"I am Tayoga, of the clan of the Bear, of the nation Onondaga, of the
great League of the Hodenosaunee," he said, "but I am not yet a chief.
My years are too few. It is a great matter of which you speak, St. Luc,
and it must be laid before the fifty sachems of the allied tribes in the
Long House. The belt may be offered to them. I cannot take it."

The flitting cloud passed again over the face of St. Luc, but he did not
allow any change to show in his manner. He returned the splendid belt to
Dubois, who folded it carefully and put it back in the great knapsack.

"Doubtless you are right, Tayoga," he said. "I shall go to the Long
House with the belt, but meantime we thank you for the courtesy of
yourself and your friends. You have given us food when we were hungry,
and a Frenchman does not forget."

"The Onondagas keep the council fire in their valley, and the sachems
will gather there," said Tayoga.

"Where they will receive the belt of peace that I shall offer them,"
said St. Luc.

The Onondaga was silent. St. Luc, who had centered his attention upon
Tayoga, now turned it to Robert.

"Mr. Lennox," he said, "we dwell in a world of alarms, and I am French
and you are English, or rather American, but I wish that you and I could
remain friends."

The frankness and obvious sincerity of his tone surprised Robert. He
knew now that he liked the man. He felt that there was steel in his