Never had Dane been so greatly puzzled. Why had the Fort guns roared?
What were those ships doing there in the harbour? That they did not
belong to the pirates he felt certain, for they bore the English flag,
and he could see red-coated soldiers mingling with the people on the
shore. In his intense interest he forgot for the moment his important
mission, and he was upon the point of hastening down the hill to find
out for himself the meaning of the strange scene when Pete touched his
arm.

"What all dat beeg fuss, eh?" he asked.

The Indian's question startled him, and brought him to himself.

"Blamed if I know, Pete," he replied. "It's beyond me, for I never saw
anything like it before. Anyway, I'm going to find out. You take my
pack and gun and go back to the lake. Get a duck for supper, a good
big fat fellow. I'll be there as soon as I can, and tell you what I
can learn at the Fort. We've run across something to-day, Pete, more
than we expected."




CHAPTER II

"COME AND TAKE IT"

Fort Howe occupied an important position at the mouth of the St. John
River when the present Province of New Brunswick was a part of Nova
Scotia. It was well situated, and from the summit of a high hill