"That they do, Davy, by the ton," he replied, "and so must we, as the
rulers of a great province. For mark me, though the men are happy
to-day, in four days they will be grumbling and trying to desert in
dozens."

We were interrupted by a knock at the door, and there stood Terence
McCann.

"His riverence!" he announced, and bowed low as the priest came into the
room.

I was bid by Colonel Clark to sit down and dine with them on the good
things which Monsieur Rocheblave's cook had prepared. After dinner they
went into the little orchard behind the house and sat drinking (in the
French fashion) the commandant's precious coffee which had been sent to
him from far-away New Orleans. Colonel Clark plied the priest with
questions of the French towns under English rule: and Father Gibault,
speaking for his simple people, said that the English had led them easily
to believe that the Kentuckians were cutthroats.

"Ah, monsieur," he said, "if they but knew you! If they but knew the
principles of that government for which you fight, they would renounce
the English allegiance, and the whole of this territory would be yours.
I know them, from Quebec to Detroit and Michilimackinac and Saint
Vincennes. Listen, monsieur," he cried, his homely face alight; "I
myself will go to Saint Vincennes for you. I will tell them the truth,
and you shall have the post for the asking."

"You will go to Vincennes!" exclaimed Clark; "a hard and dangerous
journey of a hundred leagues!"