyed on together, and at night 
 there was always feasting, quantities of food, that 
 was shared generously with the prisoners. They 
 were not physically ill-treated that would come 
 later but they were taunted and told the hideous 
 details of the torture that awaited them. Raoul 
 had discovered that their captors were Senecas, 
 but he had decided that he would not speak of his 
 youthful association with their tribe, since it 
 might anger his enemies all the more, and warned 
 Swift Fox not to call him by the name of White 
 Thrush, lest it should be recognized. 
 
 "The Senecas are a great tribe," boasted a 
 warrior one noon as he lay stretched out on the 
 moss resting. "Even as the Five Nations are 
 greater than all other nations, so are the Senecas 
 greater than the Mohawks, the Onondaguas, the 
 Oneidas, and the Cayugas. Listen, dogs of our 
 foes, to the story of our greatness." 
 
 Swift Fox closed his eyes and in a few minutes 
 the sleep that he feigned came to him in earnest ; 
 but Raoul s curiosity regarding the Senecas made 
 him eager to hear what the brave had to say. He 
 knew his type : he was the kind of man whom he 
 had seen in many places, in France, as well as in 
 the wilderness, one who was always loud in his 
 praise of Ms country, Ms people, Ms ways. 
 
AMBUSHED 325 
 
 "Among all the dwellers of the Long House," 
 he continued taking a long breath as if he needed 
 extra strength to do justice to his subject, "the 
 ones most feared by our foes and most envied by 
 our friends are those belonging to the tribe of 
 the Senecas. We are like foxes for spying out 
 our enemies, like eagles swift in our swoop upon 
 them, and our claws are sharper than those of 
 full-grown bears, forget not, ye captives," he 
 warned. "And as we are invincible in war, so 
 are we wise in council and in medicine. There 
 is no chief like our chief, whose manitou shows 
 him the wisdom of the Great Manitou. He 
 speaks and we listen. To-day, he says, let us 
 plant corn, for it will increase if tonight s dew 
 falls up it ; and our squaws plant and reap such 
 plentiful harvest that no hunger comes near our 
 lodges in the winter. He says, this captive shall 
 die at the stake and then you will eat his heart ; 
 and we burn the Illinois, or the Huron, or the 
 Frenchman," here he leered into the faces of 
 Raoul and Swift Fox, "and eat his heart, and his 
 strength passes into our bodies. But not only 
 does our chief listen to the voice of his manitou, 
 but there is another voice in his lodge, that of a 
 prophetess, whose medicine is a wonderful medi 
 cine and whose manitou shows what things shall 
 
326 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 strengthen the Senecas and make them more 
 feared by their foes." 
 
 Raoul was beginning to be disappointed that 
 he had not heard the name of the chief and did 
 not know whether he might be Old Wolf, or 
 whether he was dead. There was no word either 
 of any French maiden, and he was in no position 
 to ask information about anything. "Indeed, 
 he thought, what use is there in my knowing? I 
 shall be dead soon and there s an end to my quest 
 and to La Salle s hopes for me!" 
 
 But the brave did not care whether his captives 
 listened to what he had to say or looked as if they 
 were a hundred leagues away. It was enough 
 satisfaction to hear himself talk, and some of his 
 boastings must find their way into even unwilling 
 ears. So he continued, telling how the numbers 
 of his tribe had increased because, when there 
 were not enough pappooses, the chief and the 
 prophetess bade the squaws adopt some of their 
 captives instead of killing them, and how these 
 in course of time, when they had taken Seneca 
 girls as their squaws, became fond of their new 
 names and their new people. 
 
 Before he had wearied of his subject the 
 signal was given to move on. The next morning 
 at sunrise there came to the war parties the sound 
 of many dogs barking. The braves shouted and 
 
AMBUSHED 327 
 
 screamed with pleasure and ran ahead, and Raoul 
 and Swift Fox felt the sunhine in their eyes as 
 they emerged from the sombre forest and saw 
 before them the tilled fields surrounding a 
 palisaded town. The two friends knew they had 
 reached the end of their journey and that in the 
 village their terrible fate awaited them. They 
 did not attempt to comfort or hearten each other 
 by words, but a sympathetic glance passed be 
 tween them. 
 
 The village was as swarming as an ant hill: 
 men, squaws and children ran out of the lodges, 
 shrieking questions. The braves threw them an 
 answer every now and then, but would not enter 
 into conversation until they had finished their 
 work. Hastily, a number of poles were set up in 
 the open space in the centre of the village, and 
 Raoul, Swift Fox and the other captives were 
 bound each to one of them. Then the braves sank 
 down upon the grass to rest and looked on at 
 the spectacle. Dancing and yelling, the stay-at- 
 homes swarmed about the captives like gnats, and 
 each one managed to inflict some physical dis 
 comfort, if not pain. The squaws scratched their 
 cheeks with their nails ; the children hit them with 
 sticks, and one old warrior aimed an arrow which 
 lodged in Raoul s shoulder. But neither he nor 
 Swift Fox gave any sign that they had any 
 
328 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 more feeling than the hills heyond on which their 
 gaze rested. They knew that this was but a pre 
 liminary taste of the unpleasant things in store 
 for them. 
 
 Yet as the crowd pressed and surged about 
 them, Rauol was conscious of one face, that of 
 a man who came close to him often but who never 
 hit or otherwise molested him. He tried to re 
 call the face and suddenly the memory came 
 back to him it was the countenance of Black 
 Duck, his old friend, the trapper of Michillimac- 
 kinac days. He imagined that the Indian was 
 observing him questioningly ; but just then a boy 
 threw a rotten squash which hit his forehead, and 
 the seeds and pulp ran into his eyes, blinding 
 him momentarily. 
 
 All morning long the sport of baiting the 
 prisoners continued. Songs were sung of the 
 prowess of the Senecas and the stupidity of the 
 ambushed. In the afternoon the amusement 
 palled and the captives were left alone, to suffer 
 from heat, thirst, hunger and the pin pricks of 
 their wounds. When dark fell they were re 
 leased. Raoul could not see what became of the 
 others, but was glad to find that Swift Fox was 
 being taken with him to the prison lodge. 
 
 Food was brought them, and not even the 
 fatigues and trials of the day that was past, or 
 
AMBUSHED 329 
 
 the knowledge of the fate before them, could 
 keep them from enjoying it. When Swift Fox 
 had finished eating he threw himself on the 
 ground and was asleep within five minutes, but 
 Raoul s temperament was different: he could 
 feign indifference to torture and death and when 
 they came meet them bravely; nevertheless, his 
 whole being that night was swept with emotions 
 that burned like liquid fire. 
 
 "It is all very well," he said, speaking low in 
 French to himself as if he must hear once again 
 the language of his home, "for me to be a friend 
 to savages and to find much in their ways to 
 like ; but to die as one, away my own people and 
 for a cause that is not my own that is a sad end 
 for a De Larnac! What would the Seigneur 
 have said? . . . He would have chided me again 
 for an act which was brought about by my folly." 
 
 He was overwhelmed mentally by remorse 
 and almost suffocated physically by the air of the 
 lodge which was securely fastened on the out 
 side. He could hear the breathing of the guard 
 who sat outside, and if he had harbored any idea 
 of attempting to escape, he now put it aside. He 
 could not sleep, and hour after hour went by 
 filling the darkness with pictures of the years 
 that had passed. He felt a strange kind of pity, 
 as for some stranger, to think that the youth who 
 
330 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 had done so much and seen so much in his twenty 
 years was to do and see no more! He would 
 never rescue Denise now, never take her home to 
 her family, never help Tonty, never make a place 
 for himself in New France. 
 
 He was sick of his own thoughts; he was al 
 most ready to awaken Swift Fox and make him 
 talk; he wished even that the dogs in the village 
 would bark ; even the breathing of the guard was 
 no longer audible, and he had an idea that the 
 Seneca had slipped farther away, perhaps to the 
 nearest lodge, knowing that his captives could 
 not escape. Raoul rose and tested the inside of 
 the prison again but there was no weak spot. 
 Far away in the distance he heard a faint 
 sound; he could not tell whether it was the 
 call of some beast, the cry of a night bird or a 
 human voice. Whatever it was, it was a relief 
 to have the silence broken. It came nearer and 
 now he could distinguish that it was a man sing 
 ing. He could not make out the words at first, 
 and when he did they were but those of a chant, 
 the chant of a hunter, a monotonous refrain and 
 repetition: "To-day a deer fell to my arrow. 
 My bow is strong and my arm is stronger. To 
 day a deer fell to my arrow, a deer of the forest. 
 My bow is strong and I am a great hunter." 
 
 There was something soothing in the mo- 
 
AMBUSHED 331 
 
 notonous tune and repetition of words, and Raoul 
 began to feel sleepy. Now the singer was pass 
 ing just outside of the lodge and the chant was 
 interrupted, and then, to his amazement, Raoul 
 heard the whispered words, White Thrush! 
 White Thrush!" 
 
 It was Black Duck then. Black Duck was 
 trying to discover if his impression of the after 
 noon had been correct. 
 
 "Yes, White Thrush. It is White Thrush!" 
 he called out, not caring whether his gaoler heard 
 or not. He listened eagerly for what Black 
 Duck would say next. The interruption of the 
 chant had lasted no more than half a minute; 
 now the singer began again: "A deer fell to my 
 arrow. My bow is strong and my arm is 
 stronger." This was repeated over and over 
 again until the voice died away in the distance. 
 He did not know whether he had any right to the 
 sudden hope which had come to him ; but as he lay 
 on the mat, wondering whether there was any 
 thing Black Duck who was not a Seneca, whose 
 own safety among the Iroquois was perhaps not 
 assured could do for him, he fell asleep. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 THE PROPHETESS 
 
 SWIFT FOX and Raoul were the two most 
 important captives whose fate was to be 
 deliberated that day at the council; they were 
 braves whose names were known, though there 
 was much speculation in regard to the French 
 man s presence among the Hurons. Raoul 
 managed to say a few words to Swift Fox as they 
 were taken to the lodge where the council was to 
 be held, of what he had heard the night before; 
 but Swift Fox agreed with him that there was 
 little chance that Black Duck could render them 
 any aid. They did not speak of their determina 
 tion to die bravely ; each would have felt it an in 
 sult to doubt for a moment that of his friend. 
 
 The council lodge was filled with Seneca 
 braves when they were led in, and the other 
 
 332 
 
THE PROPHETESS 333 
 
 captives, of lesser importance, were leaving it, 
 some to die at the stake, others to be kept as 
 prisoners. The two youths walked in, holding 
 their heads high, and looked about them, a dis 
 dainful smile on their lips, testifying to their 
 opinion of their foes. 
 
 "You will not smile much longer," cried a 
 young warrior, irritated by their attitude, but 
 the chiefs bade him be silent. 
 
 Raoul s attention, even at such a time, 
 wandered; though they were discussing what 
 form of death should be meted out to him, his eyes 
 were searching for Black Duck. The lodge was 
 so dark ; the flames from the fire threw such deep 
 shadows opposite him that it was difficult to be 
 certain that his old friend, was indeed not 
 there. It would be unusual, he knew, for an 
 Indian of another nation, unless an allied one, to 
 be present at a solemn council. Then he heard 
 Swift Fox laugh, and suddenly his brain took in 
 the words of a Seneca chief which his ears had 
 heard a minute before: "They are swift of foot, 
 these young braves from the west. Let us see if 
 they are swift enough to run unharmed through 
 the gauntlet!" 
 
 Raoul tried to echo his comrade s laugh, to 
 prove his scorn of the fate which had been as 
 signed him, but to his own ears his laugh sounded 
 
334 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 feeble. So he lapsed into the silence of dignified 
 acceptance. 
 
 Just then a gust of wind down the smoke hole 
 blew the smoke and the shadows to his right, and 
 left the faces opposite him illumined by the blaze. 
 The face of the old chief who sat on an albinos 
 higher than the others he recognized as that 
 of Old Wolf. The well-remembered features 
 brought back the first days in the forest, and he 
 wondered if Red Wing were alive. It came too 
 late now this chance he had sought for so many 
 years the chance to ask Old Wolf what had 
 become of Denise. His hand which he had raised 
 instinctively to shade his eyes, that he might peer 
 the better into the opposite side of the lodge, now 
 sank to his side and touched the medicine bag 
 which he carried hanging from his belt. The 
 touch brought a sudden hope to him. He could 
 feign a willingness to die, but he was eager to 
 live, and it was possible, his heart-beats told him, 
 that this medicine bag might save his life. 
 
 There was a pause. All had been said that 
 was necessary to say; the ordeal of running the 
 gauntlet was fixed for the morrow, and Swift 
 Fox had once again laughed derisively when he 
 was informed of it. Then Raoul spoke, hold 
 ing out the medicine bag towards the fire: 
 
 "Old Wolf, Chief of the Senecas! even your 
 
THE PROPHETESS 335 
 
 foes have heard of your medicine and of the 
 powers of your medicine bag." 
 
 At the white youth s first gesture the old 
 Indian s eyes fastened on the medicine bag. He 
 did not take them away while Raoul continued: 
 
 "Has your wisdom departed from you while 
 your medicine bag slept in the hands of your foes ? 
 Behold it once again!" 
 
 In a second he was surrounded by braves 
 whose curiosity to satisfy themselves that this 
 was indeed the ancient long-lost medicine bag 
 was restrained only by the their veneration for 
 it. They did not touch it, but Old Wolf, rising 
 slowly, came to Raoul s side, fingered it without 
 however taking it from his belt, and then walked 
 slowly back again to his seat. "It is the medicine 
 bag of my ancestors," he announced. 
 
 He could, of course, have taken it forcibly from 
 him, but Raoul knew that he would not do this. 
 On his part he would have liked to say: "I will 
 return you your bag if you will spare my life;" 
 but this too would have been against Indian 
 etiquette. He must give it as a free gift, hop 
 ing that in return he would be presented with the 
 gift of his safety. So he said, as he detached the 
 bag and handed it across the fire into the hands 
 of the old chief: "Take it again, Old Wolf." 
 
 The venerable chief did not attempt to hide 
 
336 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 his satisfaction. He felt the precious relic over 
 and over, as if it were a child and he were as 
 suring himself that no harm had come to it. His 
 face softened and Raoul felt hopeful that in 
 gratitude he would set him free. Then he saw a 
 sudden frown replace the smile. 
 
 "It was you then," Old Wolf exclaimed, "who 
 gave the lying message to Iroquois braves, say 
 ing I had bidden them not slay the French leader, 
 our great foe, until the fall. When they fell in 
 again with me, moons later, and learned that it 
 was no messenger of mine who had held my 
 medicine bag, it was then too late to do the deed 
 they had planned. So it was you?" He paused 
 a moment, then he said : "At last my medicine is 
 too strong for you. Take him away," he com 
 manded ; "let us see to-morrow if he is as brave as 
 he is audacious." 
 
 Raoul realized that his one chance was gone, 
 and that Old Wolf did not recognize in him the 
 boy he had once carried off to his lodge. He 
 decided that there was nothing to gain by re 
 calling this fact to him; indeed, it might in 
 crease his anger when he remembered how Raoul 
 had run away and put an end to his carefully 
 laid plans. So he now gave up all hope of escape 
 and walked calmly by the side of Swift Fox as 
 
THE PROPHETESS 337 
 
 they were led back to the lodge where they were 
 to be imprisoned until the morrow. 
 
 When they were left alone the two friends 
 talked in undertones while they examined the 
 lodge. 
 
 "Is there no opening there, Swift Fox?" Raoul 
 whispered. 
 
 "I could gnaw the bark with my teeth," re 
 plied the Indian, "but it would take many hours 
 and there are not many left to us before the 
 sun rises. There is no escape, White Thrush." 
 
 "I would I might be alone, Swift Fox," the 
 Frenchman spoke sadly, "since it was I who 
 brought you to this." 
 
 "Nay, are we not brothers?" the Indian 
 answered. "We have shared joys, now we shall 
 share tortures." 
 
 Without more words, they threw themselves 
 down on the mats and soon fell asleeep. 
 
 Raoul was awakened by a touch on his arm. 
 
 "Come," commanded a young Seneca, whose 
 figure was dimly visible in the darkness. 
 
 Swift Fox too was roused by the words, but 
 when, thinking that the command was for him 
 also, he started to rise, the Seneca motioned him 
 to lie down again. The two prisoners grasped 
 each other s hands in silence, not knowing if they 
 were ever to see each other again, for this un- 
 
338 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 expected call might mean that they were to be 
 tortured separately before the final act came. 
 
 It was dark as the two walked between the 
 quiet lodges, and for a moment Raoul believed 
 it would be possible to make a dash for liberty, 
 unbound as he was ; then he realized that his free 
 dom was only apparent, that he was surely 
 watched by vigilant foes. At the end of the vil 
 lage they came to a lodge that even by the dim 
 starlight Raoul could see was different from the 
 others. There was an attempt at decoration, 
 rough paintings on birchbark and skins hung 
 down its sides. Through the chinks glowed the 
 light of a bright fire. 
 
 "The Prophetess awaits you," remarked his 
 guide as he opened the flap and motioned Raoul 
 to enter while he remained outside. 
 
 Raoul s eyes were dazzled by the sudden light 
 and the glitter of its flame against the shining 
 bead work that seemed everywhere, hanging 
 from the walls, on skins underfoot, and on the 
 garments of the two young women who were 
 kneeling before the fire as he entered. The older 
 one rose and looked searchingly at him. She was 
 tall and lithe; her dark hair fell in two braids 
 on either shoulder, and her moccasins and her 
 robe were of the softest doeskin. Her eyes were 
 
THE PROPHETESS 339 
 
 dark and her skin a delicate rich tan, but she was 
 no Indian! 
 
 Raoul s heart beat loud with excitement 
 could it indeed mean that at last he had found 
 her? 
 
 Before he could master his surprise and find 
 words, she spoke to him in the Seneca tongue: 
 "Who are you, captive?" 
 
 "Denise!" he cried; the sound of her voice, so 
 long unheard, had not changed as had her 
 features, "Denise, do you not remember your 
 old friend, Raoul?" 
 
 He spoke in French, and his words brought a 
 strained look into the girl s face. "I do not un 
 derstand you," she said, speaking in the Indian 
 language; what is it you say? Are you in truth, 
 as Black Duck believes, the boy I used to know?" 
 
 She waved her hand, and her little friend crept 
 out of the lodge, leaving them alone. Raoul took 
 her hand and then, in rapid Seneca, gave her 
 the main facts of what had happened to him since 
 they had parted, and something of his long 
 search for her. Denise listened eagerly, but her 
 puzzled expression showed that much of his 
 recital was incomprehensible to her. 
 
 "Why did you and your chief wish to brave 
 all those dangers just to reach the end of a river?" 
 she queried. And when told of the friars who 
 
340 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 had risked their lives to convert the Indians, she 
 could not understand why they should wish to do 
 this. Raoul discovered that the daughter of the 
 French habitant had become in all essentials an 
 Indian maiden, whose memories of her early life 
 were but vague. At first her attitude towards 
 him was very formal; she was the daughter of 
 the chief and the respected prophetess and he 
 the captive doomed by her father to death. But 
 little by little, she showed more friendliness. 
 
 "Tell me," asked Raoul when, with a gesture 
 he thought no lady of King Louis s court could 
 have equalled, she had bidden him be seated be 
 side her, "did Black Duck tell you who I was?" 
 
 "He came here last night," she replied, "and 
 told me that he was now certain that the prisoner 
 was my old comrade and the boy he had taught 
 trapping." 
 
 "And then you decided to speak with me?" con 
 tinued Raoul. 
 
 "I was curious," she answered. "If Black 
 Duck had not talked of you every year he came 
 to us with skins to barter, I should have believed 
 you dead and forgotten about you." 
 
 "So you did not quite forget me?" Raoul asked. 
 
 "No, but I could not remember how you 
 looked, and even the thought of my childhood 
 
THE PROPHETESS 341 
 
 had grown almost as faint as the words of the 
 tongue you spoke a moment ago." 
 
 "Have you been unhappy in these years, 
 Denise?" he asked; "have they ill-treated you?" 
 
 "Ill-treated!" she exclaimed indignantly. "Do 
 you not know that my word is greater than the 
 words of the medicine men, that it is me they con 
 sult when the young men go forth upon the war 
 path, and when the grain is to be planted, and 
 when weighty matters must be decided?" 
 
 Now Raoul recalled all he had heard from 
 many tribes of the prophetess of the Senecas, and 
 knew that Denise was speaking the truth. He 
 himself had lived so much among Indians that 
 this kind of fame, at which so many white men 
 would have scoffed, was to him something real 
 and important. He knew that often among the 
 red men women were believed to be specially in 
 spired by their manitous with prophecy and 
 wisdom. In Denise s case there was also the 
 mind of a French woman, even if only partly 
 developed. He listened while she told him 
 proudly how often her advice had aided the 
 Senecas, whose triumphs were her triumphs. She 
 spoke affectionately of Old Wolf, her foster 
 father, and tears came to her eyes when she re 
 lated the death of his squaw, Sun Cloud. 
 
 "And Red Wing?" Raoul asked; "do you re- 
 
342 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 member the thrashing he gave me and how you 
 bathed my back?" 
 
 "It comes back," she said, speaking slowly, 
 "all your pain. . .all my terror. I had forgotten 
 it all ... How strange to be so afraid of those I 
 love now!. . .Red Wing was slain in the fight 
 ing against the Illinois many years ago." 
 
 They talked on, each forgetting the present in 
 recalling the past, and Denise showed growing 
 interest in bringing it back. Suddenly, with a 
 cry of triumph she cried out, "pere" and "mere" 
 I remember now that is how I used to call my 
 father and mother when we lived in a big house 
 and there were many brothers and sisters about." 
 
 She was silent and Raoul thought that there 
 could be no pleasanter task than to help her 
 memory to recall slowly, bit by bit, all that it had 
 forgotten. But there was no time; he realized 
 suddenly that there were only a few hours left 
 until he was to die. 
 
 "You were not at the council," he said. 
 
 "No," she answered. "I like not to hear men 
 condemned to death, and there were no other 
 matters to be decided. 1 
 
 "Know you that I am to die to-morrow?" he 
 questioned. 
 
 "Yes," she replied, "so it was decided." 
 
 Raoul could see that her answer was almost 
 
THE PROPHETESS 343 
 
 mechanical, as if one part of her brain were ab 
 sorbed by another question. 
 
 "But, Denise," he expostulated, "it must not 
 be. I do not fear death, but now that I have 
 found you I must take you back to your people." 
 
 "Take me away!" she cried; "leave Old Wolf 
 and all I love!" 
 
 "But you are French, Denise; you cannot be 
 content to live forever with Indians, to become 
 the squaw of a brave, unless. . .unless . . ." 
 He stopped, overwhelmed with the possibility. 
 "Are you already a squaw, perchance?" 
 
 "See you not that I live in mine own lodge?" 
 she asked proudly. 
 
 He breathed a sigh of relief. "Then, Denise, 
 you are not bound here. I thank God that you 
 have known protection and happiness in these 
 long years, but think of what your mother and 
 father have suffered in their anxiety regarding 
 your fate. Think that you have forgotten even 
 the God of your people ; that you have no knowl 
 edge of how far the wisdom of the white man is 
 above that of the red man; that you must often 
 hear the whoops of the war dances, instead of the 
 French songs of your brothers when they work 
 and are happy . . . and are not fearing for you. 
 Will you not come, Denise? If you will, I know 
 
344 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 that Black Duck can find a way so that we may 
 escape together. Viens, chere Denise, cherie" 
 
 The young prophetess had stood during his 
 pleadings, apparently unmoved. But in reality, 
 his words had been fighting for him. The sight 
 of a white man and the difference between him 
 and the Indians was affecting her more and 
 more ; old memories, old thoughts, were gathering 
 strength in her, and the French blood was clamor 
 ing for its rights. And his final French words, 
 the terms of endearment her mother once used to 
 her, suddenly became comprehensible. 
 
 "Yes," she said, putting out her hand which 
 Raoul took in his own, and longed to press to his 
 lips, "yes, I will go with you and Black Duck to 
 the land of my people." 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 OLD WOLF AWAKES 
 
 NO SLEEP had come to Denise that night. 
 Now that she had promised Raoul to help 
 him escape and to return with him to the country 
 of the white men her wits had worked quickly, 
 and she had soon thought out a plan. She her 
 self was beyond suspicion; nothing she might do 
 would be questioned by the Senecas. She had 
 sent Raoul back to the prison lodge after he had 
 induced her, with some difficulty, to allow Swift 
 Fox to escape with them. For the rest of the 
 night Denise had tossed on the mats, getting up 
 now and then to walk back and forth, stepping 
 carefully that she might not awaken her little 
 friend. She could not remember that she had 
 ever spent a sleepless night before in her life. 
 Stories and legends came to her, of braves and 
 hunters who had changed into beasts, and she 
 thought that they must have experienced some 
 of her feelings. At one moment she was a 
 
 345 
 
346 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Seneca prophetess with no ambition beyond that 
 of her people ; in the next she was conscious of a 
 host of new desires and of old memories. More 
 and more clearly came back to her the pictures 
 of her home and the faces of her father and 
 mother. Again she saw the figure and the 
 features of the French lad who had been her 
 companion in the first days of her captivity, 
 though as yet she could not find a resemblance to 
 him in the face of the man he had grown to be. 
 Raoul, whose thoughts that night were more of 
 the Denise of the present than of the child she 
 had been, would have been disappointed to know 
 how little conscious influence and impression his 
 new estate of manhood had made on her. 
 
 Before dawn broke she had gathered together 
 a few of her most precious belongings, bead neck 
 laces and belts, and had tied them together in a 
 bear skin. While it was still dark she sent her 
 little friend for Black Duck. 
 
 "You were right, Black Duck/ she said go 
 ing outside to meet him; "it is White Thrush. 
 His words have changed my heart so that I have 
 promised to help him escape and to return to my 
 own people, the French. I have told him that 
 you would go with us. Have I spoken wisely?" 
 
 "I think it is wise," answered the Potta- 
 wattomie; "but how shall we get him away?" 
 
OLD WOLF AWAKES 347 
 
 "When the sun is up an hour/ she replied, 
 "you will go to the prison lodge and say that I 
 have bid you bring the two captives to Old Wolf s 
 lodge, as he and I desire to learn from the French 
 man where the medicine bag was found, and of the 
 Huron some information in regard to his tribe. 
 There is no one who will question my right to com 
 mand this. You will bring them to the entrance 
 of Old Wolf s lodge yonder, and bid them enter 
 silently. Old Wolf will still be asleep and we 
 can walk out again and into the forest, and if 
 there be any who see us go out they will think 
 that Old Wolf has bidden me take them to a spot 
 where my manitou in silence may speak to their 
 manitous to learn wisdom for the great Seneca 
 nation. Old Wolf is old and his ears are no 
 longer keen. Not until the heat of the day is 
 over will they come to lead the captives to the 
 place of the gauntlet-running, and by then we 
 must be far away. Once we are out of the village 
 it is you who must say what trails we shall fol 
 low. 
 
 "I would we could set off by night," com 
 mented Black Duck, shaking his head; "even 
 the most silent-footed beast dreads the daylight." 
 
 "But we cannot wait," said Denise, "and if we 
 only succeed in getting a good start, no dwellers 
 in other Seneca villages would dare dispute my 
 
348 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 wishes and commands, or injure those whom I 
 protect." 
 
 When Black Duck had left, Denise realized 
 that her choice was now made indeed, and that 
 within a few moments she must bid farewell to 
 the existence she had known for so many years. 
 Suddenly a sharp pain caught her at the throat 
 when she thought that never again would she see 
 Old Wolf. He had been to her always a kind 
 father, expending on her the quiet affection 
 which she knew was characteristic of Indian 
 fathers. For years now too he had shown his 
 pride in the keenness of her wits and had often 
 followed the measures she had advised for the 
 guidance of the tribe, even when at first they had 
 been opposed to his own plans. She knew that 
 he was old, but never before had she pictured 
 the possibility of his dying. Now that she was 
 about to leave him she realized with a quick pang 
 that he could not live many years longer. And 
 she was going to leave him alone, to desert him 
 without a word of thanks for all the love and the 
 affection he had given her! 
 
 At least she must see his face once more. She 
 crept into the lodge where his quiet breathing 
 reassured her, and gazed at the stern old face 
 with its deep wrinkles while she prayed to the 
 Great Spirit to watch over him. 
 
OLD WOLF AWAKES 349 
 
 She made no noise that could have roused him, 
 even if his deafness had not walled him in from 
 sound, but the old chief felt a presence and 
 opened his eyes. A smile softened his features 
 and he said: "Red Cheek is welcome as the 
 first bird that sings to the dawn. Has Old Wolf 
 slept till the sun is up that she comes to wake 
 him?" 
 
 "I was praying the Great Spirit to bless you, 
 my father," she answered. 
 
 "The Great Spirit has given me a long life 
 and my trail has led me whither I longed to go," 
 said the chief who had risen and now sat beside 
 the hearth where Denise was building a fire. "I 
 was a great hunter, a brave mine enemies feared 
 and whose deeds are still sung by my people. 
 I have been a wise chief, and my lodge fire has 
 never gone out; since Sun Cloud left me you 
 have kept it lighted." 
 
 The caresses and kisses a European father 
 might have given a beloved daughter were lack 
 ing, but to Denise they were all there in the tone 
 of his last words. Her throat contracted with 
 emotion, and had she not been trained never to 
 weep, she would have wept now. 
 
 Yet even in the midst of her tense feeling her 
 ears were conscious of footsteps approaching, 
 
350 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 and she knew that they were those of Black 
 Duck and the two captives. 
 
 "I will not steal away from him thus," she 
 said aloud, yet not loud enough for him to hear 
 her, forgetting that already she herself had 
 frustrated their plan of escape. 
 
 Though Old Wolf did not hear her words, he 
 was not blind to her agitation and distress. 
 "What is it, my daughter?" he asked. 
 
 "I had come to bid you farewell in sleep," 
 said Denise, still kneeling beside the fire and 
 looking up, "because I had determined to go 
 back to the white people ; but I know now that I 
 can never go away from you and leave your 
 hearth unlighted." 
 
 Perhaps for the first time in his life Old Wolf 
 expressed his affection for her with a caress. He 
 laid his withered hand on Denise s head and let 
 it stay there. 
 
 There was a long silence, then the old chief 
 asked : "And who would have shown Red Cheek 
 the way? She could not have followed the trail 
 all alone." 
 
 "Black Duck would have been my guide," she 
 answered, glad to be able to tell the truth which 
 would injure no one. 
 
 This seemed to satisfy him for a moment, but 
 after more thinking he asked : "Has Red Cheek 
 
OLD WOLF AWAKES 351 
 
 beheld the Illinois captives who are to die to 
 day?" 
 
 Denise s heart had decided the shadowy 
 figures of her past which the earnest voice of 
 Raoul had made clear for an hour could not take 
 the place so long occupied by Old Wolf. She 
 had chosen to remain with him, but it was not 
 until this question startled her that she realized 
 that her choice meant the death of her old com 
 rade and his friend. Their death unless she 
 could save them! There was no use now to 
 deceive Old Wolf longer; she must tell the truth 
 part of it at least and appeal to him. 
 
 "I have seen the French captive, father," she 
 answered, "and it was the white face and the 
 strange tongue I had forgotten which made me 
 think that I would go back to the French. But I 
 have said, I cannot leave you. My heart is in 
 this lodge. If, however, it be as I believe, that 
 you are glad to keep me here, may I not ask a 
 boon from the chief whose hands have always 
 been full for Red Cheek?" 
 
 "Ask," replied Old Wolf. 
 
 "Let not the blood of this white man be shed 
 by my people," she begged. 
 
 Her words were few and quietly spoken, but 
 the Indian felt the fervor in them. He sat in 
 silence that was unbroken save by the soft foot- 
 
352 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 falls without, which then stopped, telling Denise 
 that Black Duck and the captives had arrived. It 
 seemed to her that the lined visage grew sterner, 
 that the mouth set more firmly, but she would 
 not break in upon the inner council of his de 
 liberation. At last he looked up and said: 
 "Bring him to me." 
 
 She went outside and in a few words explained 
 the situation, her own decision and her endeavor 
 to save them. There was no time to attempt to 
 change her, so Raoul, followed by the two 
 Indians, entered the lodge with her. Old Wolf 
 did not even look up at their entrance, but his 
 expression gave them little cause for hope. In 
 deed, all realized that once the famous chief had 
 pronounced a judgment in solemn council it 
 would be almost impossible for him to change it if 
 he would. 
 
 At last Old Wolf seemed to become aware of 
 their presence and he waved his hand for them 
 to be seated. "Bring food," he commanded 
 Denise; "no one, not even a foe, shall stay fast 
 ing in Old Wolf s lodge." 
 
 Denise moved softly about, taking meat and 
 corn mush from certain baskets and placing them 
 on flat stones in the fires to heat. Then she 
 handed the food to the four men and after it milk 
 of walnuts and sweet locust honey-pods. Raoul s 
 
OLD WOLF AWAKES 353 
 
 eyes followed her movements and even at this 
 critical moment he noted the grace with which 
 she walked and knelt. And as his eyes followed 
 her, so did the eyes of Old Wolf follow him, and 
 had anyone been looking closely at Old Wolf s 
 face he might have caught the faintest smile of 
 satisfaction. When they had eaten in silence the 
 chief, looking at Raoul, asked: 
 
 "Whence come you, Frenchman? Do you 
 dwell always in the villages of the Hurons and 
 Illinois?" 
 
 "I have no lodge, Old Wolf," answered Raoul: 
 "I am a wanderer who has journeyed from the 
 snows to the Great Gulf where the sands burn 
 the feet. I have followed the trail over the wide 
 plains where the sun sets and where the buffalo 
 are thicker than the leaves in the forest. I have 
 crossed the eastern waters in a canoe till, after 
 journeying for moons, I came to the land where 
 the Great Chief of the French has his wigwam. 
 Scarcely for two moons together do my eyes be 
 hold the same horizon." 
 
 There might have been no one else in the lodge 
 for all the attention the old Seneca paid them. 
 Raoul was the sole quarry of his mind s bow. 
 
 "But a brave as young as you goes not on the 
 trail or the war path to distant forests alone. 
 
354, WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 What was the name of the chief you followed?" 
 he asked. 
 
 "Seigneur de La Salle," answered Raoul 
 proudly, "the greatest chief ever white man or 
 red man has followed in this new world. Surely 
 the Senecas have reason not to forget the name 
 of him whose courage and whose wisdom foiled 
 them in injuring our allies the Illinois!" 
 
 Raoul was well aware that his words were reck 
 less, but his life was forfeit in any case, and he 
 would not let this opportunity pass without sing 
 ing the fame of his beloved master. 
 
 "We remember," assented Old Wolf, "and we 
 have heard that the French Chief travelled to the 
 end of the great river. Did you go with him?" 
 
 "I was with him that day when the waters of 
 the river came to their end in the great bay," 
 cried Raoul fervently, beholding in his mind once 
 again the glory of that hour. 
 
 "And now, where is the Chief?" continued the 
 Seneca. 
 
 "He is dead," said Raoul, his voice so low, that 
 it was his dejected attitude, rather than his words, 
 which enlightened them. 
 
 "He was a great chief," Old Wolf remarked, 
 nodding his head. "If Onontio had many such, 
 the Long House of the Five Nations were in 
 great danger. I, who was his foe, say this." 
 
OLD WOLF AWAKES 355 
 
 Then he added: "And whither were you bound 
 before you foolishly joined the war path of the 
 Hurons?" 
 
 "Back to Onontio to ask him to give me a 
 village and a lodge where I could be a chief," 
 Raoul replied. 
 
 "Why go you not back to the village where you 
 dwelt before you were old enough to journey 
 with your great chief? Can you not find the 
 trail?" 
 
 "I came from the village of the Senecas and 
 from the lodge of Old Wolf," cried Raoul. 
 
 The old Indian was silent. He asked no ex 
 planation of this astounding statement. All he 
 did was to gaze calmly into RaouFs face. At last 
 he said: "It is Ralo. Tell me how you went 
 the day I gave you the bow and you came not 
 back from the forest." 
 
 Raoul told him all. He had no idea whether 
 what he related would make his foe more bitter 
 to him or not; but in any case, the story might as 
 well be told. He had dreamed so many years of 
 explaining to Denise why he had seemingly not 
 kept his promise to return to her that now he 
 wished her to listen, no matter what happened. 
 The night before there had been no opportunity. 
 Old Wolf listened but in no way showed the effect 
 this recital had upon him. When Raoul had 
 
356 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 finished the venerable chief rose and went to the 
 opening of the lodge, looked out, and then came 
 back, took Denise by the hand and led her to the 
 farther part of the enclosure. Here he bade her 
 sit beside him and he began to speak in a voice 
 that was audible to all, though his attention was 
 for her alone. 
 
 "Red Cheek," he said, "harken to Old Wolf, 
 whose lodge you have blessed with the love of a 
 daughter. Before many moons the manitou of 
 the chief whose name is revered by all the 
 Iroquois and feared by all his enemies will de 
 part." 
 
 Denise laid a hand on his arm impulsively, as 
 if to stop him, but he went on: 
 
 "Does not the acorn know that when the winds 
 of the fall blow it must drop to earth? And be 
 fore Old Wolf departs, his hands will give you 
 the boon you ask of him these captives shall go 
 free." 
 
 Denise started to pour out her thanks, when he 
 bade her be quiet and continued : "There is little 
 time to lose. I, the Chief of the Senecas, cannot 
 take back what I have said in solemn council, 
 but do you see that these men are far from the 
 village before the hour set for their death. And 
 then, Red Cheek, you will follow the trail with 
 them to the home of your people." 
 
OLD WOLF AWAKES 357 
 
 Again he silenced her when she would have re 
 monstrated. "I have lived long and I have seen 
 trees fall that were steady, and men die who were 
 strong, and plans fail that seemed wise. I, Old 
 Wolf, many years ago made a good plan : I took 
 a white maiden and a white boy that their 
 manitous might be added to the manitous of the 
 Senecas, to bring us more wisdom. But the boy 
 left and the maiden she will never mate with a 
 Seneca brave . . . and it is best so ... she will 
 enter the lodge of a white man." 
 
 Denise s head was bowed to her knees and she 
 gave no word or sign. 
 
 "Go!" repeated Old Wolf, and his voice was 
 strangely gentle. "Hasten, my daughter. I 
 know your affection for me, and that you will not 
 forget me in the years to come. But when I am 
 gone who would care for you as I do now, and 
 when would another chance come for you to re 
 turn to your people? Leave me now." 
 
 Denise got to her feet slowly. Then she moved 
 about the lodge, bringing out provisions and 
 putting them before Old Wolf. She piled up the 
 fire high and laid more wood within his reach. 
 It was as if she wished to show that up to the last 
 it was her pleasure to care for him. 
 
 "I will not go!" she cried. "I will not leave 
 you! 5 But even as she said this, the old chief 
 
358 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 was leading her to the entrance. Black Duck, 
 Raoul and Swift Fox passed out into the forest, 
 and Old Wolf placed her hand in that of Black 
 Duck and said: "Hasten by the short and secret 
 trails you know." 
 
 But as they disappeared into the thickness of 
 the woods it was upon Raoul, not Black Duck, 
 that the Seneca s gaze was fixed. 
 
CHAPTER XXV 
 
 THE END OF THE TRAIL 
 
 BLACK DUCK had been faithful to his 
 trust, and he had found the shortest, safest 
 trails and portages for the canoes which, with the 
 aid of Raoul and Swift Fox, he had manufac 
 tured when it became safer and easier to travel by 
 river. Once only had they been in danger from 
 the Iroquois. They had been overtaken by some 
 hunters who surrounded them. But Denise in 
 formed them that she was the daughter of Old 
 Wolf and on a mission for him, and though the 
 Iroquois could not understand why she should be 
 in company of their foes, they did not seek to 
 halt her. 
 
 Now the dangers lay almost all behind and the 
 journey was nearly at an end. Black Duck s 
 trained eye had noted that there were fewer 
 tracks of wild animals and that consequently the 
 forest was more often traversed by human beings. 
 
 359 
 
360 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 Often, too, at nights they had caught sight of a 
 distant fire which spoke of the presence of 
 hunters or traders. 
 
 "You shall soon see tilled fields and white 
 faces, Denise," said Raoul as they walked along, 
 stooping now and then to pick a handful of 
 late berries. 
 
 "I shall miss the forest," replied Denise. "I 
 cannot remember when I have not been lulled to 
 sleep by the sound of wind in the branches or 
 birds song between the leaves." 
 
 "You will not be far from them anywhere in 
 New France," comforted Raoul. "Even Quebec 
 and Villemarie are but isles in a sea of green." 
 
 "Yet I am sad that our journey is almost 
 over," the girl continued. "In the forests I am 
 still the Seneca prophetess, and yonder what 
 shall I be, who cannot even speak the tongue of 
 the white men?" 
 
 "It will not be long before it comes back to 
 you," he said. "Already in this past moon you 
 have remembered many words and are able to 
 understand much that I say." 
 
 "And you will be my interpreter with my 
 father and mother?" she asked. 
 
 "I will not leave you until you can under 
 stand them," he promised. 
 
 "It is a strange trail that we follow," reflected 
 
THE END OF THE TRAIL 361 
 
 Denise, "that leads us back so many years later 
 to the point from which we started." 
 
 "It is a blessed trail," Raoul corrected, his eyes 
 shining. 
 
 Swift Fox, who had been waiting just ahead 
 for the two to catch up, caught sight of the ex 
 pression in his friend s face and hurried on 
 to join Black Duck. 
 
 "You cannot tell me much of the kind of life 
 the women of my people lead," Denise said 
 quickly as if she, too, had caught the gleam in 
 Raoul s eyes and saw in it a warning to change 
 her way. "I fear that I shall find it difficult at 
 first to live always in one lodge built so that I 
 cannot hear the rain at night or see the sky 
 through the smoke hole. Nor will my word be 
 harkened to as the word from the spirits, and I 
 doubt that the Governor will call me to advise 
 him in the council." 
 
 "I scarce think so," and the two smiled at 
 their pleasantry. "But you will be happy," he 
 said, "in the love of those who love you." 
 
 "Yes," she assented, "I shall surely give love 
 to my mother and father and sisters and brothers, 
 but " and Raoul knew that she was thinking 
 of Old Wolf. 
 
 They walked for a while without speaking, as 
 the trail was a narrow one, winding between 
 
362 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 boulders and there was room for only one at a 
 time. When the rocks were passed and he came 
 abreast of her again, she asked : 
 
 "What is the difference between a seigneur, 
 Raoul, and a habitant?" She spoke these words 
 in French. 
 
 "A seigneur is a noble who is sometimes rich, 
 of old name, often an officer of the King." 
 
 "And you are a noble, Ralo?" she questioned. 
 
 "If an old name makes me one," he admitted. 
 "I have naught else." 
 
 "And I am the daughter of a habitant," she 
 continued. "I remember. They come back to 
 me, the stories my father used to tell, of how he 
 left France because in this new world a man who 
 was not a noble had a better chance." 
 
 Raoul could not tell where her thoughts were 
 tending, but he felt vaguely disturbed. 
 
 "White Thrush!" he heard Swift Fox call 
 ahead of them. "White Thrush, come and see. 
 There is smoke rising from the home of a white 
 man. We have reached the end of the forest 
 trail." 
 
 Raoul in his eagerness had run some distance 
 when he discovered that Denise was not at his 
 side. He stopped and, looking back, saw that 
 she was standing where he had left her. The 
 sunlight had pierced through the thick greenery 
 
THE END OF THE TRAIL 363 
 
 above her and fell on her dark hair, reddening it 
 as it reddened the pine trunk against which she 
 was leaning. There was an attitude of timidity, 
 of uncertainty, about her which went straight to 
 RaouFs heart. All the resolutions he had made 
 to be patient vanished. He turned and went back 
 to her. 
 
 "Denise," he said, "I can wait no longer. I 
 had said to myself, I will not tell my secret until 
 I have brought her safely to her home. Then 
 will I say, Denise, will you help me build the 
 lodge for us to dwell in ? But now I see that you 
 are sad and that you are fearing what lies ahead 
 of you. So I can wait no longer. I ask, as an 
 Indian asks, you to be my squaw; and as a 
 Frenchman, I tell you that I love you, that I 
 have loved you all these years since I lost you, 
 though I did not know then that it was love, and 
 I beg you to do me the honour to become my 
 wife." 
 
 The girl had lifted up her face as he spoke 
 and her lover saw his own brightness reflected in 
 it. Then she let it droop and shook it slowly as 
 she said: 
 
 "No, Halo, it can not be. I have remembered 
 that my father said: Seigneurs wed not with 
 such we are, I am not even an Indian princess 
 
364 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 now, and we who are French must live according 
 to the ways of the French." 
 
 Raoul sprang forward and seized her hands 
 which he held in a grasp so strong that it was 
 painful, yet Denise would not have asked him to 
 release them. "If that were necessary," he cried, 
 "I would go back and dwell among the Indians 
 with you as my squaw; but it need not be so. 
 Yonder in New France we are freer than in old 
 France, and no one, not even the Governor him 
 self, can prevent me from making Demoiselle 
 Denise Dubois, Madame De Larnac. Think you 
 that I could live forever in a town, I who have 
 slept beneath the stars most of my life? I may 
 be a noble and I shall build me a castle somewhere 
 with the Greyhound carved above its gate, and 
 you and I shall live there when it pleases us ; but 
 we shall make our lodge too in the wilderness, 
 and shall abide there and in the forts on the fron 
 tiers, and sweep down rivers in our canoes if 
 if ... you love me, Denise." 
 
 "It is well," she answered simply. "I will be 
 your squaw in the forest, Ralo; and if you build 
 the castle I will not fear to dwell in it, wherever 
 it be, as your wife." 
 
 Their first kiss was interrupted by Swift Fox 
 who called again, wondering what had become 
 of them. Raoul called back, "We are coming." 
 
THE END OF THE TRAIL 365 
 
 When they reached the edge of the forest they 
 found that tilled fields and meadows adjoined it 
 and that at their other end was a hut of stone. 
 
 "Now we part," Black Duck announced. "I 
 must go back. You can ask the trail from white 
 men now, White Thrush. I must hasten west 
 ward to set my traps, or the bears and foxes will 
 grow bold, thinking Black Duck is dead." 
 
 "Will you not stay with us, friend?" Raoul 
 begged. "Let us sit down here and take counsel 
 of the future." 
 
 They made themselves comfortable on the pine 
 needles and Raoul continued: "Red Cheek is to 
 be my squaw. I think that Old Wolf knew this 
 when he let us go and that it was what he wished. 
 And I believe too that the Seigneur would be 
 pleased if he could but know," he added wistfully. 
 "I shall do what I think he would wish. I shall 
 go to Onontio in Quebec and say to him that I 
 beg him to ask the King to give me a seigneurie 
 for my home. I shall call it Seigneurie De 
 Larnac and La Salle, in memory of my master. 
 This shall be somewhere on the borders of the 
 wilderness, and if he will come to me, Etienne 
 shall have a goodly home within its confines, and 
 such other white men who love adventures and a 
 good musket. And it shall be the home of Swift 
 Fox" the young brave s eyes shone with 
 
366 WITH LA SALLE THE EXPLORER 
 
 pleasure at this announcement "and Black 
 Duck whenever he comes eastward shall dwell in 
 our lodge and feast until he himself commands 
 him to take the trail again. It shall be a place 
 where all the Indians who love the French shall 
 be welcome, for do not I and my squaw speak 
 their language and know their ways?" 
 
 A murmur of approval went up. Raoul con 
 tinued: "But should I not be an ingrate if I 
 forgot Sieur Tonty? I have sworn to him that 
 when he needs me I will follow where he goes 
 and fight those he fights. We two will remember 
 the great dreams of our Seigneur. We will 
 remember how he said that we should win an 
 empire out of the wilderness for France. With 
 my youth and my strength I shall bear his dreams 
 in my mind and strive to make them come true. 
 La Salle shall be our watchword. I will colonize ; 
 I will fight; I will trade. And here in this new 
 land we shall build both an empire and men for 
 France, and our children shall praise forever the 
 name of La Salle!" 
 
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