ground, where flourished in their proper divisions the three varieties
of maize known to Indian culture, "the six weeks' corn, the hominy corn,
and the bread corn." A shoal of canoes skimmed down the river, each with
its darting shadow upon that lucent current and seeming as native, as
indigenous to the place as the minnows in a crystal brown pool there by
the waterside--each too with its swift javelin-like motion and a darting
shadow. Sundry open doors here and there showed glimpses of passing
figures within, but the arrival of the strangers was unnoticed till some
children playing beside the river caught sight of the unaccustomed
faces. With a shrill cry of discovery, they sped across the square,
agitated half by fright and half by the gusto of novelty. In another
moment there were two score armed men in the square.

"Now hould yer tongue still, an' I'll do the talkin'," said one of the
white adventurers to the other, speaking peremptorily, but with a suave
and delusive smile. "If yez weren't Frinch ye'd be a beautiful
Englishman; but I hev got the advantage of ye in that, an' faix I'll
kape it."

He was evidently of a breeding inferior to that of his companion, but he
had so sturdy and swinging a gait, so stalwart and goodly a build, so
engaging a manner, and so florid a smile, that the very sight of him was
disarming, despite the patent crafty deceit in his face. It seemed as if
it could not be very deep or guileful, it was so frankly expressed. It
was suggestive of the roguish machinations of a child. He had twinkling
brown eyes, and reddish hair, plaited in a club and tied with a thong of
leather. His features were blunt, but his red, well-shaped lips parted
in a ready, reassuring smile, and showed teeth as even and white as the
early corn. Both men were arrayed in the buckskin shirt and leggings
generally worn by the frontiersmen, but the face of the other had a