And northward they went at a great rate, watching on all sides for the
perils that were never absent from the woods and peaks.




CHAPTER XIV

BEFORE QUEBEC


True to the predictions of Tayoga, they struck the trail of St. Luc and
Tandakora far up in the province of New York and west of Lake Champlain.
Ever since the white man came, hostile forces had been going north or
south along well-defined passes in these regions, and, doubtless, bands
of Indians had been traveling the same course from time immemorial; so
it was not hard for them to come upon the traces of French and Indians
going to Quebec to make the great stand against Wolfe and his fleet.

"It is a broad trail because many Frenchmen and Indians make it," said
the Onondaga. "As I have said, Sharp Sword and Tandakora do not like
each other, but circumstances make them allies. They have rejoined and
they go together to Quebec. Here is the trail of at least three hundred
men, perhaps two hundred Frenchmen and a hundred warriors. The footsteps
of Sharp Sword are unmistakable, and so are those of Tandakora. Behold
their great size, Dagaeoga; and here are the prints of boots which
belong to De Courcelles and Jumonville. I have seen them often before,
Dagaeoga. How could you believe they might have been left by somebody
else?"