The Lords of the Wild A Story of the Old New York Border

lake-but he considered that the bulk of it had passed. So his heart was light, and, as they shot out

ay by a bird, one that

a, sent that b

it came for that special p

and all the nations of the Hodenosaunee have long known it. If Manitou wishes to stretc

belief of Tayoga, he was never one to attack anybody's relig

away to his star more than four hundred years ago, and who sits there watching over the Hoden

n coil, in his hair. He felt that through the banks of mist and vapor Tododaho was watching over him, and, as long as he tried to live the right way taught to him by his fathers, the great Onondaga c

d not stir, nor did he speak for a long time. Willet, at that moment, shared the faith of his two younger comrades. He was grateful too because once more they had found Robert, for whom he had all the affection of a father. The three reunited were

ind, Robert?" h

k my way squarely into trouble, and then I had hard work taking it out again. I

Dagaeoga. Do you think when we go into the Great Beyond and arrive at the feet of Manitou, and he asks us what we have done with o

s fellow creatures. Manitou knows also that it is hard to live in the wilderness and a man must spend a lot of his time es

ly his eyes picked out a dot against its background, infinitesimal l

t larger than the littlest star, but it moves

there be any, will come from the west shore. Now we'll lo

to search the western cliffs in methodical fashion, letting the eye travel from the farthes

st opposite us! I believe it's in the

king and bli

wonder what those two lights are say

s while to know, for th

or it may be about t

trouble," said Robert. "Now

l of French and Indians. I think St. Luc with a powerful force is near the north end

ay when our great army

howed his quality at Fort William Henry and we mustn't underrate him, though

to be despondent,

t a feeling that we sho

s won't stand when ou

reat battle on the sho

mpl

t," said Robert

r business now to escape from the people who are making those lights wink at each other, or the battle wherever it's foug

on the west shore tow

nda

e south," added Robert. "All four of them are win

y. "I'm thinking, however, that they're talking about us. They must have

e for Manitou to send a heavy

now and then he sends them, but oftenest he withholds his hand, lest w

t heaven helps those who help themselves, and we've got to do a lot of work for ourse

danger was unknown, mysterious, it might come from any point, and, while the foe prep

to use our strength, until we know what we are using it for. It's certain that Manitou intends t

d distinct, no longer vague black walls, the surface of the water turned to gray, but it was still swept by a heavy swell, in which the canoe

rom the cliffs," he said, "and for us now situated as

water, where they rested in silence, while more stars came out, throwing a silver radiance over the lake. The three were silent and Robert watched the western light

of it?" he asked, cal

ll

e still grew and soon a light on the eastern shore beg

n of it," said Willet. "They'll have gigantic bonfires casting their lig

ey are in great force

yo

prove it?"

aga laugh

tongue of gold, and it becomes a man to use that which he can use best. It is very simple. To drag up the fallen wood for such big fires takes many

said the hunter. "A master mind must be directing the

obert; "it seems that fate intends us to be

nge how it's come about," s

ould say more, but he did not con

by the fact that we must move. All the area

pyramids, and a third farther north beg

e little island, in the shadow of which the three scouts lay. It became appa

t they still kept close to the island and then made for another about a hundred yards south. The glow had not yet come near enough

ill feeding the fire and the pyramid of light rose to an extraordinary height, but Robert knew the peril was elsewhere. It would come on the surface of the lake and he shifted his gaze to the gray waters, searc

f dozen times, and found nothing to break the continuity. Hope that the warriors of Tandakora were not coming sprang up in his breast, but he put it down again. Although imag

d about a half mile aw

k we'd better m

ad, if nothing happens

's coming here, if an

dot detached itself from the center of the line, followed quickly by another, another and others. They were points infinitely small, and one at that distance could have

e them?" a

ith their bonfires, and their canoes are coming south to drive us into th

nch leader, he paid tribute to the valor and skill of St. Luc. Like Robert, he never felt any hosti

ain," he said, "and it's import

swim," said Tayoga, "and let the ca

anoe is low and does not make much of a blur upon the lake, but if we are si

r behind it, pushed out from the overhanging boughs. It was a wise precaution. When they reached the long open stretch of water, Robert felt t

reely, and, as the three swam with powerful strokes sending it swiftly ahea

obert like that of a snail. Yet the longest journey must come to an end. The new island rose at

ery distant, but singularly penetrating, a sinister note with which Robert was familiar, the Indian war whoop. He recog

hink we'd bett

wo at the island and take a l

noes, coming in the formation of an arrow, while the bonfires on the cliffs towered toward the sky.

canoe, as you lads know. Warriors have already gone below to head us off, and maybe they've got anothe

admitted Robert, "but

before, but none o

aging. I was just stating the situation as i

n opened to us,"

u mean?" as

strong, and it sweeps toward t

ga, but I don

e with wind and waves,

As the bird saved Robert so the wind may save us! The waves are running pretty fast toward the south n

ay in the doing of it. They took out their clothing, weapons, and ammunition, Willet gave

saying good-by to a f

be

"It's an ally that will draw the enemy

. But the canoe is truly alive, Dagaeoga. It skims over the lake like a great bird. If it has a spirit in

l wholly friendly to the three, who, now stooping down on the island, amid the foliage,

id Robert. "It's beckoning t

is about to break," said Willet. "Often you see

"The canoe is our ally, and, knowing that we want the

disturb the faith of anybody. If the canoe is alive, as

d the red youth, "and make them alive for a while. All the

as we are here, the skies have turned somewhat darker. The warriors

protect us," said Tayoga devoutly. "It is he who

s stop and search our island or follow straight

t, and as if we were becoming exhausted by our great exertions with the paddles. Its conduct is just like that of a man who flees for his life. I know, although I cannot see their eyes, that the pursuing warriors think they have us now. They b

id the hunter. "We shouldn't give them an earthly chance to see us, and, for that reason, we'd bet

oga. "Manitou will not help those w

the canoe was faithful to its trust. The strong wind out of the north carried it on with few moments of hesitation as it poised on breaking waves, its striking similitude to life never being lost for an instant. Robert began to believe with Tayoga that it was, in very

a slight shift of the wind, but it began suddenly to have the appearance of dancing upon the waves, sw

laughed

them. It says, 'You think you can catch me, but you cannot. Why do you come so slowly? Why don't you hurry? I am here. Se

gravely. "If they turn in toward the island the

ho knew no mercy. Neither of the three spoke, not even in whispers, as they watched almost with suspended breath the progress of the fleet. The bonfires had never ceased to rise and expand. For a long distance the surface of the lake was ligh

s, containing six paddles, sat no less a person than the great Ojibway chief himself, bare as usual to the waist and painted in many a hi

in both spirit and body, th

cers with whom they had been compelled to reckon on other fields of battle and intrigue. There was no longer any doubt that the French

with a bullet," whispered Willet,

knows that he could slay Tandakora, but it would mean the death of us all, and the price is too great.

good enough. We'll let him pass, if pass h

o turn in toward them. The long boat of Tandakora wavered and the red giant looked at the island curiously, but

n twenty seconds we shall know our fate, and I think the

men and red alike. It was still too far away for them to tell that it was empty. Sudden fear assailed them in the darkness, that it would escape and with it the three who had eluded the

, and he has stretched it between our enemies a

when you say that as the bird was sent to save Robert so a good spirit was put into the canoe t

on them," said Rob

l o' the wisp that they must pursue without rest. Their own canoes leaped forward, and, as the arrow into which they were formed s

lying canoe will yet escape you! More power to your arms, O ye paddlers! Bend to your strokes! The canoe that you pursue is light and it is carried in the heart of the wind! You

nd the bird with a golden note has gone into his throat. Now he can t

I was never before so glad to see the backs of anybody, as I

hing to stop 'em,

le the fires in the north, no longer necessary to the Indian plan, began to die. The

ndakora has gone on we can't live all the rest of our lives on this lit

s our best frie

s are likely to relax their vigilance on this part o

rtake it. I should hate to think that a canoe that has been such a friend to us has been compelled to serve our enemies. Th

when the head of a swimming man won't show to chance warriors in the bushes, and then

will be dark enough for us t

zed far in the south, but the light from them did not reach the island where the three lay, where p

. "We'll swim to the western side and clim

you say it is

a hal

der we have to carry our equipment. Why not launch one of those f

thought does come now and then

r than he looks,"

same for you, Tayoga,"

oth learn," l

a small one about six inches through at the stem into the lake. They chose it because i

d shoulders," said Willet. "The tree will serve a

on the tree. Then, they pushed off, with a caution from the hunter that they must not allow thei

d favored them so much thus far wou