may drip from his lips like honey, but the speech of Lennox is the voice
of the south wind singing among the reeds. Lennox will be a great orator
among his people."

Robert blushed, and yet his heart was beating at the praise of Dayohogo,
obviously so sincere. He felt with a sudden instinctive rush of
conviction that the Mohawk was telling him the truth. It was an early
and partial display of the liquid and powerful speech, which afterward
gave him renown in New York and far beyond, and which caused people
everywhere to call him the "Golden Mouthed." And he was always eager to
acknowledge that much of its strength came from the lofty thought and
brilliant imagery shown by many of the orators of the nations of the
Hodenosaunee, with whom so much of his youth was spent.

"I only spoke the thought that was in my mind, Dayohogo," he said
modestly.

"Wherein is the beginning of great speech," said the sachem sagely.
"When Lennox returns from the journey on which he is now going it would
be fit for him to go to the vale of Onondaga and meet St. Luc in debate
before the fifty sachems."

Robert's heart leaped again. It was like a call to battle, and now he
knew what his great aim in life should be. He would strive with study
and practice to make himself first in it, but, for the present, he had
other thoughts and purpose. Willet, however, took fire too from the
words of the Mohawk chief.

"I've noticed before, Robert," he said, "that you had the gift of
tongues, and we'll make a great orator of you. In times such as ours a