diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 723827 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753-h/33753-h.htm | 3499 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753-h/images/img-034.jpg | bin | 0 -> 113284 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753-h/images/img-054.jpg | bin | 0 -> 109797 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753-h/images/img-076.jpg | bin | 0 -> 120219 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753-h/images/img-084.jpg | bin | 0 -> 100960 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753-h/images/img-110.jpg | bin | 0 -> 112038 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753-h/images/img-front.jpg | bin | 0 -> 121817 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753.txt | 2454 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 33753.zip | bin | 0 -> 44902 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
13 files changed, 5969 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/33753-h.zip b/33753-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8566ad0 --- /dev/null +++ b/33753-h.zip diff --git a/33753-h/33753-h.htm b/33753-h/33753-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4f0c5b4 --- /dev/null +++ b/33753-h/33753-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3499 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of In Paths of Peril, by J. Macdonald Oxley +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; } + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +H4.h4center { margin-left: 0; + margin-right: 0 ; + margin-bottom: .5% ; + margin-top: 0; + float: none ; + clear: both ; + text-align: center } + +IMG.imgcenter { margin-left: auto; + margin-bottom: 0; + margin-top: 1%; + margin-right: auto; } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of In Paths of Peril, by J. Macdonald Oxley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In Paths of Peril + A Boy's Adventures in Nova Scotia + +Author: J. Macdonald Oxley + +Release Date: September 17, 2010 [EBook #33753] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN PATHS OF PERIL *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<A NAME="img-front"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG CLASS="imgcenter" SRC="images/img-front.jpg" ALT=""THE HEAVY ANIMAL TURNED TO FACE RAOUL." <I>p</I>. 22." BORDER="2" WIDTH="603" HEIGHT="852"> +<H4 CLASS="h4center" STYLE="width: 603px"> +"THE HEAVY ANIMAL TURNED TO FACE RAOUL." <I>p</I>. 22. +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +IN PATHS OF PERIL +</H1> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +A Boy's Adventures in Nova Scotia +</H2> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +BY +</H4> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +J. MACDONALD OXLEY +</H3> + +<BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +AUTHOR OF<BR> +'DONALBLANE OF DARIEN,' 'A BOY OF THE BANKS,'<BR> +'NORMAN'S NUGGET,' ETC.<BR> +</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +<I>WITH SIX ILLUSTRATIONS</I> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TORONTO +<BR> +THE MUSSON BOOK COMPANY LIMITED +<BR> +1903 +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +<A HREF="#paths">IN PATHS OF PERIL</A> +</H4> + +<TABLE ALIGN="center" WIDTH="80%"> +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">CHAP.</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> </TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">I. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap01">FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">II. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap02">THE GREAT BEAR HUNT</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">III. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap03">SETTING A BAD EXAMPLE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IV. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap04">OFF TO THE WOODS</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">V. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap05">THE MOOSE HUNT</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VI. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap06">IN THE NICK OF TIME</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VII. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap07">AT CLOSE QUARTERS</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VIII. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap08">A PERILOUS ENTERPRISE</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IX. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap09">THE STOPPING OF THE SUPPLY SHIP</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">X. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap10">ADVENTURE IN BOSTON</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XI. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap11">TRAITORS IN THE CAMP</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XII. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap12">A GLORIOUS VICTORY</A></TD> +</TR> + +</TABLE> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +<A HREF="#bruin">BEFRIENDED BY BRUIN</A> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +ILLUSTRATIONS +</H2> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#img-front"> +"THE HEAVY ANIMAL TURNED TO FACE RAOUL." . . . . . . <I>Frontispiece</I> +</A> +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#img-034"> +"THE PARTY SET FORTH." +</A> +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#img-054"> +"SUDDENLY, RAOUL RAISED HIMSELF UPON HIS KNEES." +</A> +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#img-076"> +"JOE LED THE WAY." +</A> +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#img-084"> +"RISING TO HIS FULL HEIGHT, JOE SWUNG THE PADDLE ABOVE HIS HEAD." +</A> +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#img-110"> +"SHE POINTED THE FIRST CANNON WITH HER OWN HANDS." +</A> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<A NAME="paths"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +IN PATHS OF PERIL +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER I +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW +</H4> + +<P> +The defence of the city of La Rochelle by the Huguenots, when for more +than a year they defied the whole power of France under the leadership +of Cardinal Richelieu, must ever remain one of the most heroic and +soul-stirring chapters in history. +</P> + +<P> +For the sake of their faith these noble people endured the pangs of +hunger, the perils of battle, and the blight of pestilence, until at +last, their fighting men being reduced to a mere handful, with broken +hearts they were compelled to surrender. It was a terrible time for +the weak and the young. Nearly one-half of the population of the city +died during the siege, and those who survived formed a gaunt, haggard, +miserable band, more like scarecrows than human beings. +</P> + +<P> +Among them were a maiden of twenty and a boy of twelve years of age, +whose fortunes we shall follow in these pages. She was Constance de +Bernon, the only daughter of one of the most important families, and +he, Raoul de Bernon, her nephew, now an orphan, both his parents having +perished in the dreadful days of the siege. +</P> + +<P> +Not all the horrors she had witnessed, nor the sufferings she had +borne, in the least degree shook Constance's fidelity to her faith. +She was of the stuff which makes martyrs, and would have died at the +stake rather than renounce her religion. Right glad, therefore, was +she when her parents succeeded in effecting their escape from old +France, where only persecution awaited Protestants, and making their +way across the Atlantic Ocean to the new France, where it was possible +to be true to one's belief without having to suffer for it. +</P> + +<P> +The de Bernons settled in what was then known as Acadia, now the +Province of Nova Scotia, and began life again amid the wildness of the +land which the Micmac and Melecite Indians had hitherto held as their +hunting-ground. Raoul accompanied them. Since the loss of his parents +his whole heart had gone out to Constance. Never was aunt more beloved +by nephew. It might indeed with truth be said that he fairly +worshipped her, and found in her companionship the chief solace for his +great bereavement. +</P> + +<P> +While to the older people the change from the comfort and security of +their former life at La Rochelle to the crude and hard conditions of +their new home could not help being a very trying one, Raoul, on the +contrary, was rather pleased with it. There was no going to school, +nor learning of lessons, except when his aunt could now and then spare +an hour to spend with him over the few books they had been able to +bring. He lived out-of-doors for the most part, and had no difficulty +in finding plenty to occupy his time. +</P> + +<P> +He was a sturdy lad, with a bright, strong countenance, which gave good +promise for the future if only he kept in the right path; and he made +many friends, not only among the settlers, but also among the Indians, +some of whose camps were always near at hand. +</P> + +<P> +"It seems to me you do not miss La Rochelle very much, Raoul," said +Constance to him as they sat at the door of the house in the quiet of +the evening, when all the work of the day was over. "You are quite +happy here, are you not?" +</P> + +<P> +The colour came into the boy's face at his aunt's words, for although +she did not so mean it, her question seemed to imply that he was +forgetting his former home and the dear ones he had lost. +</P> + +<P> +"I do like it here," he replied, lifting his big brown eyes to hers. +"It is very different from La Rochelle, I know, but——" and here he +hesitated so long that Constance with a smile took up the sentence. +</P> + +<P> +"But you'd rather live in the woods than in the city—that's it, isn't +it, Raoul? I quite understand, and I don't blame you in the least. +You're fond of adventure, and you're glad to be where there's apt to be +plenty of it. How would you like to go with me to Cape Sable?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm ready to go with you anywhere, Aunt Constance!" was the prompt and +hearty response. "But why are you going to Cape Sable?" +</P> + +<P> +It was now Constance's turn to blush, and very charming she looked as +she answered in a low tone with her face turned away: +</P> + +<P> +"I am to be married soon, Raoul, to Monsieur La Tour, and he is going +to take me to Cape Sable, where he has his fort." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul sprang to his feet excitedly. The idea of his beloved aunt +belonging to somebody else hurt him cruelly. It filled his heart with +jealousy, and he exclaimed in a tone of passion: +</P> + +<P> +"You're going to be married, Aunt Constance, and to leave us all! What +is that for? Why couldn't you stay with us? We are so happy here." +</P> + +<P> +Constance smiled with pleasure at the vigour of his speech, and putting +her arm about his neck affectionately, said: +</P> + +<P> +"You surely would not have me live and die an old maid, would you, +Raoul? And Monsieur La Tour will make such a good husband for me!" +</P> + +<P> +Raoul sighed as he warmly returned his aunt's caress. His protest was +foolish, of course, and, after all, if she was going to take him with +her to her new home, what would be the difference? +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, I suppose so," he answered. "But I didn't know. Please tell +me all about it." +</P> + +<P> +So Constance went into particulars, Raoul listening with profound +interest. +</P> + +<P> +Charles de la Tour, who was also a Huguenot, had now been for a number +of years in Acadia, carrying on an extensive business in fishing and +fur-trading, and had just built a strong fort at Cape Sable, which he +called Fort St. Louis. Of this establishment he had invited Constance +to become the mistress, and she had given her consent. Yet, although +she loved de la Tour, who was a handsome, genial, daring man such as +easily win a woman's heart, she did not want to part with her nephew, +and de la Tour made no objection to his accompanying her, especially as +he himself must needs be often absent from the fort on business +expeditions for months at a time, and Raoul would then be good company +for his wife. +</P> + +<P> +So in due time it all came about as was arranged, and Raoul found +himself settled at Fort St. Louis with his new uncle, whom he greatly +admired and respected. This fort, placed at the extreme south-east +point of what is now Nova Scotia, looked out over the restless waters +of the Atlantic, and kept an eye upon the ships passing by to the Bay +of Fundy or to the New England ports. It was very strongly built of +stone, and mounted many cannon which Raoul longed to see in use. A +snug harbour lay to the east, where de la Tour's vessels could anchor +in safety from any storm, and inland stretched vast forests, which +fairly swarmed with game, from the lively rabbit to the gigantic moose. +What with fishing, trapping and hunting, rowing, sailing and swimming +to his heart's content, Raoul was in no danger of finding the time hang +heavy on his hands. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER II +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +THE GREAT BEAR HUNT +</H4> + +<P> +There were many tribes of Indians scattered over Acadia—Abenakes, +Etechemins, Micmacs, Openagos, and so forth, in whom Constance de la +Tour took a very deep interest. She was full of zeal to teach them the +Christian religion, and how to improve their way of living; and she +went about from village to village, and from wigwam to wigwam, with +wonderful patience striving to reach the hearts of the pagans, and help +them to better things; so winning their love that she came to be +esteemed as the guardian angel of their children. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul usually accompanied her on these journeys, and strange enough +were many of the places they visited. Now it would be a mere huddle of +huts that looked like inverted wash-tubs, or again what seemed a +cluster of large-sized hen-coops, or perhaps a big shed a hundred feet +long with sleeping stalls below, and a loft above for the children, +having neither windows nor chimney, and inclosed by a heavy oak +stockade. +</P> + +<P> +Whether big or little, these odd dwellings swarmed with squaws and +children, and while his aunt was speaking to the elder folk, Raoul +would always find amusement with the youngsters. +</P> + +<P> +Many useful things did Madame de la Tour teach her dusky pupils—the +way to bake bread, how to raise corn, pumpkins, and melons, the mode of +preserving the fruit that was so plentiful in the autumn, and the art +of making maple-sugar, all of which helped to benefit them, no less +than the Gospel message she never failed to give also. She was the +first missionary to these wild children of the forest in Acadia, and +her memory is still enduring and fragrant because of the good she +wrought amongst them. Raoul, vastly as he admired his aunt's devotion, +could not of course be expected to share in it to any great extent, but +since his idea of life was to have as good a time as possible—and he +much preferred going on these expeditions to being cooped up in the +fort—it suited him all right that she should be so zealous as she was. +</P> + +<P> +Tramping through the vast green forests, or paddling in birch canoes +over the clear water of smooth-running streams, there was always +something new to be seen, and at any time an adventure might happen. +In the autumn after their coming to Fort St. Louis, a great bear hunt +was arranged to take place at the Tusket River, and Raoul was full of +excitement about it. The plan was certainly as daring as it was novel, +for the bears were not to be killed when found, but driven with clubs +and switches towards the village, where arrows and spears and sharp +appetites awaited them. +</P> + +<P> +"I do hope there'll be plenty of bears," exclaimed Raoul to his aunt +the evening before the hunt. "Won't it be exciting when they get them +started, and they try to escape? I think I'll go out after the bears, +and not wait at the village for them to come—that will be too +tiresome." +</P> + +<P> +"Whatever you do, Raoul, take good care of yourself," said Madame, +patting him upon the shoulder. "You are my boy, you know, and I should +be very sorry if anything were to happen to you." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul smiled confidently as he drew himself up to his full height. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, there's no fear of me. I've had too much to do with bears to let +any of them hurt me." +</P> + +<P> +Madame smiled fondly back at him as she responded: +</P> + +<P> +"You certainly look as if you ought to be able to take care of +yourself. You are a fine big fellow, Raoul, and I pray God your life +may be a long and happy and useful one." +</P> + +<P> +The bear hunt was well organized under the direction of Madame, who had +a genius for command. Raoul preferred going into the forest with the +beaters to remaining at the village, and set off in high glee, the +party being chiefly composed of the young men of the tribe. +</P> + +<P> +It was the season of grapes, and the vines, which climbed in wild +profusion to the very tree-tops, were laden with the luscious fruit +which Bruin dearly loved. The hunters, therefore, were in no doubt as +to where to seek their prey. Armed only with light clubs and supple +switches, they dashed into the forest, darting this way and that, each +one eager to be the first to find a victim. Raoul joined forces with +an Indian lad of his own age named Outan, and it was understood that +they were to stand by each other. Beside his club Raoul had a good +hunting-knife in his belt, but he carried no fire-arms. +</P> + +<P> +Pressing forward with reckless haste, they came to a place where the +grape-vines fairly smothered the trees which supported them. +</P> + +<P> +"Ah-ha!" exclaimed Outan exultantly. "Plenty bear here, for sure!" and +the words had but left his lips when he gave a cry of joy and pointed +excitedly to a tree, whose leaves were shaking, although there was not +a breath of wind. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul gazed in the direction indicated, and his heart gave a bound when +he caught sight of a dark body that the leaves only half concealed. +</P> + +<P> +"There he is! I see him!" he cried; "a great big fellow, and he's +coming down!" +</P> + +<P> +Running to the foot of the tree, the boys began to shout up to the +bear, calling him names, and daring him to come down. +</P> + +<P> +But, instead of obeying them, the big black fellow, one of the largest +of his kind and in superb condition, turned about, and proceeded to +climb higher. +</P> + +<P> +"Hullo! that won't do," said Raoul in a tone of disappointment. "We'll +never get him down that way. Let us throw stones up at him." +</P> + +<P> +Accordingly they began to bombard the animal with stones, Raoul, who +was a capital shot, succeeding in hitting him more than once. Yet this +did not help matters at all. On the contrary the bear only climbed the +higher. Then Outan proposed to climb an adjoining tree, taking some +stones with him, and then to drive the creature down. Raoul thought +the idea an excellent one, and took up his station at the foot of the +tree with his club in readiness for immediate use. Outan went up the +tree with the ease of a monkey, and gaining a good position above the +bear shouted fiercely at him, while he threw the stones with accurate +aim. Thus assailed from this unexpected quarter, the bear was +panic-stricken, and started down the tree at utmost speed. +</P> + +<P> +"Look out! bear's coming!" yelled Outan, and Raoul, with every nerve +quivering, and his muscles as tense as bow-strings, grasped his club +until his knuckles went white. +</P> + +<P> +Tail foremost, the heavy animal shuffled down the tree-trunk with +astonishing agility, and, reaching the ground on all fours, turned to +face Raoul. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER III +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +SETTING A BAD EXAMPLE +</H4> + +<P> +Up to this moment Raoul, carried away by the excitement of the hunt, +had not stopped to consider what he should do if the bear happened to +show fight instead of running away, but now he found himself face to +face with the creature, which was evidently in no very good humour at +having been so rudely disturbed while feasting on the grapes. +</P> + +<P> +Growling fiercely the bear charged at Raoul, who darted off, shouting: +</P> + +<P> +"Quick, Outan, quick! Come, help me!" +</P> + +<P> +By dodging in and out among the trees he could keep out of the bear's +clutches; but this complete change of programme was not at all what he +had counted upon, and it was with great relief that presently he saw +not only Outan, but several other Indians coming to his aid. Shouting +and swinging their clubs they attracted the animal's attention from +Raoul, who was fast losing his breath, and from being the pursuer the +bear now became the pursued. +</P> + +<P> +He was wise enough to see that the odds were against him, and made off +at a shambling gallop which the hunters found it difficult to keep up +with. Their object being to drive the bear towards the village they +must needs keep him going in that direction, and this they found no +easy task. It would almost seem as if he suspected their purpose, so +hard did he try to go off at a tangent instead of straight ahead; and +more than once Raoul well-nigh despaired of their succeeding in their +object, and regretted that he had not brought his musket with him. But +the Indians were not to be fooled. The bear was too fine a specimen to +lose, and they spared neither their lungs nor their muscles as they +kept up the pursuit with unflagging zeal. It certainly was a curious +way of hunting bears, and if Bruin had only known how powerless his +persecutors really were, he would, no doubt, have freed himself from +them in short order. He was too badly frightened, however, to perceive +the truth, and did his best to keep out of range of the menacing +cudgels, while all the time the village drew nearer, where his fate +awaited him. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul would have liked very much to reach the village ahead of the +bear, but although he ran his very best, he was left well in the rear, +and when he came up the big black creature had already been dispatched. +</P> + +<P> +"You poor fellow!" said Raoul as he passed his hand over the rich, +glossy black fur, a qualm of pity succeeding the lust of the chase now +that the excitement was over. "You did your best to get away from us, +but we were too many for you. It was not just a fair fight, was it?" +</P> + +<P> +Several other bears had been secured, and when the hunt was over, and +the Indians had all gathered again, some strange ceremonies took place. +Into the mouths of the slain bears smoke from an Indian pipe was blown +by the hunters, and at the same time each lifeless creature was begged +not to hold any hard feelings because of what they had suffered. Then +the bears' heads, painted and decorated, were set on high, and the +savages sang the praise of the Acadian king of beasts, after which the +well-cooked bodies were divided amongst the hungry people, who feasted +upon them greedily. Madame and Raoul had their share of bear-steak, +and then the former took advantage of the quiet which followed the +feast, to talk to these heathens about the Great Spirit whom she was so +anxious they should learn to love. She was listened to with great +attention by the Indians, because she had won their hearts, not only by +her lovely character, but also by her many generous deeds and gifts. +</P> + +<P> +But they were, for the most part, slow learners of the new and better +way. The grizzled old chief, to whom Madame with infinite patience was +teaching the Lord's Prayer, made a quaint objection. +</P> + +<P> +"If I ask for nothing but bread," said he, "I shall have no more moose +nor sweet cakes," referring to some toothsome cake that Madame had +herself baked as a present for him. +</P> + +<P> +After Madame had spoken, the young folks fell to sky-larking, while the +elders smoked their pipes, and Outan, who was fond of teasing, raised a +big laugh at Raoul's expense by telling how the bear had dropped from +the tree and put him to flight, and he mimicked Raoul dodging around +the tree-trunk. This angered Raoul, and when his orders to Outan to +"shut up" passed unnoticed, he rushed at him and struck him in the face. +</P> + +<P> +Now, although Outan looked upon both Madame de la Tour and Raoul as +superior beings, and would have endured a great deal at their hands +rather than displease them, still he had his own share of temper and +pride, and this sudden blow from Raoul, given in the presence of his +companions, filled him with fury. He struck back with all his might, +and the next instant the two boys were rolling upon the ground in a mad +grapple. At once they were surrounded by an eager circle of +spectators, who keenly relished what promised to be a lively fight, and +with excited cries urged on the youthful combatants. +</P> + +<P> +So close were Raoul and Outan locked in each other's arms that they +could not use their fists, and the struggle was therefore in reality +not more than a wrestling-match. +</P> + +<P> +But the more they strove the fiercer burned their rage, and the moment +that one or the other did succeed in getting a hand free, cruel use +would certainly be made of it. +</P> + +<P> +While this was taking place Madame had been talking with some of the +women, little imagining how Raoul was engaged, and she might have +continued in her ignorance had not Outan's little sister run up to +them, sobbing out something which her mother at once understood, and +darted off with an exclamation of alarm. +</P> + +<P> +This attracted Madame's attention, and more out of concern lest some +accident should have happened than from curiosity, she followed the +Indian woman. When they reached the crowd that surrounded the +fighters, so densely packed was it that at first they could not get +within sight of what was going on. But presently some of the men made +space for Madame in rather a shamefaced way, until she was quite close +to the struggling boys. +</P> + +<P> +For a moment she thought it was only an innocent trial of strength, but +a second look at their inflamed faces and furious eyes told her the +truth, and in a horror-stricken voice she called out: +</P> + +<P> +"Raoul! Raoul! what's the meaning of this? Stop it at once. I +command you." +</P> + +<P> +But Raoul was in too wild a fury to hear or heed, and, realizing this, +Madame, the grace of whose form concealed an unusual degree of strength +in a woman, laid hold of the boys and tore them apart. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IV +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +OFF TO THE WOODS +</H4> + +<P> +Raoul rose sullenly to his feet, and faced his aunt, who fixed upon him +a look of stern displeasure mingled with sorrow. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, my nephew," she said in a tone of profound reproach, "are you not +ashamed of yourself to be engaged in such an unseemly brawl? What an +example to set those whom we are striving to teach better things! Come +away, that I may have some talk with you in private." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul, his anger now having in large part given place to shame, obeyed +her bidding without a word, and they passed through the crowd into the +forest. Here Raoul found his tongue, and explained how the thing had +occurred. Madame heard him with attention and sympathy. +</P> + +<P> +"You certainly had good reason to be provoked, my boy," she said as she +tenderly patted his cheek. "But you must not forget that these poor +people are heathens, and we are Christians, and that if we would win +them over to be Christians also, we must do very differently from what +they would do themselves. Now you must confess that you did not act in +a Christian way, and I am very sorry. Let us pray to God to give us +such self-control that we shall not fall into errors of this kind." +</P> + +<P> +So they kneeled together upon the turf, and Raoul's heart was melted by +the fervent prayer that came from his aunt's lips for the help of God +in right living, and in the conversion of the Indians. Then, without +delay, he sought out Outan, and, to the great surprise of the lad, +expressed his regret for his hasty blow and begged his forgiveness. +</P> + +<P> +To Outan the situation was so utterly novel that he was bewildered what +to do, but obeying the impulse of his heart, he smiled broadly and gave +Raoul a hearty hug, which showed in the clearest way that all +ill-feeling had vanished from him. +</P> + +<P> +The bear hunt having been successfully carried out, Madame and Raoul +returned to Fort St. Louis, where they found Monsieur La Tour, who had +got back from one of his trading expeditions, awaiting them in high +spirits, because his business operations had been very successful. +</P> + +<P> +Charles La Tour thought more of wealth and power than anything else in +the world. Not even his beautiful, devoted wife was dearer to him. +Yet he loved her after his own fashion, was very proud of her, and had +not the slightest objection to her missionary zeal, so long as it did +not cross any of his plans or ambitions. In regard to Raoul, of whom +he was quite fond, he did think it rather a pity that he should be +filled with his aunt's religious notions, because it might spoil him +for the rough business of life; yet he made no protest against it, +although he did now and then let drop a cynical speech that touched the +boy's sensitive nature. +</P> + +<P> +He had not been long at home before his restless spirit moved him to +start off again, and this time he proposed that Raoul should accompany +him. +</P> + +<P> +"If your aunt can do without you for a few weeks, you'd better come +with me," he said in his off-hand way, which took consent for granted. +"You'll get some useful lessons in buying furs and trading goods, and +in how to make good bargains with the Indians, if you keep your eyes +and ears open." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul, for his part, was quite eager to go. He loved adventure and +excitement, and was very weary of the routine of life at the fort. So +his response was no less hearty than prompt. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, of course I want to go, uncle," he exclaimed, his face beaming +with pleasure, and then checking himself as he thought of his aunt, he +added in a more subdued tone, "If Aunt Constance is willing for me to +go." +</P> + +<P> +In her heart Madame would have very much preferred to have Raoul remain +with her, but she was too unselfish to confess it, and smiled gaily +enough as she said: +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I think I can manage to get along without you for a while, Raoul, +although I shall of course miss you both greatly." +</P> + +<P> +Winter was drawing near when the party set forth, and they must needs +be not only well-armed, but well supplied with blankets and furs to +resist the cold. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-034"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG CLASS="imgcenter" SRC="images/img-034.jpg" ALT=""THE PARTY SET FORTH."" BORDER="2" WIDTH="585" HEIGHT="759"> +<H4 CLASS="h4center" STYLE="width: 585px"> +"THE PARTY SET FORTH." +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<P> +There were twelve of them in all, six whites, and as many red men, +stalwart fellows all of them, and thoroughly fitted to endure the +hardships of their undertaking. +</P> + +<P> +Madame was left in charge of the fort, with trusty old Simon Imbert as +her lieutenant. +</P> + +<P> +"My prayers will follow you every foot of the way, Charles," she said +as she gave her husband a parting embrace, "and I shall be a happy +woman when I see you safe back again." +</P> + +<P> +La Tour's purpose was to go clear across the peninsula to the Bay of +Fundy, seeking out the Indian encampments, buying whatever furs they +had, and arranging for further supplies. He accordingly took with him +a stock of goods such as pleased the Indian fancy. +</P> + +<P> +Sufficient snow had already fallen to enable toboggans to be used, and +with their baggage loaded upon these the party made good progress +through the forest. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul was in high spirits. Neither the toilsome tramping all day, nor +the sleeping under the sky instead of in his own warm bed at night, nor +the rude though abundant fare counted anything in comparison with his +pride of filling a man's place, and, as far as was possible, doing a +man's work. +</P> + +<P> +There was one thing that gave him some trouble at first, however, until +he solved the difficulty by being true to his best instincts. +</P> + +<P> +His aunt had taught him to pray night and morning, and in the privacy +of his own snug chamber in the fort he never omitted doing so; but when +out in the forest in the company of men who took no thought for such +things, it was very different. +</P> + +<P> +Although his conscience pricked him sharply he let several days go by +without prayers, just because he had not the courage to kneel down +before the others. +</P> + +<P> +But one night it seemed as if he could not get to sleep, he felt so +conscience-stricken, and at last, unable to bear it any longer, he +rolled out of his blankets, and kneeled against a tree-trunk. +</P> + +<P> +A minute later his uncle, who had been out with some of his men setting +traps, returned, and seeing Raoul, exclaimed in a tone of surprise: +</P> + +<P> +"Hullo, my boy, what's the matter? Have you had a scare while I was +away?" +</P> + +<P> +Raoul, blushing deeply, rose to his feet, and with eyes fixed on the +ground, murmured: +</P> + +<P> +"No, sir, I was just saying my prayers, as I ought to have done every +night, but I felt ashamed to." +</P> + +<P> +It was on the tip of La Tour's tongue to say: +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! leave that to your aunt. She can pray enough for both of us." +</P> + +<P> +But he kept the words back, and with an indulgent smile which implied +plainly that he thought the boy's occupation was of small consequence, +he said in a kindly tone: +</P> + +<P> +"Well, you'd better get back into your blankets again. We're going to +have a stormy night, if I am not greatly mistaken." +</P> + +<P> +That he had not mis-read the weather signs became evident ere midnight, +for a snow-storm set in which grew in violence hour by hour, until by +daylight it was so furious that not even Charles La Tour had the +hardihood to brave it. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER V +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +THE MOOSE HUNT +</H4> + +<P> +For several days the storm continued, and during that time no member of +the party dared to leave camp, except to gather wood for the fire, +which by great exertion and care was kept burning. +</P> + +<P> +It was a miserable time for all. La Tour fumed and fretted at the +delay, and the other whites shared his feelings, although the Indians +seemed stolidly content with the forced inaction. +</P> + +<P> +Temporary tents had been hastily made out of spruce boughs, and these +being covered thickly with snow, afforded passable protection; yet they +were poor places in which to spend a long day, and their occupants soon +grew utterly weary of them. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul was hard put to it to while away the dreary hours. His uncle was +in too ill a humour to be pleasant company, and so the boy fell back +upon the society of the men, who were inclined to be rough in their +ways and coarse in speech. +</P> + +<P> +On the evening of the third day of the storm La Tour called Raoul to +him, and said in a sneering tone: +</P> + +<P> +"How much good can your prayers do, think you? If you were to pray for +the storm to stop, would it have any effect? You certainly couldn't +wish a better chance to show what you can do." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul was sorely puzzled to reply. He suspected that his uncle was +only seeking to make fun of him, and yet it did not seem right to +respond in the same spirit, thus making a jest of what was so sacred. +</P> + +<P> +Looking very confused, he kept silence, until La Tour exclaimed +impatiently: +</P> + +<P> +"Have you lost your tongue? Why don't you answer me?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because I don't know what to say," murmured Raoul. "Aunt Constance +told me that we must not expect every prayer to be answered right away, +and maybe even if she were to pray for the storm to stop it would not +do it." +</P> + +<P> +At this point La Tour's better nature asserted itself. He began to +feel ashamed at thus teasing the boy, and to be impressed by his +evident sincerity, so patting him affectionately upon the shoulder, he +said: +</P> + +<P> +"Don't mind my foolish words, Raoul. I didn't mean to hurt your +feelings, or to weaken your faith. Keep on doing what you feel to be +right, even if you are made fun of by those who ought to know better." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul was deeply touched by these words, and thenceforward admired his +uncle more than ever. +</P> + +<P> +Ere he closed his eyes that night he did pray fervently for the storm +to abate, and then curled up in his blankets to sleep as soundly as if +in his own snug bed in Fort St. Louis. +</P> + +<P> +He was awakened next morning by his uncle giving orders to the men in +so cheery a tone that it was evident there had been a great change in +his spirits; and, in making his way out of the half-buried tent, Raoul +at once understood the reason, for the storm was all over, and the sun +shone dazzlingly upon a world of spotless white. +</P> + +<P> +"Good!" cried Raoul joyously. "Now we needn't stay here any longer. I +am so glad," and he felt like dancing a little by way of expressing his +feelings. +</P> + +<P> +In his delight at the return of fine weather he might have forgotten to +be thankful for the answer to his prayer, had not Monsieur La Tour +reminded him by calling out: +</P> + +<P> +"Good-morning, Raoul. You see the snow has ceased, and perhaps it was +your prayers that caused it to stop." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul laughed, and shook his head in disclaimer of such being the case. +</P> + +<P> +"And now, uncle, we can be off again, can't we?" he responded. "I hope +we won't have any more such storms." +</P> + +<P> +In their journey across country they presently came to the region where +huge moose, the grandest of all antlered animals, were to be found, and +La Tour, as their supply of food was running low, decided to halt for a +few days, in order that they might have a moose hunt. +</P> + +<P> +This was good news to the whole party, and there was keen competition +among the members to be allowed to take part in the hunt, La Tour's +purpose being to have one-half of the men accompany him, while the rest +remained at the camp. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul took it for granted that he was to go, and was quite dismayed +when his uncle let fall a remark which implied that he was to stay +behind. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, uncle," he exclaimed, "am I not to go with you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I hadn't thought about it, Raoul," was the reply. "Won't it be +rather hard work for you to keep up with us? And then there may be +some danger, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, but I don't mind either the hard work or the danger," Raoul +promptly responded. "Please let me go too, uncle, I want to so much." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well then," replied La Tour, good-naturedly. "You can come +along, but you'll have to look after yourself, for I'm going to give my +whole attention to the moose." +</P> + +<P> +Mounted upon broad snow-shoes, which enabled them to travel with ease +and speed over the deepest snow, the hunting-party set forth amid the +cheers of those who regretfully remained behind. They were all in high +spirits, and the men made little boasts among themselves as to which of +them would be the first to sight a moose, and to get the first shot at +one. +</P> + +<P> +"This heavy fall of snow will make things easier for us," Monsieur La +Tour said to Raoul, as they tramped along together. "The big fellows +will not be able to run very fast through such deep drifts." +</P> + +<P> +It was not until mid-day drew near that signs of moose were seen, and +then one of the keen-sighted Indians, who was in the van, came hurrying +back to announce that he had found fresh tracks in the snow. +</P> + +<P> +After examining them La Tour consulted for a moment with his +companions, and then laid out his plan of campaign, which was that the +party should spread out in a wide line, so as to cover as much ground +as possible, and yet keep within hearing of signals, so as to be able +to gather together again at the proper time. +</P> + +<P> +"As for you, Raoul, you had better follow me," he said. "You'll not +miss any of the excitement, and you'll be less likely to get astray." +</P> + +<P> +This suited Raoul perfectly, and having seen to it that his gun was +ready for instant action he followed his uncle's lead, although it was +no easy matter to keep pace with his rapid stride. +</P> + +<P> +On they went through the forest, with every sense alert to detect the +proximity of their prey. +</P> + +<P> +Presently La Tour stopped short, and bent his gaze intently to the +right. Raoul looked in the same direction, but at first could not make +out anything, yet from his uncle's action, it was plain that he must +have sighted a moose, for he began to creep forward stealthily, with +his gun held in readiness to fire. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul, holding his breath, kept close behind, and at last his eyes fell +upon a dark form scarcely distinguishable from the thick evergreen +against which it stood. +</P> + +<P> +"There he is! I see him!" he whispered to himself, while his heart +throbbed wildly. +</P> + +<P> +Just then La Tour levelled his gun, and the silence was shattered by +its startling report. +</P> + +<P> +A moment later the evergreens were violently agitated, and out of them +rushed a huge bull moose, made furious by the wound, which at once +charged fiercely down upon the hunters. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VI +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +IN THE NICK OF TIME +</H4> + +<P> +As it happened, the snow did not lie very heavily at this particular +place, and the great creature was able to move with tremendous speed. +</P> + +<P> +"Look out, Raoul!" shouted La Tour, as he darted aside to evade the +moose's onset. "Get behind a tree, and then fire at him." +</P> + +<P> +This was precisely what Raoul had in mind to do, and he made a gallant +effort to accomplish it, but unfortunately in his haste he caught his +snow-shoes together, and over he went headlong into the snow with such +violence as to nearly bury himself. +</P> + +<P> +Confused by the fall, and blinded by the snow, he lay there helplessly, +while the bull moose, infuriated by its wound, and seeing only the +prostrate boy to account for it, bore down upon him with murderous +intent. +</P> + +<P> +He fully realized his danger, and yet felt powerless to avert it, for +to regain one's feet after a tumble with snow-shoes on is no easy +matter. +</P> + +<P> +In the meantime La Tour had rushed out from behind the tree, and by +waving his arms and shouting, strove to attract the attention of the +animal to himself until Raoul should have time to get upon his feet +again, and find a place of safety. +</P> + +<P> +But the moose was not to be thus diverted from its victim, and kept on +until it was within ten yards of Raoul, whose fate now seemed to be +sealed. +</P> + +<P> +La Tour, quite forgetting himself in his anxiety for the boy, made a +desperate effort to get in between him and the animal, and groaned +aloud as he saw that it could not avail. +</P> + +<P> +Then, suddenly, Raoul raised himself upon his knees, and pointing his +gun at the moose's head, pulled the trigger. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-054"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG CLASS="imgcenter" SRC="images/img-054.jpg" ALT=""SUDDENLY, RAOUL RAISED HIMSELF UPON HIS KNEES."" BORDER="2" WIDTH="591" HEIGHT="779"> +<H4 CLASS="h4center" STYLE="width: 591px"> +"SUDDENLY, RAOUL RAISED HIMSELF UPON HIS KNEES." +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<P> +At the report the big brute pitched forward upon its antlers, almost +turning a somersault, and La Tour with an exclamation of joy ran to +Raoul, and lifting him up clasped him to his breast, crying: +</P> + +<P> +"Bravo! my nephew, bravo! That was a splendid shot. I never thought +you could do it." +</P> + +<P> +But hardly had the words left his lips than his exultation changed to +alarm, for the moose, which had been only stunned by the bullet, and +not mortally wounded, rose to its feet again to renew the charge. +</P> + +<P> +Happily the shock of the bullet had bewildered it so that it went off +at a tangent, and ere it could recover itself La Tour had hurried Raoul +to safe shelter behind a mighty tree. +</P> + +<P> +Hastily reloading his gun, an action which Raoul lost no time in +imitating, La Tour watched his chance to give the great animal a final +shot. +</P> + +<P> +After plunging about for a little it once more located its assailants, +and, looking very terrible in its rage, made another furious rush at +them. +</P> + +<P> +This they both evaded without difficulty, and then La Tour got the +opportunity he sought, and sent a bullet into the heart of the mighty +creature, which brought its career to a sudden end. +</P> + +<P> +"Phew!" he exclaimed in a tone of profound relief, as he took off his +fur cap and wiped the perspiration from his forehead. "That was lively +work, wasn't it, Raoul? What a grand fight the old fellow did make! +He pretty nearly had you under his hoofs. You managed to fire in the +nick of time. That was a clever shot, my boy, and I am proud of you +for it." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul flushed with pleasure at his uncle's praise, which he appreciated +all the more because La Tour was far more prone to find fault than to +express approval. +</P> + +<P> +"I thought it was all over with me, Uncle Charles," he said, "for the +snow had got into my eyes so that I could not see properly, but I did +the best I could." +</P> + +<P> +"And a very good best it was, my boy. No man could have done better. +You'll make a fine hunter when you're full grown. Ah, ha! here come +some of the men. I wonder what fortune they have had." +</P> + +<P> +Attracted by the sound of the firing, the rest of the hunting party had +hurried to the scene, and La Tour was in his element as he proudly +displayed the fallen monarch. +</P> + +<P> +"Raoul and I are partners in him," he said laughingly. "Raoul hit him +in the head, and I hit him in the heart, but he came within an ace of +finishing Raoul first." And he then proceeded to relate what had +happened. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul was warmly congratulated upon his lucky escape, and upon the +excellence of his marksmanship, and everybody rejoiced over the +splendid prize which had been secured, for the moose was in superb +condition, and would supply them with savoury steaks and roasts for +many days. +</P> + +<P> +After what had occurred at the moose hunt, it was evident that his +uncle regarded Raoul in a different light. He dropped his bantering +tone toward him, and treated him more on an equal footing, and Raoul +fully appreciated the change. +</P> + +<P> +During the remainder of their trip they were favoured with such good +fortune—the game proving plentiful all along the route, and the +Indians whose villages they visited being so well supplied with furs +and so eager to trade—that La Tour, in high good humour, told Raoul he +brought him good luck, and must accompany him again. +</P> + +<P> +The whole party got back to Fort St. Louis without a mishap, and then +everybody settled down for the winter, as there were to be no more +trading expeditions. +</P> + +<P> +But Madame La Tour did not suspend her missionary work because it was +winter time. As soon as her husband had returned and relieved her of +the charge of the fort, she resumed her visits to the Indian +encampments. This was the best season for what she sought to +accomplish, because the men were about the wigwams most of the time, +and she could get a hearing from them as well as from the women and +children. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul usually went with her. He liked the idea of being in some sense +her protector, and she was always such good company that the hours +never seemed long that were spent in her society. +</P> + +<P> +He always carried his gun, not that there was anything to fear from the +Indians. They were altogether to be trusted. But some wild animal +might be encountered that would venture to attack, or that might be +worth having a shot at, any way. +</P> + +<P> +Right glad he was that he did have his gun one afternoon when he and +his aunt were returning from a day spent at the Souriquois village, +where the good woman had been teaching the squaws, not only how to be +Christians, but also how to be better wives and mothers. +</P> + +<P> +They were walking rapidly, and talking busily, when a horrible scream +that sent a chill of terror to their hearts, and caused them to stop +suddenly in the path, issued from the thick woods in front of them. +</P> + +<P> +A stranger would have been at a loss to guess what sort of creature +could produce so frightful a sound, but Madame La Tour recognized it at +once, and she perceptibly shrank closer to Raoul as she said in a +startled voice: +</P> + +<P> +"It is a <I>loup cervier</I>, Raoul, and right in our way!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VII +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +AT CLOSE QUARTERS +</H4> + +<P> +Raoul knew the scream also, and something about the animal from whence +it came, and he first looked carefully at his gun to make sure that it +was ready for instant use, and then peered into the obscurity of the +thick evergreens, in the attempt to locate the fierce brute which had +thus challenged their passing. +</P> + +<P> +What Madame meant by <I>loup cervier</I> was what is now known as the +"Indian Devil," or catamount, a species of puma that could be very +dangerous when in a fighting humour, as this one evidently was. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't be frightened, Aunt Constance," said Raoul sturdily. "I'll +shoot him dead the moment I see him," and he brought his gun to his +shoulder as he spoke. +</P> + +<P> +"Wait, wait until you can see him plainly," said Madame under her +breath. "You must not miss." +</P> + +<P> +There was a rustling among the branches, another blood-curdling scream, +and then the hideous face of the creature appeared, its eyes flaming +with fury, and its cruel teeth showing white among the rigid bristles +that protruded from its furry cheeks. +</P> + +<P> +Now if Raoul had been alone, he would assuredly have been nervous +enough to make it a difficult matter to take good aim, but the presence +of his aunt made him forget himself utterly in his loyal determination +to protect her from the impending peril. He felt as firm as a rock. +Not a nerve quivered, and, aiming straight between the baleful eyes, he +fired. +</P> + +<P> +The report rang out on the still evening air, and was instantly +followed by a snarling shriek from the wounded animal, so charged with +fury that Raoul instinctively pressed his aunt back out of the path. +</P> + +<P> +Just as he did so the puma sprang at them, for it was not killed, a +slight movement of its head as Raoul fired having caused the bullet to +strike too high, and plough through the fur on the forehead, instead of +burying itself in the brain. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul's sudden movement caused the brute to fall short, and ere it +could gather itself to spring again the boy, clubbing his gun, struck +at it with the heavy butt. +</P> + +<P> +It was the best thing to be done under the circumstances, and yet, when +the maddened catamount, squirming around as if it were made of rubber, +caught the stock in its teeth, and tore at the gun with its terrible +claws, there seemed small chance of Raoul being able to repeat the blow. +</P> + +<P> +Happily this was not necessary on his part, for Madame, who had been +perfectly composed throughout, having picked up a stout stick, came to +his assistance, and, with a clever blow delivered just behind the +puma's ear, put an end to its existence. +</P> + +<P> +"Bravo, Aunt Constance!" cried Raoul delightedly. "You've done for +him, and just in time, too! He was pulling the gun out of my hands." +</P> + +<P> +There was the light of triumph in Madame la Tour's fine eyes as she +turned the dead thing over with her stick. +</P> + +<P> +"He meant us mischief, Raoul," she said, "and he has paid dearly for +it. If he had left us alone he would not be lying there now. Let us +kneel down and thank God for our deliverance." +</P> + +<P> +And so they knelt together, while Madame, in a few fervent sentences, +expressed their gratitude to Providence for having thus protected them +from injury. +</P> + +<P> +As they hastened homeward, Madame said in a low tone, as if talking to +herself rather than to Raoul: +</P> + +<P> +"This is a wild, dangerous country, and I grow very weary of it. I +pray that I may be spared to get back to France some day." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul heard these words with some surprise. His aunt always seemed so +busy and content in the doing of her duty, that he did not suppose she +was not as happy as he was himself, but his quick sympathy inspired him +to ask: +</P> + +<P> +"Shall we be going back to France some day, Aunt Constance?" +</P> + +<P> +"Only God knows that, my dear," was the reply. "I'm sure I cannot +tell. We are in the hands of Providence, and whatever comes to pass +will be the best." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul said no more at the time, but thenceforward his admiration for +his aunt was deepened by the knowledge that she would really prefer +being across the ocean, although she always seemed so serene and +satisfied with her lot in Acadia. +</P> + +<P> +Monsieur La Tour was much interested in the account of the encounter +with the catamount. +</P> + +<P> +"You deserve credit, both of you," he said warmly. "As for you, my +dear wife," he added, with an unusually loving look, "there seems to be +no limit to your talents. You can preach, teach, hunt, fish, and look +after the affairs of your own household better than any woman I ever +knew. How fortunate I was to get such a wife! Eh, Raoul?" +</P> + +<P> +Madame's noble countenance was flooded with colour by her husband's +frank praise, which made her heart sing for joy, and going up to him, +she threw her arms about his neck and kissed his bronzed cheek, saying: +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you, my dear Charles, for your kind words, which I am sure are +not empty ones." +</P> + +<P> +With the return of spring, La Tour, whose enterprise and energy knew no +bounds, unfolded a new plan he had formed for the extension of his +power and the increase of his fortune. +</P> + +<P> +This was the building of still another fort, and the site he had +selected was the mouth of what is now the St. John River, in the +province of New Brunswick, then known by the musical Indian name of +Ouangondy. +</P> + +<P> +This place had many advantages over Fort St. Louis. The river went far +inland, and was the highway for many Indian tribes who had precious +pelts to barter. Not only so, but the whole New England coast could be +conveniently reached by canoe, or sailing shallop, and again, the lay +of the land was such that an exceedingly strong position could be +easily had. +</P> + +<P> +Throughout the summer the building went on, and ere autumn came again +the new fort, which La Tour modestly called after himself, was +completed. It stood upon a rise of ground commanding the harbour and +the sharp turn made by the river on entering, about half-a-mile below, +the famous falls, which then as now worked both ways, pouring up river +when the tide was high and down river when it was low. +</P> + +<P> +Fort La Tour was solidly built of stone, and stood nearly two hundred +feet square, with four bastions at the angles, and twenty good cannon +frowning from the battlements. Without were sturdy palisades as a +further protection, and within, two comfortable dwellings, a tiny +chapel, and the necessary storehouses, barracks for the garrison, and +other buildings. +</P> + +<P> +Such was Raoul's new home, and he heartily approved of the change, +because the country round about Fort La Tour was far richer and finer +than that about Fort St. Louis, and the beautiful river held out +promise of many a pleasant canoe trip, when the warm days of summer +returned. +</P> + +<P> +As for Madame La Tour, she felt sorry to leave her dusky charges when +they seemed to promise such good results, but she consoled herself with +the thought that there were plenty of others equally needing the light, +and that she could continue her good work from the new fort. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VIII +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +A PERILOUS ENTERPRISE +</H4> + +<P> +Hitherto all had gone so well with Charles La Tour that he could hardly +be blamed if he came to look upon himself as a favoured child of +fortune. He had had the whole of Acadia to himself, so to speak, and +what with fishing, fur-trading, and farming, had greatly increased his +substance. +</P> + +<P> +But now rumours of a rival came to disturb his peace. Another Charles, +who was generally known as Charnace, had obtained from the French King +certain grants and privileges in Acadia, and, wrath at finding La Tour +already monopolizing the country, he let it be known that he proposed +to contest the field with him by force of arms. +</P> + +<P> +He chose his time well for the attack upon Fort La Tour, coming when +the stock of provisions were lowest, the garrison smallest, and those +whose support could be counted upon were most widely scattered, and he +brought with him a strong force of soldiers in his four staunch vessels. +</P> + +<P> +Stationing his two ships and the galiot so that they blockaded the ship +channels, and the pinnace to the north-east of Partridge Island, he +landed several hundred men so as to control the surrounding country, +and then settled down for a siege, feeling quite confident that the +capitulation of the fort was only a question of time. +</P> + +<P> +In the meantime the commander of Fort La Tour had not been idle, +although the coming of Charnace had been like a bolt out of the blue, +for he did not expect to see anything of him that year. He lost no +time in making preparations for a determined defence, in which his +stout-hearted wife gave him efficient help. By means of spies, he got +full information as to his enemy's purpose, and laughed grimly at the +latter's threats. +</P> + +<P> +"And so he has vowed that he will send me back to France in manacles, +has he? Well, words are cheap. It is easy to indulge in big talk, but +not always so easy to put it into deeds. We shall see how Monsieur +Charnace will keep his word." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul was not at all dismayed at being besieged. On the contrary, he +was pleased by the prospect of exciting times, and promised himself to +take as active a part in the defence as his uncle would permit. +</P> + +<P> +"What right has Charnace coming here to attack us?" he asked with fine +indignation at the insolence of the intruder. "We were here first, and +he has no business interfering. We must give him such a beating that +he will not dare to come near us again." +</P> + +<P> +Keeping his ships well out of range of the cannon at the fort, and his +men safely disposed in the protection of the woods, Charnace sought to +cut off all supplies by sea or land, and thus let slow starvation win +the day for him. Now La Tour was just then eagerly expecting the +arrival from La Rochelle of the armed ship <I>Clement</I> with a full cargo +of supplies of all sorts, and a goodly number of soldiers and +colonists. In fact, the vessel was overdue, and if she should come up +the bay without warning, she would assuredly be captured by Charnace's +ships, which would have no difficulty in overpowering her. +</P> + +<P> +"We must stop her before she comes too far," he said, "and yet I hardly +know how it is to be managed. Charnace's spies and scouts are all +around us. Have you any notion how it can be managed, Constance?" +And, as was usually the case when in perplexity, he turned for counsel +to the shrewd woman who was so peculiarly his helpmate. +</P> + +<P> +"Let us send for Joe Takouchen," was her reply. "He may think of a +way." +</P> + +<P> +Accordingly Joe was sent for, and promptly appeared, his usually +impassive countenance betraying curiosity as to the reason for the +summons. +</P> + +<P> +Joe was a splendid specimen of the Souriquois, who worshipped Madame La +Tour as though she were divine. She had been particularly kind both to +himself and his family, and he was ready to risk his life for her on +any occasion. The situation was explained to Joe, while he listened in +silence, but with a comprehending expression. Then, nodding his head +sagely, he said: +</P> + +<P> +"Joe will take the message to the ship. He will go to-night." +</P> + +<P> +"And how will you manage it, Joe?" asked La Tour. +</P> + +<P> +Joe smiled significantly, and explained that his plan was to steal out +of the fort at night, make his way to the headlands south-west, and +thence put off in a canoe, as soon as the supply ship came in sight. +La Tour's face lit up at the proposition. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a big risk, Joe, but if any man alive can carry the thing out it +is you. Whom will you take with you?" +</P> + +<P> +Joe replied that Jean Pitchebat, a stalwart Frenchman, who was his +special friend, would be his choice, and La Tour approved. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul, who had been a silent listener hitherto, now spoke up. +</P> + +<P> +"May I go with Joe too, Uncle Charles?" he asked, in a tone whose +anxiety showed how fully he was in earnest. +</P> + +<P> +La Tour looked at the boy with such manifest surprise that the latter +flushed hotly. Yet, being full of his desire, he turned to Joe and +said entreatingly: +</P> + +<P> +"You will not mind taking me, will you?" +</P> + +<P> +Joe glanced inquiringly at his master and mistress. He was very fond +of Raoul, and had no objection to taking him along, but he felt that +the matter was not one for him to settle. La Tour had it on the tip of +his tongue to brusquely refuse Raoul's request, but the expression on +his wife's face made him pause, and before he spoke, she said in her +gentle way: +</P> + +<P> +"You might let him go, Charles. He will be in God's hands. There is +danger everywhere now, and his heart is set upon going." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, very well, then, so long as Joe is willing. What do you say, +Joe?" and La Tour turned to the taciturn Indian. +</P> + +<P> +"Joe say all right," was the laconic response, at which Raoul clapped +his hands gleefully. +</P> + +<P> +They set off the same night. Fortunately it was both dark and windy, +so that there was all the less danger of their movements being seen or +heard. But they must needs exercise the utmost caution, for Charnace +had many Indians in his service, and they would no doubt be acting as +scouts and sentinels in the neighbourhood of the fort. +</P> + +<P> +Joe led the way with amazing dexterity, stepping over the ground as +silently as a serpent, and the other two followed, doing their best to +imitate him. Several times he stopped short, peered eagerly into the +darkness, listened intently for a moment, and then, muttering something +which Raoul could not catch, changed his course to right or left. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-076"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG CLASS="imgcenter" SRC="images/img-076.jpg" ALT=""JOE LED THE WAY."" BORDER="2" WIDTH="593" HEIGHT="776"> +<H4 CLASS="h4center" STYLE="width: 593px"> +"JOE LED THE WAY." +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<P> +Once the sound of voices came out of the night to them, and Raoul's +heart throbbed wildly. He was not so much afraid of being captured as +he was that they should be balked in their purpose, and that the supply +ship, coming up without warning, would fall into Charnace's hands. +They were evidently passing through the line of their enemy's +sentinels, and in peril of being betrayed by the slightest sound. Very +cautiously did Joe make his way, now turning this way and now that, +while Raoul and Jean kept so close that they could almost touch him. +It was trying work, that told upon muscles and nerve, yet Raoul held +his own with the men all right, and certainly moved as silently as +Jean, even if he could not quite equal Joe. +</P> + +<P> +At last they seemed to be getting well away from the fort, and into +safer ground, when suddenly a dark form rose in front of them. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IX +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +THE STOPPING OF THE SUPPLY SHIP +</H4> + +<P> +Joe crouched low, preparing for a spring. Jean and Raoul did likewise, +and not one of them breathed. +</P> + +<P> +"Who goes there?" demanded a rough, stern voice, but the next instant +it was silenced, for Joe, throwing himself upon the speaker with a leap +like that of a panther, brought him to the ground with his hands at his +throat. +</P> + +<P> +But the man lay so motionless in his grip that there was no need to +take his life. In falling backward, his head had struck a stone, and +he was senseless. As soon as Joe realized this he let go of him, and +whispering to his companions: +</P> + +<P> +"Quick—quick—run!" he darted off with them at his heels. +</P> + +<P> +Not trying to pick their steps, they plunged through the darkness as +fast as they could, slipping, stumbling, tripping, yet keeping on +desperately, for they knew not if the whole camp might not presently be +upon their heels. +</P> + +<P> +There was a stir among Charnace's sentinels and a calling to one +another, but none of them knew in which direction the fugitives had +gone, and after some aimless scurrying about they gave up all idea of +pursuit, and settled down to quiet again. +</P> + +<P> +Meanwhile, the three had continued their wild flight until their breath +was spent, and then they threw themselves down to recover it. +</P> + +<P> +"All right now," said Joe, nodding complacently. "We see no more of +them," and he was quite correct. They were now beyond Charnace's +lines, and could pursue their way in a more leisurely fashion. The +break of day found them far down the shore and drawing near an +encampment of friendly Indians. From these Joe had no difficulty in +obtaining a good canoe, and a supply of provisions, and by noon they +were out on the Bay of Fundy, watching for the <I>Clement</I>. +</P> + +<P> +The weather was fine, and Raoul keenly enjoyed dancing over the +white-capped waves in their buoyant craft, which Joe and Jean managed +with such matchless skill. They did not expect him to paddle, and so +he stretched himself out in the bottom of the canoe and took his ease, +the excitement and exertion of the past night having pretty thoroughly +tired him. +</P> + +<P> +For some hours no sign of the ship appeared, and then, as the afternoon +drew towards its close, Joe's keen eyes descried a sail showing above +the horizon to the southward. +</P> + +<P> +"Good!" he grunted, and with a sweep of his paddle he turned the canoe +in that direction. +</P> + +<P> +"You paddle now," he said to Raoul, and the latter obeyed. Propelled +by the three blades, into which the paddlers put their strength, the +light craft bounded over the water towards the ship. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! I hope it is the <I>Clement</I>" said Raoul. "We shall be just in +good time." +</P> + +<P> +Mile after mile they swept along, until Raoul's arms began to ache, and +his breath to become scant, but Joe and Jean were pegging away as +vigorously as at first, and he hated to give up. They were nearing the +ship rapidly, and ere long would be close enough to hail her, when, to +their surprise, she came about, and went off on another tack, leaving +them rapidly astern. +</P> + +<P> +"Hullo!" exclaimed Raoul in a tone of consternation. "What did she do +that for? We shall soon be farther away from her than we were at +first." +</P> + +<P> +Joe stopped paddling for a moment, and looked very cross. Then, rising +to his full height, he swung the paddle above his head, hoping to +attract the attention of some one on board the vessel. But it had no +effect. The ship continued in her course, and, there being plenty of +wind, her speed was so great as to make it useless for the canoe to +follow her. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-084"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG CLASS="imgcenter" SRC="images/img-084.jpg" ALT=""RISING TO HIS FULL HEIGHT, JOE SWUNG THE PADDLE ABOVE HIS HEAD."" BORDER="2" WIDTH="802" HEIGHT="626"> +<H4 CLASS="h4center" STYLE="width: 802px"> +"RISING TO HIS FULL HEIGHT, JOE SWUNG THE PADDLE ABOVE HIS HEAD." +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<P> +The occupants of the canoe looked blankly at each other. Even the +usually impassive Joe did not disguise his chagrin, while Jean sought +relief for his feelings in some strong language that would have brought +upon him a reproof from Madame La Tour had she been present. The sun +had already set. Night was drawing near, and unless they reached the +ship before darkness fell they might miss her altogether, and she would +go on to become a prize for the waiting Charnace. Raoul clearly +realized their critical position, and while Joe and Jean discussed what +should be done, he lifted up his heart in earnest prayer that God would +guide them to the ship even through the darkness. +</P> + +<P> +Rested by their brief halt, the paddlers resumed work, steering the +canoe straight up the Bay, so as if possible to intercept the vessel in +her next tack. Meanwhile the daylight faded out of the sky, the wind +dropped, and the water became perfectly calm. In almost complete +silence the canoe glided steadily forward, Raoul, who had paddled until +he was tired, once more taking it easy in the bottom. +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly there came through the gloom the sound of a man's voice giving +a command, and it made the hearts of those in the canoe leap for joy. +Joe and Jean had been paddling listlessly, but now they went to work +with fresh energy. Their light craft shot over the smooth water in the +direction of the voice, and, a few minutes later, the dark bulk of the +ship they sought loomed up before them. +</P> + +<P> +Jean promptly hailed her, and was bidden to come alongside. A rope was +thrown, whereby all three clambered up, and the next instant stood on +the deck of the <I>Clement</I>. Very hearty was their welcome here. The +Captain of the good ship felt deeply grateful for the timely warning, +and offered his wearied and hungry visitors the best at his disposal, +while the colonists and others crowded about, eager to be told about La +Tour and his forts, and how things were going in the new world to which +they had come. Raoul was pleased to find himself a person of some +importance, and his tongue wagged merrily as he answered the many +questions poured upon him, or in his turn made inquiries on his own +account. Ere he lay down that night in the Captain's cabin, he did not +forget to thank God for having answered his prayer by guiding the canoe +into the way of the <I>Clement</I>. +</P> + +<P> +After consulting with Joe and Jean, the Captain of the <I>Clement</I> +decided that the best plan would be for him to keep the ship off for +the present, as it was not likely Charnace would break his blockade of +Fort La Tour to go after her, and, even if he did, she could easily +over-match any one of his vessels, and sail away from any of them. +</P> + +<P> +In the meantime, Joe and Jean would make their way back to the fort, +leaving Raoul on board. This arrangement was carried out successfully. +The messengers again passed through Charnace's lines and brought their +good news to La Tour, who at once decided that the best thing to be +done was for him to get on board the <I>Clement</I> and sail on her for +Boston, to obtain reinforcements against the enemy. So, on a dark, +still night a canoe, containing both Monsieur and Madame, glided unseen +past the blockading vessels, La Tour smiling grimly, and Constance +giving a shudder as they heard Charnace's own voice saying: +</P> + +<P> +"The spy who just came from the fort says that his comrades will send +down La Tour in shackles at midnight," little knowing that the rascally +conspirators had been discovered, and were themselves now lying in +irons in the dungeon of the fort. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER X +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +ADVENTURE IN BOSTON +</H4> + +<P> +The <I>Clement</I> was found and boarded without much difficulty, and at +daybreak she was on her way to Boston, bearing the La Tours and Raoul. +</P> + +<P> +They were well received at the quaint capital of the New England +Province, and, after a good deal of negotiation, for the shrewd +colonists knew how to drive good bargains, La Tour succeeded in +arranging for four ships, carrying nearly two score guns, and one +hundred and fifty men. With this force he felt quite equal to getting +the better of his rival, and set sail from Boston in high spirits. For +six weeks Fort La Tour had been silent as a tomb, the besiegers, who +were quite unaware of the La Tours having slipped away, trusting to +starvation to do their work for them, while the garrison, looking +forward to their commander's return in force, made no attempt at +sorties, but got along, as best they could, on the scanty rations left +them. They kept a sharp and steady look-out, however, and one day +their eyes were gladdened by the sight of many sails in the offing. +</P> + +<P> +"La Tour! La Tour!" they cried joyously, and at once proceeded to +welcome him with a salute in which every cannon on the ramparts had a +part. La Tour did his best to capture some of Charnace's vessels, but +both wind and tide favoured their escape, although he chased them as +far as the Penobscot. There was great rejoicing at the fort, and +feasting followed famine for the remainder of the week. +</P> + +<P> +"Will Monsieur Charnace come back again, do you think?" Raoul asked of +his aunt as they sat in her room, having grown weary of the revelling. +</P> + +<P> +"I am afraid so," she answered with a sigh. "He is a proud, determined +man, and this defeat will only cause him to try again with a stronger +force. I fear there is trouble in store for us." +</P> + +<P> +"But why can't he leave us alone?" Raoul cried petulantly. "We have +never made any attack upon him." +</P> + +<P> +"Because this world, big as it may seem, Raoul, is all too small for +such men as your uncle and Charnace," Madame replied. "They cannot +brook a rival, and they must needs fight until one or the other is +overthrown," and she sighed again deeply, for her gentle heart shrank +from conflict, and she infinitely preferred teaching religion to the +Indians, to all her husband's grand plans for wealth and power. +</P> + +<P> +Foiled in his first attempt, but not shaken in his purpose, Charnace +went off across the ocean to France to see if something could not be +done there to humble his rival, and La Tour was left to pursue his way +in peace. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul now took an active part in what went on, and led quite a busy +life. He accompanied his uncle in his trips up the River St. John, +where they met with Indians from the interior, who brought rich furs to +barter for goods. Twice he crossed over to Fort St. Louis, and each +time congratulated himself on the move to Fort La Tour; and what +pleased him most of all, he was allowed to go on one of the ships to +Boston, for he had very pleasant recollections of his first visit +there. His visit was made memorable by an experience which was +certainly of too exciting a nature to be soon forgotten. Having a +leisure afternoon, he went off alone for a stroll along the river-bank, +where he felt sure he would find something to interest him. And in +this he was not disappointed. +</P> + +<P> +He had gone about half-a-mile from the town when, seeing a group of +boys evidently much interested in something, he hurried towards them. +To his surprise he saw that they were making sport of a strange-looking +lad of about his own age, who seemed to be only half-witted. They +wanted him to go into the water, but he held back in a terror-stricken +way that ought to have caused them to desist, but only served to spur +them on. Just as Raoul reached them, they had dragged the poor fellow +to the edge of a little point below which the water was fairly deep, +and, crying out: "Give him a dip; he needs a good wash!" were about to +shove him over the edge, when Raoul, stirred to such indignation that +he quite forgot that he stood alone against half-a-dozen, called out: +</P> + +<P> +"Shame! Shame! Let the poor fellow be! Why do you torment him so?" +and springing into their midst, he tore them away from their victim, +and set him free. +</P> + +<P> +So sudden was his onset—for the boys, being intent upon their <I>fun</I>, +had not noticed his approach—that they were completely taken aback, +and the idiot boy, finding himself free, had sufficient sense to make a +break, whereby he got out of their reach ere they recovered from their +surprise. Then they turned upon Raoul, and with coarse oaths demanded +who he was, and what business he had interfering with them. Raoul +realized that he was in a pretty tight place, and had no idea just how +he was to get out of it, but he put on a bold front and replied: +</P> + +<P> +"It's no matter who I am. You had no right to be tormenting that poor +chap." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, ho! he's a Frenchie. Let us put him in instead," was the cry +raised, and at once they threw themselves upon Raoul. +</P> + +<P> +There were none of them larger than he, but they were six to one, and, +although he fought splendidly, they were not long in bringing him to +the ground. Seizing him roughly by the arms and legs they bore him to +the edge of the bank, and in another instant they would have pitched +him over, when a commanding voice shouted: +</P> + +<P> +"Stop! Let that boy alone!" and again the young rowdies were checked +in their rough sport. This time the interposition came from no less +important a personage than Governor Winthrop himself, who, chancing to +take his afternoon constitutional in that direction, had observed the +disturbance, and hurried up to ascertain its meaning. He carried a +stout cane, and followed up his command by laying it upon the backs of +the boys nearest him with such good effect that they dashed off +howling, and in a moment Raoul was left free to pick himself up and +arrange his disordered dress. +</P> + +<P> +"Pray, sir, what were they doing to you?" inquired Governor Winthrop +with grave concern. +</P> + +<P> +"They were trying to throw me into the river," responded Raoul, "and +but for you, sir, they would have done it." And then he went on to +explain what had taken place, while the Governor listened with an +approving smile; and when he had finished, he placed his hand upon +Raoul's shoulder, saying: +</P> + +<P> +"You have borne yourself nobly, my son, and I feel ashamed that the +children of our own townspeople should behave in so unseemly a fashion. +And now tell me who are you and whence you come, for you are assuredly +a stranger here." +</P> + +<P> +When he learned that Raoul was the nephew of Charles La Tour, +Lieutenant-General of Acadia, his interest manifestly deepened. +</P> + +<P> +"Indeed, indeed," he said. "I know your worthy uncle well, and hold +him in high esteem. You must come and sup with me, and I shall see +that you return to your ship in due time." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul was only too glad to accept such an attractive invitation, and so +the close of this eventful day found him the guest of the Governor, and +keenly relishing the excellent fare that his table afforded. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XI +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +TRAITORS IN THE CAMP +</H4> + +<P> +Madame La Tour greatly enjoyed Raoul's relation of his Boston +experience. +</P> + +<P> +"You see, virtue is not always merely its own reward," she said, +smiling proudly upon her nephew. "It is sometimes well rewarded in +other ways. Be ever ready to champion the weak and the innocent, +Raoul. They are God's children, and you are doing His work when you +take their part against the wicked and cruel people, of which, alas! +there seems to be too many in this world." +</P> + +<P> +The summer passed into autumn, and the autumn into winter, without +bringing anything of special moment into the lives of those at Fort La +Tour, save somewhat disquieting rumours of the intentions of Charnace. +</P> + +<P> +It was said that he had gone to France to obtain the revocation of La +Tour's commission as Lieutenant-General of Acadia, and authority to +take him prisoner, and send him back to be imprisoned in the Bastile. +</P> + +<P> +Now Charnace was known to have great influence at Court, and in those +days, when the French kings so lightly valued their possessions in +America, and did pretty much what those who had most influence over +them advised, there was no telling how far Charnace might succeed in +his hostile plans. +</P> + +<P> +Accordingly La Tour set himself to prepare for the danger then +threatening him, while his good wife prayed that, in some way, further +conflict might be averted. +</P> + +<P> +With the coming of spring, the news was confirmed by the appearance of +Charnace in the ship <I>St. Francis</I> and his sending a messenger to +demand La Tour's surrender. +</P> + +<P> +To this La Tour defiantly replied that he would not give up either +himself or his fort, so long as he had a pound of powder left; and +Charnace, not being ready for an attack just then, withdrew to the +Penobscot, where he had a fort of his own, to prepare for another siege. +</P> + +<P> +Great was the concern now at Fort La Tour, whose commander bestirred +himself in every way to meet the crisis. Unfortunately, circumstances +were not in his favour. His trading had not prospered of late, and he +had been compelled to mortgage his fort and all his real and personal +property to a merchant in Boston as security for a large loan, in order +to meet the demands upon him, and now he required a larger supply of +ammunition, and, if possible, some more men. In this emergency he +decided to make a flying trip to Boston in quest of both, trusting to +get back ere Charnace reappeared. +</P> + +<P> +Ere he left he called his wife, Raoul, Joe Takouchen, and Jean +Pitchebat to him, and explained his purpose. +</P> + +<P> +"I know it's a risk," he said, "but there seems no help for it. +Without powder we cannot hold the fort, but with a good supply of it we +can beat off this villain Charnace. Constance, I leave you in command. +You, Raoul, will be her lieutenant, and you, Joe and Jean, her +right-hand men. I know that I can trust you all to the uttermost." +And, having thus spoken, he was about to dismiss them, when Madame, +whose beautiful countenance had of late worn an anxious expression, for +she fully realized the danger, said softly— +</P> + +<P> +"Charles, let us kneel down and ask for God's protection from the +enemy, for without His blessing your best plans will be of no avail." +</P> + +<P> +So they all knelt, while Madame prayed with profound fervour for divine +help, and, when they rose, her face had regained its wonted serenity. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul felt quite flattered at being joined with his aunt in the charge +of the fort. It seemed, in some sort, a recognition of his being more +than a boy, and he vowed in his heart that he would show himself worthy +of the confidence reposed in him. +</P> + +<P> +Followed by his wife's prayers, and the anxious thoughts of the +garrison, La Tour set sail for Boston. +</P> + +<P> +He had not been gone long before a startling discovery was made by +Raoul. Although the majority of those connected with the fort were +Huguenots, the remainder were Catholics, and for their benefit La Tour +tolerated the presence of two Jesuit priests named Miraband and Oriani. +</P> + +<P> +Towards these men Raoul held feelings of cordial dislike. They had +done their best to change his faith, using in vain the sly and subtle +methods for which their Order has ever been notorious, but, instead of +winning him over they had only aroused his antagonism. +</P> + +<P> +Now it chanced that Raoul had been out shooting in the afternoon, and +was returning to the fort, when, being weary, he sat down in a snug +nook near the Falls to rest, and, before he knew it, was asleep. +</P> + +<P> +Presently he was awakened by the sound of voices engaged in earnest +talk, and, peeping through the thick foliage which hid him completely, +he saw Miraband and Oriani. +</P> + +<P> +Suspecting that this secret meeting meant some mischief, he felt no +scruples about playing the part of listener. +</P> + +<P> +The first few words confirmed his suspicions, and as they went on, his +heart grew hot with indignation and wrath, for it became clear to him +that these men, who had been so well treated at Fort La Tour, were in +reality Charnace's spies, and had been keeping him informed of all that +took place. +</P> + +<P> +"The villains!" muttered Raoul under his breath. "They deserve to be +hung, even if they are priests. I must let Aunt Constance know at +once." +</P> + +<P> +He did not stir until the two wicked plotters had finished their +conference and gone off, and then he made all haste to the fort. +</P> + +<P> +Madame La Tour was not entirely taken by surprise at his information. +She herself had mistrusted these Jesuits, and had even warned her +husband against them, but he had laughed the matter off, saying she was +mistaken. +</P> + +<P> +Now, she sent for her trusty Joe and Jean, to whom Raoul re-told his +story. +</P> + +<P> +They were mightily enraged at this treachery, and cried out for the +hanging of the spies in the gate of the castle; and had La Tour himself +been present, this would undoubtedly have been done, despite their +sacred calling, which they had so dishonoured. +</P> + +<P> +But Madame was too tender of heart to take such extreme measures. Good +reason as she had to hate the whole Jesuit body, apart from the +villainy of these two members of it, she shrank from following the +advice of her counsellors, and to their frankly-expressed disgust did +no more than to summon Miraband and Oriani before her, upbraid them +with their treachery, adding some bitter words as to their being wolves +in sheep's clothing, and then ordered them to be set adrift in a light +canoe. +</P> + +<P> +"Betake yourselves to your employer," she said with withering scorn, +presenting a splendid picture of righteous indignation, as she towered +above the cowering priests. "He is fit company for you. You have no +right amongst honest men." +</P> + +<P> +Raoul saw them into the canoe. He heartily agreed with Joe and Jean +that the punishment was altogether inadequate, but he was too loyal to +his aunt not to carry out her bidding; and as the Jesuits, who had +wisely kept silence through it all, paddled off, he called after them: +</P> + +<P> +"You've got off with your lives this time. But if my uncle ever +catches you, it will be different." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XII +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +A GLORIOUS VICTORY +</H4> + +<P> +It was not a wise, even if it were a womanly, step on Madame La Tour's +part to let the Jesuits go, for they, of course, made their way +directly to Charnace, and acquainted him with the true state of affairs +at the fort—La Tour absent in quest of reinforcements, only fifty men +in the garrison, and the supply of powder and shot unduly low. +</P> + +<P> +"Ah, ha!" chuckled Charnace, rubbing his hands. "You bring good news. +My time has come. I would prefer not having to fight with a woman, but +since La Tour has seen fit to desert his post, he must take the +consequences." +</P> + +<P> +Meantime, Madame La Tour, with her faithful supporters, strained every +effort to prepare for the assault that could not be long delayed. +Everything that could be secured in the way of food was packed into her +storehouses; the scanty stock of ammunition was carefully examined and +apportioned, so as to be used to the best advantage, and the little +garrison was divided up into four watches, of which Madame took command +of one, while Raoul, Joe and Jean captained the others, and then, as +Madame said: +</P> + +<P> +"We have done all that we can. We now leave ourselves in the hands of +God." +</P> + +<P> +Many days of suspense followed, and then the report came from a watcher +on the headland, that three large ships were approaching. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul received it first, and hastened to his aunt. +</P> + +<P> +"It is Charnace," she said. "The crisis has come. God grant us +strength and wisdom according; to our need." +</P> + +<P> +Confident of an easy victory, Charnace sailed right up within +cannon-range, and, having anchored, sent one of his captains ashore +under a flag of truce to demand the surrender of the fort, coupling the +demand with the threat that, if not immediately complied with, he would +level the fort to the ground. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul intently watched his aunt's face as she listened to the message. +He devoutly hoped she would not surrender, but he knew better than to +volunteer his opinion. +</P> + +<P> +Madame listened gravely to what the captain had to say, and then, after +a brief pause, replied: +</P> + +<P> +"Be good enough to say to Monsieur Charnace from me that until he has +laid the walls of Fort La Tour level with the ground, it shall not be +surrendered." +</P> + +<P> +"I cannot but admire your courage, Madame, although I beg to doubt the +wisdom of your decision," responded the captain, bowing low, while +Raoul gave a cheer in which the others joined. +</P> + +<P> +The instant the captain returned to the ship the flag of truce was +lowered, and with the crash and roar of the first broadside the battle +began. +</P> + +<P> +Now among Madame La Tour's many accomplishments, was skill in the +firing of big guns. This she had acquired when a mere girl at La +Rochelle, and she had kept her hand and eye in by occasional practice +after coming to Acadia. +</P> + +<P> +It was therefore but natural that she should direct the firing from the +fort, and so, posting herself in one of the bastions, with Raoul as her +<I>aide-de-camp</I> to fly to and fro with orders, she pointed the first +cannon with her own hands. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-110"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG CLASS="imgcenter" SRC="images/img-110.jpg" ALT=""SHE POINTED THE FIRST CANNON WITH HER OWN HANDS."" BORDER="2" WIDTH="585" HEIGHT="765"> +<H4 CLASS="h4center" STYLE="width: 585px"> +"SHE POINTED THE FIRST CANNON WITH HER OWN HANDS." +</H4> +</CENTER> + +<P> +Charnace's own ship was her target, and the well-aimed shot went +straight to its mark, killing three men upon the crowded deck. A +second shot was equally effective, and then the whole fort broke forth +into flame, the iron missiles hurtling across the eddying waters, and +smashing into the bulwarks of the ships, or carrying away their masts +and rigging. +</P> + +<P> +Right gallantly did Charnace return broadside for broadside, but his +cannon balls had little more effect upon the massive stone walls of +Fort La Tour than they would have had upon the rocky cliffs near by, +and Raoul laughed triumphantly as the round shot rolled harmlessly back +into the moat. +</P> + +<P> +"Charnace can keep that up as long as he likes," he cried. "It won't +do us any harm, and it's wasting his powder." +</P> + +<P> +The boy was in the highest spirits. Not a whit dismayed by the roar of +the cannon or the crashing of the balls against the ramparts, he stood +beside his aunt in the bastion, where she directed the firing as calmly +as though it were only some household task, or sped away to the other +parts of the fort to see how Joe and Jean were getting on and to +encourage them with cheering messages. +</P> + +<P> +The heroic spirit which animated Madame La Tour had communicated itself +to the whole garrison, and there was not a man who did not feel +prepared to fight to the last gasp rather than surrender to the hated +Charnace. +</P> + +<P> +As the cannonading went on, the damage done to the fort was trifling, +while the ships were suffering severely. The number of killed and +wounded grew rapidly, and the vessels themselves were becoming so +riddled with shot as to be in danger of sinking. +</P> + +<P> +At last Charnace's situation became intolerable, and, consumed with +futile rage, he gave the order to retreat. +</P> + +<P> +But this was not so easily carried out. The wind had shifted during +the fight, and now blew strongly from the east, so that the ships could +not get out of range without warping, and while this slow method of +movement was being resorted to, the fort guns continued their +bombardment, inflicting further damage. +</P> + +<P> +At last, with great difficulty, and the loss of many men, the three +vessels were got around Bruyeres Point, and there run aground to +prevent them from sinking. +</P> + +<P> +Raoul, accompanied by Joe, set off from the fort to follow the ships as +soon as they withdrew, and shouted gleefully after them: +</P> + +<P> +"Ho, ho! Monsieur Charnace. Your spies did not do you much good, did +they? Surely you've learned a lesson this time, and will mind your own +business in future." +</P> + +<P> +When he saw the ships run aground, he hurried back to the fort, and +actually had the hardihood to suggest to his aunt that a party, which +he offered to lead, should be sent out at midnight to try and set the +ships on fire ere they were floated again. +</P> + +<P> +But Madame wisely refused to sanction any such rash enterprise. +</P> + +<P> +"Charnace will not trouble us any more for the present," she said. +"Let him alone; as soon as his ships are repaired he will depart." +</P> + +<P> +And so it proved. The holes having been hastily caulked, Charnace, +profoundly chagrined, yet grimly determined to try again, returned to +his stronghold at the Penobscot, and a few days after he disappeared, +Charles La Tour returned from Boston with an abundant supply of +munitions of war, and a strong party of men. +</P> + +<P> +His joy at the successful defence of the fort, and his pride in his +heroic wife, was somewhat clouded by his disappointment at being too +late to complete Charnace's rout by capturing or burning his ships, but +Madame did not hesitate to reprove him for this. +</P> + +<P> +"God has been very good to us all," she said, "and we cannot be +sufficiently grateful. Let us unite in thanking Him for His great +mercy." +</P> + +<P> +And so a thanksgiving service was held in which all joined heartily, +and then followed a feast, the like of which Fort La Tour had never +seen before. +</P> + +<P> +A month later, La Tour, having set everything in order, and put Simon +Imbert in charge in his place, took ship for France, his wife and Raoul +going with him. His purpose was to plead his own cause before the +French king, and to have Charnace enjoined from further hostility. In +this he was not altogether successful, and there were dark days in +store for both him and Constance. +</P> + +<P> +But in these Raoul did not share, because he remained in France, where +a career unexpectedly opened for him. What befell him in the future, +his successes and failures, his joys and sorrows, his trials and his +triumphs, cannot be related here; but this must be told, that through +them he never was false to his Huguenot faith, and that he won for +himself a place of honour in the history of his country. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<HR> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="bruin"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BEFRIENDED BY BRUIN +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +BY THE SAME AUTHOR +</H4> + +<P> +One of the noble families of Lorraine has a curious crest. It +represents a big black bear in an iron cage, and recalls the legend as +to the founding of the fortunes of the house, which runs somewhat in +this way. +</P> + +<P> +Several centuries ago there lived in the city of Nancy a little +Savoyard named Michel, whose lot was certainly about as hard as a +ten-year-old boy could endure without giving up life altogether. He +was a homeless orphan, dependent entirely upon the alms of the +charitable, for which he begged through the stony streets. A more +pitiable appearance than he presented could scarcely be imagined. +Privation and hunger had blanched his cheeks and shrunken his form. +With his haggard face, half hidden by long disordered locks of a +slightly reddish tinge, his bones showing through the thin ragged +garments from which the sun and rain had taken all colour, he wearily +dragged himself barefoot from door to door, meeting with many a harsh +repulse, and but few kindly responses to his appeals. +</P> + +<P> +His eyes alone showed any sign of spirit. They were of a deep blue +tint, and in spite of his sufferings, held a strange sparkle that +sometimes startled those who caught it. +</P> + +<P> +At night, in company with some other street arabs of his own age, he +found shelter in a wretched cellar kept by a villainous old hag, who +made her lodgers pay nearly all they had, with such difficulty, begged +during the day, for the privilege of sleeping upon mouldy straw +pallets. The miserable place was draughty, damp and pestilential, but +it was the only lodging the poor boys could afford, and offered at +least some protection from the merciless cold of winter. +</P> + +<P> +In that cellar there would only too often be heard through the hours of +darkness heart-breaking sobs that refused to be suppressed, or the +piteous moan, "I am so hungry, oh, I am so hungry!" +</P> + +<P> +And sometimes in the morning, when the old hag would seek to clear her +cellar of its occupants, screaming at them and striking them with her +broom, there would be one who paid no heed to either screams or blows, +but remained motionless on his pallet, for he had passed into the sleep +that knows no waking. +</P> + +<P> +Each day Michel grew paler, thinner, feebler, a cruel cough racking his +slender frame as he shivered in his rags and tatters. Every limb +ached, and sometimes it seemed to him as if he must lie down on the +snow to die. +</P> + +<P> +Late one afternoon, crouched in the corner of the doorway of the Duke's +palace, and waiting for some one to pass by of whom he might beg alms, +he wept bitterly. He was starving and freezing, but nothing came his +way; yet to return to the cellar he did not dare. The old hag had a +flinty heart which nothing save money could soften, and he was without +a sou. +</P> + +<P> +Overcome with despair at his condition, and horror at the thought of +spending the night in the street, he fell on his knees and, lifting his +tear-filled eyes to the darkening sky, put forth this pathetic prayer: +</P> + +<P> +"O God in Heaven, take me to my mother!" +</P> + +<P> +Just then a deep growl came from somewhere behind him and interrupted +his prayer. He sprang up and looked about him. +</P> + +<P> +The street was silent and deserted. The snow fell softly. A grating +near the ground attracted his attention, and without stopping to +consider, he said to himself that possibly if he passed through it he +might find a good place to sleep. +</P> + +<P> +He was exceedingly thin, and the bars of the grating widely placed, so +that he had no difficulty in squeezing through. But imagine his +consternation on finding himself face to face with an enormous black +bear, into whose cage he had thus ventured to intrude. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, oh, what's the meaning of this!" demanded the astonished bruin in +his own language. +</P> + +<P> +He had just disposed of a good supper, and was feeling in particularly +good trim, when poor Michel so unexpectedly tumbled into his presence. +Angered at being disturbed, he made ready to demolish the impertinent +intruder with his mighty paw. The little Savoyard, pale and tearful, +kept perfectly still while he continued his prayer: +</P> + +<P> +"O God in Heaven, take me to my mother, who went to you to beg for +bread for her boy——" +</P> + +<P> +A hot breath played upon his cheek. +</P> + +<P> +"O Lord..." he moaned. +</P> + +<P> +He thought he was as good as dead, and yet it seemed to him that +something licked his face gently. +</P> + +<P> +When, a few moments later, he realized that he was not being +devoured—that he was still unharmed—he opened his eyes wide and they +encountered those of the bear full of kindness and good humour. +</P> + +<P> +This gave him courage. He got up. He patted the black muzzle of the +big creature, which received the caress with a murmur of pleasure. +</P> + +<P> +The stress of the day had so exhausted Michel that the moment his +terror left him, he, with surprising unconcern, threw himself down to +sleep. +</P> + +<P> +The bear, as if flattered by the confidence thus shown in him, regarded +him in a friendly fashion, then lay down beside him, almost completely +enveloping him with his warm fur, and so fell asleep in his turn. +</P> + +<P> +Now this bear was no other than the famous "Mascot," who was maintained +at the palace as a representative of the Canton of Berne, in +recognition of the valuable services rendered by the Swiss to the +people of Lorraine in their struggle with the Duke of Burgogne. +</P> + +<P> +Mascot was an important figure at the Court of Duke Leopold. +Everything possible was done for his comfort. He had his own +attendant, whose sole duty was to care for his person and to minister +to his every want. In his spacious cage he could move about freely and +swing at ease his heavy head. +</P> + +<P> +Every afternoon he was visited by the courtiers, and sometimes even by +the Duke; but he troubled himself very little concerning the one or the +other. Indifferent to everything, even the ducal smile, he gazed +stolidly upon the folk, who did not interest him in the least. His +superb fur was greatly admired, but not his unsociable disposition. +And so he passed the days, promenading up and down his cage, swinging +his head to and fro for hours at a time, eating, drinking, and sleeping +in seemingly perfect content, and regarded with profound respect by his +numerous visitors. +</P> + +<P> +On the morning after Michel made his way into the cage he awoke at +daybreak. Bewildered at his strange situation, yet delighted because +of the comfortable night he had passed snuggled up in the bear's thick +warm fur, he made haste to get out in the same manner that he had +entered, not forgetting, however, to give his kind host a hearty hug +expressive of his gratitude. He had no idea of losing so excellent a +sleeping-place by remaining in it too long and being discovered by the +bear's attendant. That day fortune favoured him in his begging, and he +was able to obtain the food he so sadly needed. As it was still very +cold he impatiently awaited the return of night in order to regain his +snug refuge. +</P> + +<P> +On re-entering the cage the bear gave him a kinder welcome than the +first time, and henceforward the two were great friends. Every morning +the little Savoyard slipped away unseen, and every night returned to +his shaggy benefactor. Thanks to the comfort he then enjoyed, his +appearance began to improve. His shrunken limbs rounded out again and +the colour came back to his cheeks. But this could not go on +indefinitely. One fine day the bear's attendant was filled with +astonishment at finding a small boy sleeping beside Mascot, who was +licking him softly. He thought he must have lost his senses, when he +beheld the little fellow wake up and caress the fierce brute in his +turn without showing the slightest sign of fear. +</P> + +<P> +His outcries attracted the attention of a groom, and he told the +strange news to a footman, who passed it on to the pages, and they +spread it about the palace so thoroughly that presently everybody, +including Duke Leopold himself, was hurrying towards the cage. +</P> + +<P> +There they found poor Michel, weeping piteously and evidently in terror +of being harshly dealt with. Having soothed him with a few kind words, +the Duke ordered him to come out of the cage and explain himself. The +boy promptly obeyed, and, as best he could, told his story. +</P> + +<P> +Touched by the recital of his sufferings, and animated by a worthy +determination not to be outdone in generosity by a bear, the Duke +offered Michel a place in his household. +</P> + +<P> +The little Savoyard did not hesitate to accept, and presently found +himself in what seemed like paradise, after the miseries he had been +enduring. +</P> + +<P> +Clothed in fine raiment and faring sumptuously every day, he soon +developed into a handsome lad. His spirit grew with his body. He took +an ardent interest in the sports and martial exercises of his +companions, and in due time he became the most expert of them all in +the use of bow and sword and lance. +</P> + +<P> +Withal, remaining modest in manner, respectful to his superiors, and +devoted to the Duke, he rapidly rose in the latter's service through +the grades of squire, knight and count, until he came to be the second +person in the realm, and the founder of a family enjoying large +possessions and great influence. +</P> + +<P> +Nor was he ungrateful to the animal which had befriended him in his +extremity. So long as Mascot lived he visited him constantly. Their +friendship never cooled, and when the one-time beggar was entitled to +choose a crest for himself, he gave orders that it should be a big +black bear in an iron cage. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +LORIMER AND CHALMERS, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH. +</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In Paths of Peril, by J. Macdonald Oxley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN PATHS OF PERIL *** + +***** This file should be named 33753-h.htm or 33753-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/7/5/33753/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</BODY> + +</HTML> + diff --git a/33753-h/images/img-034.jpg b/33753-h/images/img-034.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..75cbba9 --- /dev/null +++ b/33753-h/images/img-034.jpg diff --git a/33753-h/images/img-054.jpg b/33753-h/images/img-054.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e51877f --- /dev/null +++ b/33753-h/images/img-054.jpg diff --git a/33753-h/images/img-076.jpg b/33753-h/images/img-076.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..81b4a3d --- /dev/null +++ b/33753-h/images/img-076.jpg diff --git a/33753-h/images/img-084.jpg b/33753-h/images/img-084.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a9d36c --- /dev/null +++ b/33753-h/images/img-084.jpg diff --git a/33753-h/images/img-110.jpg b/33753-h/images/img-110.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9cb25c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/33753-h/images/img-110.jpg diff --git a/33753-h/images/img-front.jpg b/33753-h/images/img-front.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1b38a3 --- /dev/null +++ b/33753-h/images/img-front.jpg diff --git a/33753.txt b/33753.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dbe7fa1 --- /dev/null +++ b/33753.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2454 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of In Paths of Peril, by J. Macdonald Oxley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In Paths of Peril + A Boy's Adventures in Nova Scotia + +Author: J. Macdonald Oxley + +Release Date: September 17, 2010 [EBook #33753] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN PATHS OF PERIL *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + +[Frontispiece: "THE HEAVY ANIMAL TURNED TO FACE RAOUL." _p_. 22.] + + + + + +IN PATHS OF PERIL + +A Boy's Adventures in Nova Scotia + + + +BY + +J. MACDONALD OXLEY + + +AUTHOR OF + 'DONALBLANE OF DARIEN,' 'A BOY OF THE BANKS,' + 'NORMAN'S NUGGET,' ETC. + + + + +_WITH SIX ILLUSTRATIONS_ + + + + +TORONTO + +THE MUSSON BOOK COMPANY LIMITED + +1903 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +IN PATHS OF PERIL + +CHAP. + + I. FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW + II. THE GREAT BEAR HUNT + III. SETTING A BAD EXAMPLE + IV. OFF TO THE WOODS + V. THE MOOSE HUNT + VI. IN THE NICK OF TIME + VII. AT CLOSE QUARTERS + VIII. A PERILOUS ENTERPRISE + IX. THE STOPPING OF THE SUPPLY SHIP + X. ADVENTURE IN BOSTON + XI. TRAITORS IN THE CAMP + XII. A GLORIOUS VICTORY + +BEFRIENDED BY BRUIN + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +"THE HEAVY ANIMAL TURNED TO FACE RAOUL." . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ + +"THE PARTY SET FORTH." + +"SUDDENLY, RAOUL RAISED HIMSELF UPON HIS KNEES." + +"JOE LED THE WAY." + +"RISING TO HIS FULL HEIGHT, JOE SWUNG THE PADDLE ABOVE HIS HEAD." + +"SHE POINTED THE FIRST CANNON WITH HER OWN HANDS." + + + + +IN PATHS OF PERIL + + +CHAPTER I + +FROM THE OLD WORLD TO THE NEW + +The defence of the city of La Rochelle by the Huguenots, when for more +than a year they defied the whole power of France under the leadership +of Cardinal Richelieu, must ever remain one of the most heroic and +soul-stirring chapters in history. + +For the sake of their faith these noble people endured the pangs of +hunger, the perils of battle, and the blight of pestilence, until at +last, their fighting men being reduced to a mere handful, with broken +hearts they were compelled to surrender. It was a terrible time for +the weak and the young. Nearly one-half of the population of the city +died during the siege, and those who survived formed a gaunt, haggard, +miserable band, more like scarecrows than human beings. + +Among them were a maiden of twenty and a boy of twelve years of age, +whose fortunes we shall follow in these pages. She was Constance de +Bernon, the only daughter of one of the most important families, and +he, Raoul de Bernon, her nephew, now an orphan, both his parents having +perished in the dreadful days of the siege. + +Not all the horrors she had witnessed, nor the sufferings she had +borne, in the least degree shook Constance's fidelity to her faith. +She was of the stuff which makes martyrs, and would have died at the +stake rather than renounce her religion. Right glad, therefore, was +she when her parents succeeded in effecting their escape from old +France, where only persecution awaited Protestants, and making their +way across the Atlantic Ocean to the new France, where it was possible +to be true to one's belief without having to suffer for it. + +The de Bernons settled in what was then known as Acadia, now the +Province of Nova Scotia, and began life again amid the wildness of the +land which the Micmac and Melecite Indians had hitherto held as their +hunting-ground. Raoul accompanied them. Since the loss of his parents +his whole heart had gone out to Constance. Never was aunt more beloved +by nephew. It might indeed with truth be said that he fairly +worshipped her, and found in her companionship the chief solace for his +great bereavement. + +While to the older people the change from the comfort and security of +their former life at La Rochelle to the crude and hard conditions of +their new home could not help being a very trying one, Raoul, on the +contrary, was rather pleased with it. There was no going to school, +nor learning of lessons, except when his aunt could now and then spare +an hour to spend with him over the few books they had been able to +bring. He lived out-of-doors for the most part, and had no difficulty +in finding plenty to occupy his time. + +He was a sturdy lad, with a bright, strong countenance, which gave good +promise for the future if only he kept in the right path; and he made +many friends, not only among the settlers, but also among the Indians, +some of whose camps were always near at hand. + +"It seems to me you do not miss La Rochelle very much, Raoul," said +Constance to him as they sat at the door of the house in the quiet of +the evening, when all the work of the day was over. "You are quite +happy here, are you not?" + +The colour came into the boy's face at his aunt's words, for although +she did not so mean it, her question seemed to imply that he was +forgetting his former home and the dear ones he had lost. + +"I do like it here," he replied, lifting his big brown eyes to hers. +"It is very different from La Rochelle, I know, but----" and here he +hesitated so long that Constance with a smile took up the sentence. + +"But you'd rather live in the woods than in the city--that's it, isn't +it, Raoul? I quite understand, and I don't blame you in the least. +You're fond of adventure, and you're glad to be where there's apt to be +plenty of it. How would you like to go with me to Cape Sable?" + +"I'm ready to go with you anywhere, Aunt Constance!" was the prompt and +hearty response. "But why are you going to Cape Sable?" + +It was now Constance's turn to blush, and very charming she looked as +she answered in a low tone with her face turned away: + +"I am to be married soon, Raoul, to Monsieur La Tour, and he is going +to take me to Cape Sable, where he has his fort." + +Raoul sprang to his feet excitedly. The idea of his beloved aunt +belonging to somebody else hurt him cruelly. It filled his heart with +jealousy, and he exclaimed in a tone of passion: + +"You're going to be married, Aunt Constance, and to leave us all! What +is that for? Why couldn't you stay with us? We are so happy here." + +Constance smiled with pleasure at the vigour of his speech, and putting +her arm about his neck affectionately, said: + +"You surely would not have me live and die an old maid, would you, +Raoul? And Monsieur La Tour will make such a good husband for me!" + +Raoul sighed as he warmly returned his aunt's caress. His protest was +foolish, of course, and, after all, if she was going to take him with +her to her new home, what would be the difference? + +"Oh, yes, I suppose so," he answered. "But I didn't know. Please tell +me all about it." + +So Constance went into particulars, Raoul listening with profound +interest. + +Charles de la Tour, who was also a Huguenot, had now been for a number +of years in Acadia, carrying on an extensive business in fishing and +fur-trading, and had just built a strong fort at Cape Sable, which he +called Fort St. Louis. Of this establishment he had invited Constance +to become the mistress, and she had given her consent. Yet, although +she loved de la Tour, who was a handsome, genial, daring man such as +easily win a woman's heart, she did not want to part with her nephew, +and de la Tour made no objection to his accompanying her, especially as +he himself must needs be often absent from the fort on business +expeditions for months at a time, and Raoul would then be good company +for his wife. + +So in due time it all came about as was arranged, and Raoul found +himself settled at Fort St. Louis with his new uncle, whom he greatly +admired and respected. This fort, placed at the extreme south-east +point of what is now Nova Scotia, looked out over the restless waters +of the Atlantic, and kept an eye upon the ships passing by to the Bay +of Fundy or to the New England ports. It was very strongly built of +stone, and mounted many cannon which Raoul longed to see in use. A +snug harbour lay to the east, where de la Tour's vessels could anchor +in safety from any storm, and inland stretched vast forests, which +fairly swarmed with game, from the lively rabbit to the gigantic moose. +What with fishing, trapping and hunting, rowing, sailing and swimming +to his heart's content, Raoul was in no danger of finding the time hang +heavy on his hands. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE GREAT BEAR HUNT + +There were many tribes of Indians scattered over Acadia--Abenakes, +Etechemins, Micmacs, Openagos, and so forth, in whom Constance de la +Tour took a very deep interest. She was full of zeal to teach them the +Christian religion, and how to improve their way of living; and she +went about from village to village, and from wigwam to wigwam, with +wonderful patience striving to reach the hearts of the pagans, and help +them to better things; so winning their love that she came to be +esteemed as the guardian angel of their children. + +Raoul usually accompanied her on these journeys, and strange enough +were many of the places they visited. Now it would be a mere huddle of +huts that looked like inverted wash-tubs, or again what seemed a +cluster of large-sized hen-coops, or perhaps a big shed a hundred feet +long with sleeping stalls below, and a loft above for the children, +having neither windows nor chimney, and inclosed by a heavy oak +stockade. + +Whether big or little, these odd dwellings swarmed with squaws and +children, and while his aunt was speaking to the elder folk, Raoul +would always find amusement with the youngsters. + +Many useful things did Madame de la Tour teach her dusky pupils--the +way to bake bread, how to raise corn, pumpkins, and melons, the mode of +preserving the fruit that was so plentiful in the autumn, and the art +of making maple-sugar, all of which helped to benefit them, no less +than the Gospel message she never failed to give also. She was the +first missionary to these wild children of the forest in Acadia, and +her memory is still enduring and fragrant because of the good she +wrought amongst them. Raoul, vastly as he admired his aunt's devotion, +could not of course be expected to share in it to any great extent, but +since his idea of life was to have as good a time as possible--and he +much preferred going on these expeditions to being cooped up in the +fort--it suited him all right that she should be so zealous as she was. + +Tramping through the vast green forests, or paddling in birch canoes +over the clear water of smooth-running streams, there was always +something new to be seen, and at any time an adventure might happen. +In the autumn after their coming to Fort St. Louis, a great bear hunt +was arranged to take place at the Tusket River, and Raoul was full of +excitement about it. The plan was certainly as daring as it was novel, +for the bears were not to be killed when found, but driven with clubs +and switches towards the village, where arrows and spears and sharp +appetites awaited them. + +"I do hope there'll be plenty of bears," exclaimed Raoul to his aunt +the evening before the hunt. "Won't it be exciting when they get them +started, and they try to escape? I think I'll go out after the bears, +and not wait at the village for them to come--that will be too +tiresome." + +"Whatever you do, Raoul, take good care of yourself," said Madame, +patting him upon the shoulder. "You are my boy, you know, and I should +be very sorry if anything were to happen to you." + +Raoul smiled confidently as he drew himself up to his full height. + +"Oh, there's no fear of me. I've had too much to do with bears to let +any of them hurt me." + +Madame smiled fondly back at him as she responded: + +"You certainly look as if you ought to be able to take care of +yourself. You are a fine big fellow, Raoul, and I pray God your life +may be a long and happy and useful one." + +The bear hunt was well organized under the direction of Madame, who had +a genius for command. Raoul preferred going into the forest with the +beaters to remaining at the village, and set off in high glee, the +party being chiefly composed of the young men of the tribe. + +It was the season of grapes, and the vines, which climbed in wild +profusion to the very tree-tops, were laden with the luscious fruit +which Bruin dearly loved. The hunters, therefore, were in no doubt as +to where to seek their prey. Armed only with light clubs and supple +switches, they dashed into the forest, darting this way and that, each +one eager to be the first to find a victim. Raoul joined forces with +an Indian lad of his own age named Outan, and it was understood that +they were to stand by each other. Beside his club Raoul had a good +hunting-knife in his belt, but he carried no fire-arms. + +Pressing forward with reckless haste, they came to a place where the +grape-vines fairly smothered the trees which supported them. + +"Ah-ha!" exclaimed Outan exultantly. "Plenty bear here, for sure!" and +the words had but left his lips when he gave a cry of joy and pointed +excitedly to a tree, whose leaves were shaking, although there was not +a breath of wind. + +Raoul gazed in the direction indicated, and his heart gave a bound when +he caught sight of a dark body that the leaves only half concealed. + +"There he is! I see him!" he cried; "a great big fellow, and he's +coming down!" + +Running to the foot of the tree, the boys began to shout up to the +bear, calling him names, and daring him to come down. + +But, instead of obeying them, the big black fellow, one of the largest +of his kind and in superb condition, turned about, and proceeded to +climb higher. + +"Hullo! that won't do," said Raoul in a tone of disappointment. "We'll +never get him down that way. Let us throw stones up at him." + +Accordingly they began to bombard the animal with stones, Raoul, who +was a capital shot, succeeding in hitting him more than once. Yet this +did not help matters at all. On the contrary the bear only climbed the +higher. Then Outan proposed to climb an adjoining tree, taking some +stones with him, and then to drive the creature down. Raoul thought +the idea an excellent one, and took up his station at the foot of the +tree with his club in readiness for immediate use. Outan went up the +tree with the ease of a monkey, and gaining a good position above the +bear shouted fiercely at him, while he threw the stones with accurate +aim. Thus assailed from this unexpected quarter, the bear was +panic-stricken, and started down the tree at utmost speed. + +"Look out! bear's coming!" yelled Outan, and Raoul, with every nerve +quivering, and his muscles as tense as bow-strings, grasped his club +until his knuckles went white. + +Tail foremost, the heavy animal shuffled down the tree-trunk with +astonishing agility, and, reaching the ground on all fours, turned to +face Raoul. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +SETTING A BAD EXAMPLE + +Up to this moment Raoul, carried away by the excitement of the hunt, +had not stopped to consider what he should do if the bear happened to +show fight instead of running away, but now he found himself face to +face with the creature, which was evidently in no very good humour at +having been so rudely disturbed while feasting on the grapes. + +Growling fiercely the bear charged at Raoul, who darted off, shouting: + +"Quick, Outan, quick! Come, help me!" + +By dodging in and out among the trees he could keep out of the bear's +clutches; but this complete change of programme was not at all what he +had counted upon, and it was with great relief that presently he saw +not only Outan, but several other Indians coming to his aid. Shouting +and swinging their clubs they attracted the animal's attention from +Raoul, who was fast losing his breath, and from being the pursuer the +bear now became the pursued. + +He was wise enough to see that the odds were against him, and made off +at a shambling gallop which the hunters found it difficult to keep up +with. Their object being to drive the bear towards the village they +must needs keep him going in that direction, and this they found no +easy task. It would almost seem as if he suspected their purpose, so +hard did he try to go off at a tangent instead of straight ahead; and +more than once Raoul well-nigh despaired of their succeeding in their +object, and regretted that he had not brought his musket with him. But +the Indians were not to be fooled. The bear was too fine a specimen to +lose, and they spared neither their lungs nor their muscles as they +kept up the pursuit with unflagging zeal. It certainly was a curious +way of hunting bears, and if Bruin had only known how powerless his +persecutors really were, he would, no doubt, have freed himself from +them in short order. He was too badly frightened, however, to perceive +the truth, and did his best to keep out of range of the menacing +cudgels, while all the time the village drew nearer, where his fate +awaited him. + +Raoul would have liked very much to reach the village ahead of the +bear, but although he ran his very best, he was left well in the rear, +and when he came up the big black creature had already been dispatched. + +"You poor fellow!" said Raoul as he passed his hand over the rich, +glossy black fur, a qualm of pity succeeding the lust of the chase now +that the excitement was over. "You did your best to get away from us, +but we were too many for you. It was not just a fair fight, was it?" + +Several other bears had been secured, and when the hunt was over, and +the Indians had all gathered again, some strange ceremonies took place. +Into the mouths of the slain bears smoke from an Indian pipe was blown +by the hunters, and at the same time each lifeless creature was begged +not to hold any hard feelings because of what they had suffered. Then +the bears' heads, painted and decorated, were set on high, and the +savages sang the praise of the Acadian king of beasts, after which the +well-cooked bodies were divided amongst the hungry people, who feasted +upon them greedily. Madame and Raoul had their share of bear-steak, +and then the former took advantage of the quiet which followed the +feast, to talk to these heathens about the Great Spirit whom she was so +anxious they should learn to love. She was listened to with great +attention by the Indians, because she had won their hearts, not only by +her lovely character, but also by her many generous deeds and gifts. + +But they were, for the most part, slow learners of the new and better +way. The grizzled old chief, to whom Madame with infinite patience was +teaching the Lord's Prayer, made a quaint objection. + +"If I ask for nothing but bread," said he, "I shall have no more moose +nor sweet cakes," referring to some toothsome cake that Madame had +herself baked as a present for him. + +After Madame had spoken, the young folks fell to sky-larking, while the +elders smoked their pipes, and Outan, who was fond of teasing, raised a +big laugh at Raoul's expense by telling how the bear had dropped from +the tree and put him to flight, and he mimicked Raoul dodging around +the tree-trunk. This angered Raoul, and when his orders to Outan to +"shut up" passed unnoticed, he rushed at him and struck him in the face. + +Now, although Outan looked upon both Madame de la Tour and Raoul as +superior beings, and would have endured a great deal at their hands +rather than displease them, still he had his own share of temper and +pride, and this sudden blow from Raoul, given in the presence of his +companions, filled him with fury. He struck back with all his might, +and the next instant the two boys were rolling upon the ground in a mad +grapple. At once they were surrounded by an eager circle of +spectators, who keenly relished what promised to be a lively fight, and +with excited cries urged on the youthful combatants. + +So close were Raoul and Outan locked in each other's arms that they +could not use their fists, and the struggle was therefore in reality +not more than a wrestling-match. + +But the more they strove the fiercer burned their rage, and the moment +that one or the other did succeed in getting a hand free, cruel use +would certainly be made of it. + +While this was taking place Madame had been talking with some of the +women, little imagining how Raoul was engaged, and she might have +continued in her ignorance had not Outan's little sister run up to +them, sobbing out something which her mother at once understood, and +darted off with an exclamation of alarm. + +This attracted Madame's attention, and more out of concern lest some +accident should have happened than from curiosity, she followed the +Indian woman. When they reached the crowd that surrounded the +fighters, so densely packed was it that at first they could not get +within sight of what was going on. But presently some of the men made +space for Madame in rather a shamefaced way, until she was quite close +to the struggling boys. + +For a moment she thought it was only an innocent trial of strength, but +a second look at their inflamed faces and furious eyes told her the +truth, and in a horror-stricken voice she called out: + +"Raoul! Raoul! what's the meaning of this? Stop it at once. I +command you." + +But Raoul was in too wild a fury to hear or heed, and, realizing this, +Madame, the grace of whose form concealed an unusual degree of strength +in a woman, laid hold of the boys and tore them apart. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +OFF TO THE WOODS + +Raoul rose sullenly to his feet, and faced his aunt, who fixed upon him +a look of stern displeasure mingled with sorrow. + +"Oh, my nephew," she said in a tone of profound reproach, "are you not +ashamed of yourself to be engaged in such an unseemly brawl? What an +example to set those whom we are striving to teach better things! Come +away, that I may have some talk with you in private." + +Raoul, his anger now having in large part given place to shame, obeyed +her bidding without a word, and they passed through the crowd into the +forest. Here Raoul found his tongue, and explained how the thing had +occurred. Madame heard him with attention and sympathy. + +"You certainly had good reason to be provoked, my boy," she said as she +tenderly patted his cheek. "But you must not forget that these poor +people are heathens, and we are Christians, and that if we would win +them over to be Christians also, we must do very differently from what +they would do themselves. Now you must confess that you did not act in +a Christian way, and I am very sorry. Let us pray to God to give us +such self-control that we shall not fall into errors of this kind." + +So they kneeled together upon the turf, and Raoul's heart was melted by +the fervent prayer that came from his aunt's lips for the help of God +in right living, and in the conversion of the Indians. Then, without +delay, he sought out Outan, and, to the great surprise of the lad, +expressed his regret for his hasty blow and begged his forgiveness. + +To Outan the situation was so utterly novel that he was bewildered what +to do, but obeying the impulse of his heart, he smiled broadly and gave +Raoul a hearty hug, which showed in the clearest way that all +ill-feeling had vanished from him. + +The bear hunt having been successfully carried out, Madame and Raoul +returned to Fort St. Louis, where they found Monsieur La Tour, who had +got back from one of his trading expeditions, awaiting them in high +spirits, because his business operations had been very successful. + +Charles La Tour thought more of wealth and power than anything else in +the world. Not even his beautiful, devoted wife was dearer to him. +Yet he loved her after his own fashion, was very proud of her, and had +not the slightest objection to her missionary zeal, so long as it did +not cross any of his plans or ambitions. In regard to Raoul, of whom +he was quite fond, he did think it rather a pity that he should be +filled with his aunt's religious notions, because it might spoil him +for the rough business of life; yet he made no protest against it, +although he did now and then let drop a cynical speech that touched the +boy's sensitive nature. + +He had not been long at home before his restless spirit moved him to +start off again, and this time he proposed that Raoul should accompany +him. + +"If your aunt can do without you for a few weeks, you'd better come +with me," he said in his off-hand way, which took consent for granted. +"You'll get some useful lessons in buying furs and trading goods, and +in how to make good bargains with the Indians, if you keep your eyes +and ears open." + +Raoul, for his part, was quite eager to go. He loved adventure and +excitement, and was very weary of the routine of life at the fort. So +his response was no less hearty than prompt. + +"Why, of course I want to go, uncle," he exclaimed, his face beaming +with pleasure, and then checking himself as he thought of his aunt, he +added in a more subdued tone, "If Aunt Constance is willing for me to +go." + +In her heart Madame would have very much preferred to have Raoul remain +with her, but she was too unselfish to confess it, and smiled gaily +enough as she said: + +"Oh, I think I can manage to get along without you for a while, Raoul, +although I shall of course miss you both greatly." + +Winter was drawing near when the party set forth, and they must needs +be not only well-armed, but well supplied with blankets and furs to +resist the cold. + +[Illustration: "THE PARTY SET FORTH."] + +There were twelve of them in all, six whites, and as many red men, +stalwart fellows all of them, and thoroughly fitted to endure the +hardships of their undertaking. + +Madame was left in charge of the fort, with trusty old Simon Imbert as +her lieutenant. + +"My prayers will follow you every foot of the way, Charles," she said +as she gave her husband a parting embrace, "and I shall be a happy +woman when I see you safe back again." + +La Tour's purpose was to go clear across the peninsula to the Bay of +Fundy, seeking out the Indian encampments, buying whatever furs they +had, and arranging for further supplies. He accordingly took with him +a stock of goods such as pleased the Indian fancy. + +Sufficient snow had already fallen to enable toboggans to be used, and +with their baggage loaded upon these the party made good progress +through the forest. + +Raoul was in high spirits. Neither the toilsome tramping all day, nor +the sleeping under the sky instead of in his own warm bed at night, nor +the rude though abundant fare counted anything in comparison with his +pride of filling a man's place, and, as far as was possible, doing a +man's work. + +There was one thing that gave him some trouble at first, however, until +he solved the difficulty by being true to his best instincts. + +His aunt had taught him to pray night and morning, and in the privacy +of his own snug chamber in the fort he never omitted doing so; but when +out in the forest in the company of men who took no thought for such +things, it was very different. + +Although his conscience pricked him sharply he let several days go by +without prayers, just because he had not the courage to kneel down +before the others. + +But one night it seemed as if he could not get to sleep, he felt so +conscience-stricken, and at last, unable to bear it any longer, he +rolled out of his blankets, and kneeled against a tree-trunk. + +A minute later his uncle, who had been out with some of his men setting +traps, returned, and seeing Raoul, exclaimed in a tone of surprise: + +"Hullo, my boy, what's the matter? Have you had a scare while I was +away?" + +Raoul, blushing deeply, rose to his feet, and with eyes fixed on the +ground, murmured: + +"No, sir, I was just saying my prayers, as I ought to have done every +night, but I felt ashamed to." + +It was on the tip of La Tour's tongue to say: + +"Oh! leave that to your aunt. She can pray enough for both of us." + +But he kept the words back, and with an indulgent smile which implied +plainly that he thought the boy's occupation was of small consequence, +he said in a kindly tone: + +"Well, you'd better get back into your blankets again. We're going to +have a stormy night, if I am not greatly mistaken." + +That he had not mis-read the weather signs became evident ere midnight, +for a snow-storm set in which grew in violence hour by hour, until by +daylight it was so furious that not even Charles La Tour had the +hardihood to brave it. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE MOOSE HUNT + +For several days the storm continued, and during that time no member of +the party dared to leave camp, except to gather wood for the fire, +which by great exertion and care was kept burning. + +It was a miserable time for all. La Tour fumed and fretted at the +delay, and the other whites shared his feelings, although the Indians +seemed stolidly content with the forced inaction. + +Temporary tents had been hastily made out of spruce boughs, and these +being covered thickly with snow, afforded passable protection; yet they +were poor places in which to spend a long day, and their occupants soon +grew utterly weary of them. + +Raoul was hard put to it to while away the dreary hours. His uncle was +in too ill a humour to be pleasant company, and so the boy fell back +upon the society of the men, who were inclined to be rough in their +ways and coarse in speech. + +On the evening of the third day of the storm La Tour called Raoul to +him, and said in a sneering tone: + +"How much good can your prayers do, think you? If you were to pray for +the storm to stop, would it have any effect? You certainly couldn't +wish a better chance to show what you can do." + +Raoul was sorely puzzled to reply. He suspected that his uncle was +only seeking to make fun of him, and yet it did not seem right to +respond in the same spirit, thus making a jest of what was so sacred. + +Looking very confused, he kept silence, until La Tour exclaimed +impatiently: + +"Have you lost your tongue? Why don't you answer me?" + +"Because I don't know what to say," murmured Raoul. "Aunt Constance +told me that we must not expect every prayer to be answered right away, +and maybe even if she were to pray for the storm to stop it would not +do it." + +At this point La Tour's better nature asserted itself. He began to +feel ashamed at thus teasing the boy, and to be impressed by his +evident sincerity, so patting him affectionately upon the shoulder, he +said: + +"Don't mind my foolish words, Raoul. I didn't mean to hurt your +feelings, or to weaken your faith. Keep on doing what you feel to be +right, even if you are made fun of by those who ought to know better." + +Raoul was deeply touched by these words, and thenceforward admired his +uncle more than ever. + +Ere he closed his eyes that night he did pray fervently for the storm +to abate, and then curled up in his blankets to sleep as soundly as if +in his own snug bed in Fort St. Louis. + +He was awakened next morning by his uncle giving orders to the men in +so cheery a tone that it was evident there had been a great change in +his spirits; and, in making his way out of the half-buried tent, Raoul +at once understood the reason, for the storm was all over, and the sun +shone dazzlingly upon a world of spotless white. + +"Good!" cried Raoul joyously. "Now we needn't stay here any longer. I +am so glad," and he felt like dancing a little by way of expressing his +feelings. + +In his delight at the return of fine weather he might have forgotten to +be thankful for the answer to his prayer, had not Monsieur La Tour +reminded him by calling out: + +"Good-morning, Raoul. You see the snow has ceased, and perhaps it was +your prayers that caused it to stop." + +Raoul laughed, and shook his head in disclaimer of such being the case. + +"And now, uncle, we can be off again, can't we?" he responded. "I hope +we won't have any more such storms." + +In their journey across country they presently came to the region where +huge moose, the grandest of all antlered animals, were to be found, and +La Tour, as their supply of food was running low, decided to halt for a +few days, in order that they might have a moose hunt. + +This was good news to the whole party, and there was keen competition +among the members to be allowed to take part in the hunt, La Tour's +purpose being to have one-half of the men accompany him, while the rest +remained at the camp. + +Raoul took it for granted that he was to go, and was quite dismayed +when his uncle let fall a remark which implied that he was to stay +behind. + +"Why, uncle," he exclaimed, "am I not to go with you?" + +"Well, I hadn't thought about it, Raoul," was the reply. "Won't it be +rather hard work for you to keep up with us? And then there may be +some danger, you know." + +"Oh, but I don't mind either the hard work or the danger," Raoul +promptly responded. "Please let me go too, uncle, I want to so much." + +"Very well then," replied La Tour, good-naturedly. "You can come +along, but you'll have to look after yourself, for I'm going to give my +whole attention to the moose." + +Mounted upon broad snow-shoes, which enabled them to travel with ease +and speed over the deepest snow, the hunting-party set forth amid the +cheers of those who regretfully remained behind. They were all in high +spirits, and the men made little boasts among themselves as to which of +them would be the first to sight a moose, and to get the first shot at +one. + +"This heavy fall of snow will make things easier for us," Monsieur La +Tour said to Raoul, as they tramped along together. "The big fellows +will not be able to run very fast through such deep drifts." + +It was not until mid-day drew near that signs of moose were seen, and +then one of the keen-sighted Indians, who was in the van, came hurrying +back to announce that he had found fresh tracks in the snow. + +After examining them La Tour consulted for a moment with his +companions, and then laid out his plan of campaign, which was that the +party should spread out in a wide line, so as to cover as much ground +as possible, and yet keep within hearing of signals, so as to be able +to gather together again at the proper time. + +"As for you, Raoul, you had better follow me," he said. "You'll not +miss any of the excitement, and you'll be less likely to get astray." + +This suited Raoul perfectly, and having seen to it that his gun was +ready for instant action he followed his uncle's lead, although it was +no easy matter to keep pace with his rapid stride. + +On they went through the forest, with every sense alert to detect the +proximity of their prey. + +Presently La Tour stopped short, and bent his gaze intently to the +right. Raoul looked in the same direction, but at first could not make +out anything, yet from his uncle's action, it was plain that he must +have sighted a moose, for he began to creep forward stealthily, with +his gun held in readiness to fire. + +Raoul, holding his breath, kept close behind, and at last his eyes fell +upon a dark form scarcely distinguishable from the thick evergreen +against which it stood. + +"There he is! I see him!" he whispered to himself, while his heart +throbbed wildly. + +Just then La Tour levelled his gun, and the silence was shattered by +its startling report. + +A moment later the evergreens were violently agitated, and out of them +rushed a huge bull moose, made furious by the wound, which at once +charged fiercely down upon the hunters. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +IN THE NICK OF TIME + +As it happened, the snow did not lie very heavily at this particular +place, and the great creature was able to move with tremendous speed. + +"Look out, Raoul!" shouted La Tour, as he darted aside to evade the +moose's onset. "Get behind a tree, and then fire at him." + +This was precisely what Raoul had in mind to do, and he made a gallant +effort to accomplish it, but unfortunately in his haste he caught his +snow-shoes together, and over he went headlong into the snow with such +violence as to nearly bury himself. + +Confused by the fall, and blinded by the snow, he lay there helplessly, +while the bull moose, infuriated by its wound, and seeing only the +prostrate boy to account for it, bore down upon him with murderous +intent. + +He fully realized his danger, and yet felt powerless to avert it, for +to regain one's feet after a tumble with snow-shoes on is no easy +matter. + +In the meantime La Tour had rushed out from behind the tree, and by +waving his arms and shouting, strove to attract the attention of the +animal to himself until Raoul should have time to get upon his feet +again, and find a place of safety. + +But the moose was not to be thus diverted from its victim, and kept on +until it was within ten yards of Raoul, whose fate now seemed to be +sealed. + +La Tour, quite forgetting himself in his anxiety for the boy, made a +desperate effort to get in between him and the animal, and groaned +aloud as he saw that it could not avail. + +Then, suddenly, Raoul raised himself upon his knees, and pointing his +gun at the moose's head, pulled the trigger. + +[Illustration: "SUDDENLY, RAOUL RAISED HIMSELF UPON HIS KNEES."] + +At the report the big brute pitched forward upon its antlers, almost +turning a somersault, and La Tour with an exclamation of joy ran to +Raoul, and lifting him up clasped him to his breast, crying: + +"Bravo! my nephew, bravo! That was a splendid shot. I never thought +you could do it." + +But hardly had the words left his lips than his exultation changed to +alarm, for the moose, which had been only stunned by the bullet, and +not mortally wounded, rose to its feet again to renew the charge. + +Happily the shock of the bullet had bewildered it so that it went off +at a tangent, and ere it could recover itself La Tour had hurried Raoul +to safe shelter behind a mighty tree. + +Hastily reloading his gun, an action which Raoul lost no time in +imitating, La Tour watched his chance to give the great animal a final +shot. + +After plunging about for a little it once more located its assailants, +and, looking very terrible in its rage, made another furious rush at +them. + +This they both evaded without difficulty, and then La Tour got the +opportunity he sought, and sent a bullet into the heart of the mighty +creature, which brought its career to a sudden end. + +"Phew!" he exclaimed in a tone of profound relief, as he took off his +fur cap and wiped the perspiration from his forehead. "That was lively +work, wasn't it, Raoul? What a grand fight the old fellow did make! +He pretty nearly had you under his hoofs. You managed to fire in the +nick of time. That was a clever shot, my boy, and I am proud of you +for it." + +Raoul flushed with pleasure at his uncle's praise, which he appreciated +all the more because La Tour was far more prone to find fault than to +express approval. + +"I thought it was all over with me, Uncle Charles," he said, "for the +snow had got into my eyes so that I could not see properly, but I did +the best I could." + +"And a very good best it was, my boy. No man could have done better. +You'll make a fine hunter when you're full grown. Ah, ha! here come +some of the men. I wonder what fortune they have had." + +Attracted by the sound of the firing, the rest of the hunting party had +hurried to the scene, and La Tour was in his element as he proudly +displayed the fallen monarch. + +"Raoul and I are partners in him," he said laughingly. "Raoul hit him +in the head, and I hit him in the heart, but he came within an ace of +finishing Raoul first." And he then proceeded to relate what had +happened. + +Raoul was warmly congratulated upon his lucky escape, and upon the +excellence of his marksmanship, and everybody rejoiced over the +splendid prize which had been secured, for the moose was in superb +condition, and would supply them with savoury steaks and roasts for +many days. + +After what had occurred at the moose hunt, it was evident that his +uncle regarded Raoul in a different light. He dropped his bantering +tone toward him, and treated him more on an equal footing, and Raoul +fully appreciated the change. + +During the remainder of their trip they were favoured with such good +fortune--the game proving plentiful all along the route, and the +Indians whose villages they visited being so well supplied with furs +and so eager to trade--that La Tour, in high good humour, told Raoul he +brought him good luck, and must accompany him again. + +The whole party got back to Fort St. Louis without a mishap, and then +everybody settled down for the winter, as there were to be no more +trading expeditions. + +But Madame La Tour did not suspend her missionary work because it was +winter time. As soon as her husband had returned and relieved her of +the charge of the fort, she resumed her visits to the Indian +encampments. This was the best season for what she sought to +accomplish, because the men were about the wigwams most of the time, +and she could get a hearing from them as well as from the women and +children. + +Raoul usually went with her. He liked the idea of being in some sense +her protector, and she was always such good company that the hours +never seemed long that were spent in her society. + +He always carried his gun, not that there was anything to fear from the +Indians. They were altogether to be trusted. But some wild animal +might be encountered that would venture to attack, or that might be +worth having a shot at, any way. + +Right glad he was that he did have his gun one afternoon when he and +his aunt were returning from a day spent at the Souriquois village, +where the good woman had been teaching the squaws, not only how to be +Christians, but also how to be better wives and mothers. + +They were walking rapidly, and talking busily, when a horrible scream +that sent a chill of terror to their hearts, and caused them to stop +suddenly in the path, issued from the thick woods in front of them. + +A stranger would have been at a loss to guess what sort of creature +could produce so frightful a sound, but Madame La Tour recognized it at +once, and she perceptibly shrank closer to Raoul as she said in a +startled voice: + +"It is a _loup cervier_, Raoul, and right in our way!" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +AT CLOSE QUARTERS + +Raoul knew the scream also, and something about the animal from whence +it came, and he first looked carefully at his gun to make sure that it +was ready for instant use, and then peered into the obscurity of the +thick evergreens, in the attempt to locate the fierce brute which had +thus challenged their passing. + +What Madame meant by _loup cervier_ was what is now known as the +"Indian Devil," or catamount, a species of puma that could be very +dangerous when in a fighting humour, as this one evidently was. + +"Don't be frightened, Aunt Constance," said Raoul sturdily. "I'll +shoot him dead the moment I see him," and he brought his gun to his +shoulder as he spoke. + +"Wait, wait until you can see him plainly," said Madame under her +breath. "You must not miss." + +There was a rustling among the branches, another blood-curdling scream, +and then the hideous face of the creature appeared, its eyes flaming +with fury, and its cruel teeth showing white among the rigid bristles +that protruded from its furry cheeks. + +Now if Raoul had been alone, he would assuredly have been nervous +enough to make it a difficult matter to take good aim, but the presence +of his aunt made him forget himself utterly in his loyal determination +to protect her from the impending peril. He felt as firm as a rock. +Not a nerve quivered, and, aiming straight between the baleful eyes, he +fired. + +The report rang out on the still evening air, and was instantly +followed by a snarling shriek from the wounded animal, so charged with +fury that Raoul instinctively pressed his aunt back out of the path. + +Just as he did so the puma sprang at them, for it was not killed, a +slight movement of its head as Raoul fired having caused the bullet to +strike too high, and plough through the fur on the forehead, instead of +burying itself in the brain. + +Raoul's sudden movement caused the brute to fall short, and ere it +could gather itself to spring again the boy, clubbing his gun, struck +at it with the heavy butt. + +It was the best thing to be done under the circumstances, and yet, when +the maddened catamount, squirming around as if it were made of rubber, +caught the stock in its teeth, and tore at the gun with its terrible +claws, there seemed small chance of Raoul being able to repeat the blow. + +Happily this was not necessary on his part, for Madame, who had been +perfectly composed throughout, having picked up a stout stick, came to +his assistance, and, with a clever blow delivered just behind the +puma's ear, put an end to its existence. + +"Bravo, Aunt Constance!" cried Raoul delightedly. "You've done for +him, and just in time, too! He was pulling the gun out of my hands." + +There was the light of triumph in Madame la Tour's fine eyes as she +turned the dead thing over with her stick. + +"He meant us mischief, Raoul," she said, "and he has paid dearly for +it. If he had left us alone he would not be lying there now. Let us +kneel down and thank God for our deliverance." + +And so they knelt together, while Madame, in a few fervent sentences, +expressed their gratitude to Providence for having thus protected them +from injury. + +As they hastened homeward, Madame said in a low tone, as if talking to +herself rather than to Raoul: + +"This is a wild, dangerous country, and I grow very weary of it. I +pray that I may be spared to get back to France some day." + +Raoul heard these words with some surprise. His aunt always seemed so +busy and content in the doing of her duty, that he did not suppose she +was not as happy as he was himself, but his quick sympathy inspired him +to ask: + +"Shall we be going back to France some day, Aunt Constance?" + +"Only God knows that, my dear," was the reply. "I'm sure I cannot +tell. We are in the hands of Providence, and whatever comes to pass +will be the best." + +Raoul said no more at the time, but thenceforward his admiration for +his aunt was deepened by the knowledge that she would really prefer +being across the ocean, although she always seemed so serene and +satisfied with her lot in Acadia. + +Monsieur La Tour was much interested in the account of the encounter +with the catamount. + +"You deserve credit, both of you," he said warmly. "As for you, my +dear wife," he added, with an unusually loving look, "there seems to be +no limit to your talents. You can preach, teach, hunt, fish, and look +after the affairs of your own household better than any woman I ever +knew. How fortunate I was to get such a wife! Eh, Raoul?" + +Madame's noble countenance was flooded with colour by her husband's +frank praise, which made her heart sing for joy, and going up to him, +she threw her arms about his neck and kissed his bronzed cheek, saying: + +"Thank you, my dear Charles, for your kind words, which I am sure are +not empty ones." + +With the return of spring, La Tour, whose enterprise and energy knew no +bounds, unfolded a new plan he had formed for the extension of his +power and the increase of his fortune. + +This was the building of still another fort, and the site he had +selected was the mouth of what is now the St. John River, in the +province of New Brunswick, then known by the musical Indian name of +Ouangondy. + +This place had many advantages over Fort St. Louis. The river went far +inland, and was the highway for many Indian tribes who had precious +pelts to barter. Not only so, but the whole New England coast could be +conveniently reached by canoe, or sailing shallop, and again, the lay +of the land was such that an exceedingly strong position could be +easily had. + +Throughout the summer the building went on, and ere autumn came again +the new fort, which La Tour modestly called after himself, was +completed. It stood upon a rise of ground commanding the harbour and +the sharp turn made by the river on entering, about half-a-mile below, +the famous falls, which then as now worked both ways, pouring up river +when the tide was high and down river when it was low. + +Fort La Tour was solidly built of stone, and stood nearly two hundred +feet square, with four bastions at the angles, and twenty good cannon +frowning from the battlements. Without were sturdy palisades as a +further protection, and within, two comfortable dwellings, a tiny +chapel, and the necessary storehouses, barracks for the garrison, and +other buildings. + +Such was Raoul's new home, and he heartily approved of the change, +because the country round about Fort La Tour was far richer and finer +than that about Fort St. Louis, and the beautiful river held out +promise of many a pleasant canoe trip, when the warm days of summer +returned. + +As for Madame La Tour, she felt sorry to leave her dusky charges when +they seemed to promise such good results, but she consoled herself with +the thought that there were plenty of others equally needing the light, +and that she could continue her good work from the new fort. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A PERILOUS ENTERPRISE + +Hitherto all had gone so well with Charles La Tour that he could hardly +be blamed if he came to look upon himself as a favoured child of +fortune. He had had the whole of Acadia to himself, so to speak, and +what with fishing, fur-trading, and farming, had greatly increased his +substance. + +But now rumours of a rival came to disturb his peace. Another Charles, +who was generally known as Charnace, had obtained from the French King +certain grants and privileges in Acadia, and, wrath at finding La Tour +already monopolizing the country, he let it be known that he proposed +to contest the field with him by force of arms. + +He chose his time well for the attack upon Fort La Tour, coming when +the stock of provisions were lowest, the garrison smallest, and those +whose support could be counted upon were most widely scattered, and he +brought with him a strong force of soldiers in his four staunch vessels. + +Stationing his two ships and the galiot so that they blockaded the ship +channels, and the pinnace to the north-east of Partridge Island, he +landed several hundred men so as to control the surrounding country, +and then settled down for a siege, feeling quite confident that the +capitulation of the fort was only a question of time. + +In the meantime the commander of Fort La Tour had not been idle, +although the coming of Charnace had been like a bolt out of the blue, +for he did not expect to see anything of him that year. He lost no +time in making preparations for a determined defence, in which his +stout-hearted wife gave him efficient help. By means of spies, he got +full information as to his enemy's purpose, and laughed grimly at the +latter's threats. + +"And so he has vowed that he will send me back to France in manacles, +has he? Well, words are cheap. It is easy to indulge in big talk, but +not always so easy to put it into deeds. We shall see how Monsieur +Charnace will keep his word." + +Raoul was not at all dismayed at being besieged. On the contrary, he +was pleased by the prospect of exciting times, and promised himself to +take as active a part in the defence as his uncle would permit. + +"What right has Charnace coming here to attack us?" he asked with fine +indignation at the insolence of the intruder. "We were here first, and +he has no business interfering. We must give him such a beating that +he will not dare to come near us again." + +Keeping his ships well out of range of the cannon at the fort, and his +men safely disposed in the protection of the woods, Charnace sought to +cut off all supplies by sea or land, and thus let slow starvation win +the day for him. Now La Tour was just then eagerly expecting the +arrival from La Rochelle of the armed ship _Clement_ with a full cargo +of supplies of all sorts, and a goodly number of soldiers and +colonists. In fact, the vessel was overdue, and if she should come up +the bay without warning, she would assuredly be captured by Charnace's +ships, which would have no difficulty in overpowering her. + +"We must stop her before she comes too far," he said, "and yet I hardly +know how it is to be managed. Charnace's spies and scouts are all +around us. Have you any notion how it can be managed, Constance?" +And, as was usually the case when in perplexity, he turned for counsel +to the shrewd woman who was so peculiarly his helpmate. + +"Let us send for Joe Takouchen," was her reply. "He may think of a +way." + +Accordingly Joe was sent for, and promptly appeared, his usually +impassive countenance betraying curiosity as to the reason for the +summons. + +Joe was a splendid specimen of the Souriquois, who worshipped Madame La +Tour as though she were divine. She had been particularly kind both to +himself and his family, and he was ready to risk his life for her on +any occasion. The situation was explained to Joe, while he listened in +silence, but with a comprehending expression. Then, nodding his head +sagely, he said: + +"Joe will take the message to the ship. He will go to-night." + +"And how will you manage it, Joe?" asked La Tour. + +Joe smiled significantly, and explained that his plan was to steal out +of the fort at night, make his way to the headlands south-west, and +thence put off in a canoe, as soon as the supply ship came in sight. +La Tour's face lit up at the proposition. + +"It's a big risk, Joe, but if any man alive can carry the thing out it +is you. Whom will you take with you?" + +Joe replied that Jean Pitchebat, a stalwart Frenchman, who was his +special friend, would be his choice, and La Tour approved. + +Raoul, who had been a silent listener hitherto, now spoke up. + +"May I go with Joe too, Uncle Charles?" he asked, in a tone whose +anxiety showed how fully he was in earnest. + +La Tour looked at the boy with such manifest surprise that the latter +flushed hotly. Yet, being full of his desire, he turned to Joe and +said entreatingly: + +"You will not mind taking me, will you?" + +Joe glanced inquiringly at his master and mistress. He was very fond +of Raoul, and had no objection to taking him along, but he felt that +the matter was not one for him to settle. La Tour had it on the tip of +his tongue to brusquely refuse Raoul's request, but the expression on +his wife's face made him pause, and before he spoke, she said in her +gentle way: + +"You might let him go, Charles. He will be in God's hands. There is +danger everywhere now, and his heart is set upon going." + +"Oh, very well, then, so long as Joe is willing. What do you say, +Joe?" and La Tour turned to the taciturn Indian. + +"Joe say all right," was the laconic response, at which Raoul clapped +his hands gleefully. + +They set off the same night. Fortunately it was both dark and windy, +so that there was all the less danger of their movements being seen or +heard. But they must needs exercise the utmost caution, for Charnace +had many Indians in his service, and they would no doubt be acting as +scouts and sentinels in the neighbourhood of the fort. + +Joe led the way with amazing dexterity, stepping over the ground as +silently as a serpent, and the other two followed, doing their best to +imitate him. Several times he stopped short, peered eagerly into the +darkness, listened intently for a moment, and then, muttering something +which Raoul could not catch, changed his course to right or left. + +[Illustration: "JOE LED THE WAY."] + +Once the sound of voices came out of the night to them, and Raoul's +heart throbbed wildly. He was not so much afraid of being captured as +he was that they should be balked in their purpose, and that the supply +ship, coming up without warning, would fall into Charnace's hands. +They were evidently passing through the line of their enemy's +sentinels, and in peril of being betrayed by the slightest sound. Very +cautiously did Joe make his way, now turning this way and now that, +while Raoul and Jean kept so close that they could almost touch him. +It was trying work, that told upon muscles and nerve, yet Raoul held +his own with the men all right, and certainly moved as silently as +Jean, even if he could not quite equal Joe. + +At last they seemed to be getting well away from the fort, and into +safer ground, when suddenly a dark form rose in front of them. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE STOPPING OF THE SUPPLY SHIP + +Joe crouched low, preparing for a spring. Jean and Raoul did likewise, +and not one of them breathed. + +"Who goes there?" demanded a rough, stern voice, but the next instant +it was silenced, for Joe, throwing himself upon the speaker with a leap +like that of a panther, brought him to the ground with his hands at his +throat. + +But the man lay so motionless in his grip that there was no need to +take his life. In falling backward, his head had struck a stone, and +he was senseless. As soon as Joe realized this he let go of him, and +whispering to his companions: + +"Quick--quick--run!" he darted off with them at his heels. + +Not trying to pick their steps, they plunged through the darkness as +fast as they could, slipping, stumbling, tripping, yet keeping on +desperately, for they knew not if the whole camp might not presently be +upon their heels. + +There was a stir among Charnace's sentinels and a calling to one +another, but none of them knew in which direction the fugitives had +gone, and after some aimless scurrying about they gave up all idea of +pursuit, and settled down to quiet again. + +Meanwhile, the three had continued their wild flight until their breath +was spent, and then they threw themselves down to recover it. + +"All right now," said Joe, nodding complacently. "We see no more of +them," and he was quite correct. They were now beyond Charnace's +lines, and could pursue their way in a more leisurely fashion. The +break of day found them far down the shore and drawing near an +encampment of friendly Indians. From these Joe had no difficulty in +obtaining a good canoe, and a supply of provisions, and by noon they +were out on the Bay of Fundy, watching for the _Clement_. + +The weather was fine, and Raoul keenly enjoyed dancing over the +white-capped waves in their buoyant craft, which Joe and Jean managed +with such matchless skill. They did not expect him to paddle, and so +he stretched himself out in the bottom of the canoe and took his ease, +the excitement and exertion of the past night having pretty thoroughly +tired him. + +For some hours no sign of the ship appeared, and then, as the afternoon +drew towards its close, Joe's keen eyes descried a sail showing above +the horizon to the southward. + +"Good!" he grunted, and with a sweep of his paddle he turned the canoe +in that direction. + +"You paddle now," he said to Raoul, and the latter obeyed. Propelled +by the three blades, into which the paddlers put their strength, the +light craft bounded over the water towards the ship. + +"Oh! I hope it is the _Clement_" said Raoul. "We shall be just in +good time." + +Mile after mile they swept along, until Raoul's arms began to ache, and +his breath to become scant, but Joe and Jean were pegging away as +vigorously as at first, and he hated to give up. They were nearing the +ship rapidly, and ere long would be close enough to hail her, when, to +their surprise, she came about, and went off on another tack, leaving +them rapidly astern. + +"Hullo!" exclaimed Raoul in a tone of consternation. "What did she do +that for? We shall soon be farther away from her than we were at +first." + +Joe stopped paddling for a moment, and looked very cross. Then, rising +to his full height, he swung the paddle above his head, hoping to +attract the attention of some one on board the vessel. But it had no +effect. The ship continued in her course, and, there being plenty of +wind, her speed was so great as to make it useless for the canoe to +follow her. + +[Illustration: "RISING TO HIS FULL HEIGHT, JOE SWUNG THE PADDLE ABOVE +HIS HEAD."] + +The occupants of the canoe looked blankly at each other. Even the +usually impassive Joe did not disguise his chagrin, while Jean sought +relief for his feelings in some strong language that would have brought +upon him a reproof from Madame La Tour had she been present. The sun +had already set. Night was drawing near, and unless they reached the +ship before darkness fell they might miss her altogether, and she would +go on to become a prize for the waiting Charnace. Raoul clearly +realized their critical position, and while Joe and Jean discussed what +should be done, he lifted up his heart in earnest prayer that God would +guide them to the ship even through the darkness. + +Rested by their brief halt, the paddlers resumed work, steering the +canoe straight up the Bay, so as if possible to intercept the vessel in +her next tack. Meanwhile the daylight faded out of the sky, the wind +dropped, and the water became perfectly calm. In almost complete +silence the canoe glided steadily forward, Raoul, who had paddled until +he was tired, once more taking it easy in the bottom. + +Suddenly there came through the gloom the sound of a man's voice giving +a command, and it made the hearts of those in the canoe leap for joy. +Joe and Jean had been paddling listlessly, but now they went to work +with fresh energy. Their light craft shot over the smooth water in the +direction of the voice, and, a few minutes later, the dark bulk of the +ship they sought loomed up before them. + +Jean promptly hailed her, and was bidden to come alongside. A rope was +thrown, whereby all three clambered up, and the next instant stood on +the deck of the _Clement_. Very hearty was their welcome here. The +Captain of the good ship felt deeply grateful for the timely warning, +and offered his wearied and hungry visitors the best at his disposal, +while the colonists and others crowded about, eager to be told about La +Tour and his forts, and how things were going in the new world to which +they had come. Raoul was pleased to find himself a person of some +importance, and his tongue wagged merrily as he answered the many +questions poured upon him, or in his turn made inquiries on his own +account. Ere he lay down that night in the Captain's cabin, he did not +forget to thank God for having answered his prayer by guiding the canoe +into the way of the _Clement_. + +After consulting with Joe and Jean, the Captain of the _Clement_ +decided that the best plan would be for him to keep the ship off for +the present, as it was not likely Charnace would break his blockade of +Fort La Tour to go after her, and, even if he did, she could easily +over-match any one of his vessels, and sail away from any of them. + +In the meantime, Joe and Jean would make their way back to the fort, +leaving Raoul on board. This arrangement was carried out successfully. +The messengers again passed through Charnace's lines and brought their +good news to La Tour, who at once decided that the best thing to be +done was for him to get on board the _Clement_ and sail on her for +Boston, to obtain reinforcements against the enemy. So, on a dark, +still night a canoe, containing both Monsieur and Madame, glided unseen +past the blockading vessels, La Tour smiling grimly, and Constance +giving a shudder as they heard Charnace's own voice saying: + +"The spy who just came from the fort says that his comrades will send +down La Tour in shackles at midnight," little knowing that the rascally +conspirators had been discovered, and were themselves now lying in +irons in the dungeon of the fort. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +ADVENTURE IN BOSTON + +The _Clement_ was found and boarded without much difficulty, and at +daybreak she was on her way to Boston, bearing the La Tours and Raoul. + +They were well received at the quaint capital of the New England +Province, and, after a good deal of negotiation, for the shrewd +colonists knew how to drive good bargains, La Tour succeeded in +arranging for four ships, carrying nearly two score guns, and one +hundred and fifty men. With this force he felt quite equal to getting +the better of his rival, and set sail from Boston in high spirits. For +six weeks Fort La Tour had been silent as a tomb, the besiegers, who +were quite unaware of the La Tours having slipped away, trusting to +starvation to do their work for them, while the garrison, looking +forward to their commander's return in force, made no attempt at +sorties, but got along, as best they could, on the scanty rations left +them. They kept a sharp and steady look-out, however, and one day +their eyes were gladdened by the sight of many sails in the offing. + +"La Tour! La Tour!" they cried joyously, and at once proceeded to +welcome him with a salute in which every cannon on the ramparts had a +part. La Tour did his best to capture some of Charnace's vessels, but +both wind and tide favoured their escape, although he chased them as +far as the Penobscot. There was great rejoicing at the fort, and +feasting followed famine for the remainder of the week. + +"Will Monsieur Charnace come back again, do you think?" Raoul asked of +his aunt as they sat in her room, having grown weary of the revelling. + +"I am afraid so," she answered with a sigh. "He is a proud, determined +man, and this defeat will only cause him to try again with a stronger +force. I fear there is trouble in store for us." + +"But why can't he leave us alone?" Raoul cried petulantly. "We have +never made any attack upon him." + +"Because this world, big as it may seem, Raoul, is all too small for +such men as your uncle and Charnace," Madame replied. "They cannot +brook a rival, and they must needs fight until one or the other is +overthrown," and she sighed again deeply, for her gentle heart shrank +from conflict, and she infinitely preferred teaching religion to the +Indians, to all her husband's grand plans for wealth and power. + +Foiled in his first attempt, but not shaken in his purpose, Charnace +went off across the ocean to France to see if something could not be +done there to humble his rival, and La Tour was left to pursue his way +in peace. + +Raoul now took an active part in what went on, and led quite a busy +life. He accompanied his uncle in his trips up the River St. John, +where they met with Indians from the interior, who brought rich furs to +barter for goods. Twice he crossed over to Fort St. Louis, and each +time congratulated himself on the move to Fort La Tour; and what +pleased him most of all, he was allowed to go on one of the ships to +Boston, for he had very pleasant recollections of his first visit +there. His visit was made memorable by an experience which was +certainly of too exciting a nature to be soon forgotten. Having a +leisure afternoon, he went off alone for a stroll along the river-bank, +where he felt sure he would find something to interest him. And in +this he was not disappointed. + +He had gone about half-a-mile from the town when, seeing a group of +boys evidently much interested in something, he hurried towards them. +To his surprise he saw that they were making sport of a strange-looking +lad of about his own age, who seemed to be only half-witted. They +wanted him to go into the water, but he held back in a terror-stricken +way that ought to have caused them to desist, but only served to spur +them on. Just as Raoul reached them, they had dragged the poor fellow +to the edge of a little point below which the water was fairly deep, +and, crying out: "Give him a dip; he needs a good wash!" were about to +shove him over the edge, when Raoul, stirred to such indignation that +he quite forgot that he stood alone against half-a-dozen, called out: + +"Shame! Shame! Let the poor fellow be! Why do you torment him so?" +and springing into their midst, he tore them away from their victim, +and set him free. + +So sudden was his onset--for the boys, being intent upon their _fun_, +had not noticed his approach--that they were completely taken aback, +and the idiot boy, finding himself free, had sufficient sense to make a +break, whereby he got out of their reach ere they recovered from their +surprise. Then they turned upon Raoul, and with coarse oaths demanded +who he was, and what business he had interfering with them. Raoul +realized that he was in a pretty tight place, and had no idea just how +he was to get out of it, but he put on a bold front and replied: + +"It's no matter who I am. You had no right to be tormenting that poor +chap." + +"Oh, ho! he's a Frenchie. Let us put him in instead," was the cry +raised, and at once they threw themselves upon Raoul. + +There were none of them larger than he, but they were six to one, and, +although he fought splendidly, they were not long in bringing him to +the ground. Seizing him roughly by the arms and legs they bore him to +the edge of the bank, and in another instant they would have pitched +him over, when a commanding voice shouted: + +"Stop! Let that boy alone!" and again the young rowdies were checked +in their rough sport. This time the interposition came from no less +important a personage than Governor Winthrop himself, who, chancing to +take his afternoon constitutional in that direction, had observed the +disturbance, and hurried up to ascertain its meaning. He carried a +stout cane, and followed up his command by laying it upon the backs of +the boys nearest him with such good effect that they dashed off +howling, and in a moment Raoul was left free to pick himself up and +arrange his disordered dress. + +"Pray, sir, what were they doing to you?" inquired Governor Winthrop +with grave concern. + +"They were trying to throw me into the river," responded Raoul, "and +but for you, sir, they would have done it." And then he went on to +explain what had taken place, while the Governor listened with an +approving smile; and when he had finished, he placed his hand upon +Raoul's shoulder, saying: + +"You have borne yourself nobly, my son, and I feel ashamed that the +children of our own townspeople should behave in so unseemly a fashion. +And now tell me who are you and whence you come, for you are assuredly +a stranger here." + +When he learned that Raoul was the nephew of Charles La Tour, +Lieutenant-General of Acadia, his interest manifestly deepened. + +"Indeed, indeed," he said. "I know your worthy uncle well, and hold +him in high esteem. You must come and sup with me, and I shall see +that you return to your ship in due time." + +Raoul was only too glad to accept such an attractive invitation, and so +the close of this eventful day found him the guest of the Governor, and +keenly relishing the excellent fare that his table afforded. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +TRAITORS IN THE CAMP + +Madame La Tour greatly enjoyed Raoul's relation of his Boston +experience. + +"You see, virtue is not always merely its own reward," she said, +smiling proudly upon her nephew. "It is sometimes well rewarded in +other ways. Be ever ready to champion the weak and the innocent, +Raoul. They are God's children, and you are doing His work when you +take their part against the wicked and cruel people, of which, alas! +there seems to be too many in this world." + +The summer passed into autumn, and the autumn into winter, without +bringing anything of special moment into the lives of those at Fort La +Tour, save somewhat disquieting rumours of the intentions of Charnace. + +It was said that he had gone to France to obtain the revocation of La +Tour's commission as Lieutenant-General of Acadia, and authority to +take him prisoner, and send him back to be imprisoned in the Bastile. + +Now Charnace was known to have great influence at Court, and in those +days, when the French kings so lightly valued their possessions in +America, and did pretty much what those who had most influence over +them advised, there was no telling how far Charnace might succeed in +his hostile plans. + +Accordingly La Tour set himself to prepare for the danger then +threatening him, while his good wife prayed that, in some way, further +conflict might be averted. + +With the coming of spring, the news was confirmed by the appearance of +Charnace in the ship _St. Francis_ and his sending a messenger to +demand La Tour's surrender. + +To this La Tour defiantly replied that he would not give up either +himself or his fort, so long as he had a pound of powder left; and +Charnace, not being ready for an attack just then, withdrew to the +Penobscot, where he had a fort of his own, to prepare for another siege. + +Great was the concern now at Fort La Tour, whose commander bestirred +himself in every way to meet the crisis. Unfortunately, circumstances +were not in his favour. His trading had not prospered of late, and he +had been compelled to mortgage his fort and all his real and personal +property to a merchant in Boston as security for a large loan, in order +to meet the demands upon him, and now he required a larger supply of +ammunition, and, if possible, some more men. In this emergency he +decided to make a flying trip to Boston in quest of both, trusting to +get back ere Charnace reappeared. + +Ere he left he called his wife, Raoul, Joe Takouchen, and Jean +Pitchebat to him, and explained his purpose. + +"I know it's a risk," he said, "but there seems no help for it. +Without powder we cannot hold the fort, but with a good supply of it we +can beat off this villain Charnace. Constance, I leave you in command. +You, Raoul, will be her lieutenant, and you, Joe and Jean, her +right-hand men. I know that I can trust you all to the uttermost." +And, having thus spoken, he was about to dismiss them, when Madame, +whose beautiful countenance had of late worn an anxious expression, for +she fully realized the danger, said softly-- + +"Charles, let us kneel down and ask for God's protection from the +enemy, for without His blessing your best plans will be of no avail." + +So they all knelt, while Madame prayed with profound fervour for divine +help, and, when they rose, her face had regained its wonted serenity. + +Raoul felt quite flattered at being joined with his aunt in the charge +of the fort. It seemed, in some sort, a recognition of his being more +than a boy, and he vowed in his heart that he would show himself worthy +of the confidence reposed in him. + +Followed by his wife's prayers, and the anxious thoughts of the +garrison, La Tour set sail for Boston. + +He had not been gone long before a startling discovery was made by +Raoul. Although the majority of those connected with the fort were +Huguenots, the remainder were Catholics, and for their benefit La Tour +tolerated the presence of two Jesuit priests named Miraband and Oriani. + +Towards these men Raoul held feelings of cordial dislike. They had +done their best to change his faith, using in vain the sly and subtle +methods for which their Order has ever been notorious, but, instead of +winning him over they had only aroused his antagonism. + +Now it chanced that Raoul had been out shooting in the afternoon, and +was returning to the fort, when, being weary, he sat down in a snug +nook near the Falls to rest, and, before he knew it, was asleep. + +Presently he was awakened by the sound of voices engaged in earnest +talk, and, peeping through the thick foliage which hid him completely, +he saw Miraband and Oriani. + +Suspecting that this secret meeting meant some mischief, he felt no +scruples about playing the part of listener. + +The first few words confirmed his suspicions, and as they went on, his +heart grew hot with indignation and wrath, for it became clear to him +that these men, who had been so well treated at Fort La Tour, were in +reality Charnace's spies, and had been keeping him informed of all that +took place. + +"The villains!" muttered Raoul under his breath. "They deserve to be +hung, even if they are priests. I must let Aunt Constance know at +once." + +He did not stir until the two wicked plotters had finished their +conference and gone off, and then he made all haste to the fort. + +Madame La Tour was not entirely taken by surprise at his information. +She herself had mistrusted these Jesuits, and had even warned her +husband against them, but he had laughed the matter off, saying she was +mistaken. + +Now, she sent for her trusty Joe and Jean, to whom Raoul re-told his +story. + +They were mightily enraged at this treachery, and cried out for the +hanging of the spies in the gate of the castle; and had La Tour himself +been present, this would undoubtedly have been done, despite their +sacred calling, which they had so dishonoured. + +But Madame was too tender of heart to take such extreme measures. Good +reason as she had to hate the whole Jesuit body, apart from the +villainy of these two members of it, she shrank from following the +advice of her counsellors, and to their frankly-expressed disgust did +no more than to summon Miraband and Oriani before her, upbraid them +with their treachery, adding some bitter words as to their being wolves +in sheep's clothing, and then ordered them to be set adrift in a light +canoe. + +"Betake yourselves to your employer," she said with withering scorn, +presenting a splendid picture of righteous indignation, as she towered +above the cowering priests. "He is fit company for you. You have no +right amongst honest men." + +Raoul saw them into the canoe. He heartily agreed with Joe and Jean +that the punishment was altogether inadequate, but he was too loyal to +his aunt not to carry out her bidding; and as the Jesuits, who had +wisely kept silence through it all, paddled off, he called after them: + +"You've got off with your lives this time. But if my uncle ever +catches you, it will be different." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A GLORIOUS VICTORY + +It was not a wise, even if it were a womanly, step on Madame La Tour's +part to let the Jesuits go, for they, of course, made their way +directly to Charnace, and acquainted him with the true state of affairs +at the fort--La Tour absent in quest of reinforcements, only fifty men +in the garrison, and the supply of powder and shot unduly low. + +"Ah, ha!" chuckled Charnace, rubbing his hands. "You bring good news. +My time has come. I would prefer not having to fight with a woman, but +since La Tour has seen fit to desert his post, he must take the +consequences." + +Meantime, Madame La Tour, with her faithful supporters, strained every +effort to prepare for the assault that could not be long delayed. +Everything that could be secured in the way of food was packed into her +storehouses; the scanty stock of ammunition was carefully examined and +apportioned, so as to be used to the best advantage, and the little +garrison was divided up into four watches, of which Madame took command +of one, while Raoul, Joe and Jean captained the others, and then, as +Madame said: + +"We have done all that we can. We now leave ourselves in the hands of +God." + +Many days of suspense followed, and then the report came from a watcher +on the headland, that three large ships were approaching. + +Raoul received it first, and hastened to his aunt. + +"It is Charnace," she said. "The crisis has come. God grant us +strength and wisdom according; to our need." + +Confident of an easy victory, Charnace sailed right up within +cannon-range, and, having anchored, sent one of his captains ashore +under a flag of truce to demand the surrender of the fort, coupling the +demand with the threat that, if not immediately complied with, he would +level the fort to the ground. + +Raoul intently watched his aunt's face as she listened to the message. +He devoutly hoped she would not surrender, but he knew better than to +volunteer his opinion. + +Madame listened gravely to what the captain had to say, and then, after +a brief pause, replied: + +"Be good enough to say to Monsieur Charnace from me that until he has +laid the walls of Fort La Tour level with the ground, it shall not be +surrendered." + +"I cannot but admire your courage, Madame, although I beg to doubt the +wisdom of your decision," responded the captain, bowing low, while +Raoul gave a cheer in which the others joined. + +The instant the captain returned to the ship the flag of truce was +lowered, and with the crash and roar of the first broadside the battle +began. + +Now among Madame La Tour's many accomplishments, was skill in the +firing of big guns. This she had acquired when a mere girl at La +Rochelle, and she had kept her hand and eye in by occasional practice +after coming to Acadia. + +It was therefore but natural that she should direct the firing from the +fort, and so, posting herself in one of the bastions, with Raoul as her +_aide-de-camp_ to fly to and fro with orders, she pointed the first +cannon with her own hands. + +[Illustration: "SHE POINTED THE FIRST CANNON WITH HER OWN HANDS."] + +Charnace's own ship was her target, and the well-aimed shot went +straight to its mark, killing three men upon the crowded deck. A +second shot was equally effective, and then the whole fort broke forth +into flame, the iron missiles hurtling across the eddying waters, and +smashing into the bulwarks of the ships, or carrying away their masts +and rigging. + +Right gallantly did Charnace return broadside for broadside, but his +cannon balls had little more effect upon the massive stone walls of +Fort La Tour than they would have had upon the rocky cliffs near by, +and Raoul laughed triumphantly as the round shot rolled harmlessly back +into the moat. + +"Charnace can keep that up as long as he likes," he cried. "It won't +do us any harm, and it's wasting his powder." + +The boy was in the highest spirits. Not a whit dismayed by the roar of +the cannon or the crashing of the balls against the ramparts, he stood +beside his aunt in the bastion, where she directed the firing as calmly +as though it were only some household task, or sped away to the other +parts of the fort to see how Joe and Jean were getting on and to +encourage them with cheering messages. + +The heroic spirit which animated Madame La Tour had communicated itself +to the whole garrison, and there was not a man who did not feel +prepared to fight to the last gasp rather than surrender to the hated +Charnace. + +As the cannonading went on, the damage done to the fort was trifling, +while the ships were suffering severely. The number of killed and +wounded grew rapidly, and the vessels themselves were becoming so +riddled with shot as to be in danger of sinking. + +At last Charnace's situation became intolerable, and, consumed with +futile rage, he gave the order to retreat. + +But this was not so easily carried out. The wind had shifted during +the fight, and now blew strongly from the east, so that the ships could +not get out of range without warping, and while this slow method of +movement was being resorted to, the fort guns continued their +bombardment, inflicting further damage. + +At last, with great difficulty, and the loss of many men, the three +vessels were got around Bruyeres Point, and there run aground to +prevent them from sinking. + +Raoul, accompanied by Joe, set off from the fort to follow the ships as +soon as they withdrew, and shouted gleefully after them: + +"Ho, ho! Monsieur Charnace. Your spies did not do you much good, did +they? Surely you've learned a lesson this time, and will mind your own +business in future." + +When he saw the ships run aground, he hurried back to the fort, and +actually had the hardihood to suggest to his aunt that a party, which +he offered to lead, should be sent out at midnight to try and set the +ships on fire ere they were floated again. + +But Madame wisely refused to sanction any such rash enterprise. + +"Charnace will not trouble us any more for the present," she said. +"Let him alone; as soon as his ships are repaired he will depart." + +And so it proved. The holes having been hastily caulked, Charnace, +profoundly chagrined, yet grimly determined to try again, returned to +his stronghold at the Penobscot, and a few days after he disappeared, +Charles La Tour returned from Boston with an abundant supply of +munitions of war, and a strong party of men. + +His joy at the successful defence of the fort, and his pride in his +heroic wife, was somewhat clouded by his disappointment at being too +late to complete Charnace's rout by capturing or burning his ships, but +Madame did not hesitate to reprove him for this. + +"God has been very good to us all," she said, "and we cannot be +sufficiently grateful. Let us unite in thanking Him for His great +mercy." + +And so a thanksgiving service was held in which all joined heartily, +and then followed a feast, the like of which Fort La Tour had never +seen before. + +A month later, La Tour, having set everything in order, and put Simon +Imbert in charge in his place, took ship for France, his wife and Raoul +going with him. His purpose was to plead his own cause before the +French king, and to have Charnace enjoined from further hostility. In +this he was not altogether successful, and there were dark days in +store for both him and Constance. + +But in these Raoul did not share, because he remained in France, where +a career unexpectedly opened for him. What befell him in the future, +his successes and failures, his joys and sorrows, his trials and his +triumphs, cannot be related here; but this must be told, that through +them he never was false to his Huguenot faith, and that he won for +himself a place of honour in the history of his country. + + + * * * * * + + +BEFRIENDED BY BRUIN + +BY THE SAME AUTHOR + +One of the noble families of Lorraine has a curious crest. It +represents a big black bear in an iron cage, and recalls the legend as +to the founding of the fortunes of the house, which runs somewhat in +this way. + +Several centuries ago there lived in the city of Nancy a little +Savoyard named Michel, whose lot was certainly about as hard as a +ten-year-old boy could endure without giving up life altogether. He +was a homeless orphan, dependent entirely upon the alms of the +charitable, for which he begged through the stony streets. A more +pitiable appearance than he presented could scarcely be imagined. +Privation and hunger had blanched his cheeks and shrunken his form. +With his haggard face, half hidden by long disordered locks of a +slightly reddish tinge, his bones showing through the thin ragged +garments from which the sun and rain had taken all colour, he wearily +dragged himself barefoot from door to door, meeting with many a harsh +repulse, and but few kindly responses to his appeals. + +His eyes alone showed any sign of spirit. They were of a deep blue +tint, and in spite of his sufferings, held a strange sparkle that +sometimes startled those who caught it. + +At night, in company with some other street arabs of his own age, he +found shelter in a wretched cellar kept by a villainous old hag, who +made her lodgers pay nearly all they had, with such difficulty, begged +during the day, for the privilege of sleeping upon mouldy straw +pallets. The miserable place was draughty, damp and pestilential, but +it was the only lodging the poor boys could afford, and offered at +least some protection from the merciless cold of winter. + +In that cellar there would only too often be heard through the hours of +darkness heart-breaking sobs that refused to be suppressed, or the +piteous moan, "I am so hungry, oh, I am so hungry!" + +And sometimes in the morning, when the old hag would seek to clear her +cellar of its occupants, screaming at them and striking them with her +broom, there would be one who paid no heed to either screams or blows, +but remained motionless on his pallet, for he had passed into the sleep +that knows no waking. + +Each day Michel grew paler, thinner, feebler, a cruel cough racking his +slender frame as he shivered in his rags and tatters. Every limb +ached, and sometimes it seemed to him as if he must lie down on the +snow to die. + +Late one afternoon, crouched in the corner of the doorway of the Duke's +palace, and waiting for some one to pass by of whom he might beg alms, +he wept bitterly. He was starving and freezing, but nothing came his +way; yet to return to the cellar he did not dare. The old hag had a +flinty heart which nothing save money could soften, and he was without +a sou. + +Overcome with despair at his condition, and horror at the thought of +spending the night in the street, he fell on his knees and, lifting his +tear-filled eyes to the darkening sky, put forth this pathetic prayer: + +"O God in Heaven, take me to my mother!" + +Just then a deep growl came from somewhere behind him and interrupted +his prayer. He sprang up and looked about him. + +The street was silent and deserted. The snow fell softly. A grating +near the ground attracted his attention, and without stopping to +consider, he said to himself that possibly if he passed through it he +might find a good place to sleep. + +He was exceedingly thin, and the bars of the grating widely placed, so +that he had no difficulty in squeezing through. But imagine his +consternation on finding himself face to face with an enormous black +bear, into whose cage he had thus ventured to intrude. + +"Oh, oh, what's the meaning of this!" demanded the astonished bruin in +his own language. + +He had just disposed of a good supper, and was feeling in particularly +good trim, when poor Michel so unexpectedly tumbled into his presence. +Angered at being disturbed, he made ready to demolish the impertinent +intruder with his mighty paw. The little Savoyard, pale and tearful, +kept perfectly still while he continued his prayer: + +"O God in Heaven, take me to my mother, who went to you to beg for +bread for her boy----" + +A hot breath played upon his cheek. + +"O Lord..." he moaned. + +He thought he was as good as dead, and yet it seemed to him that +something licked his face gently. + +When, a few moments later, he realized that he was not being +devoured--that he was still unharmed--he opened his eyes wide and they +encountered those of the bear full of kindness and good humour. + +This gave him courage. He got up. He patted the black muzzle of the +big creature, which received the caress with a murmur of pleasure. + +The stress of the day had so exhausted Michel that the moment his +terror left him, he, with surprising unconcern, threw himself down to +sleep. + +The bear, as if flattered by the confidence thus shown in him, regarded +him in a friendly fashion, then lay down beside him, almost completely +enveloping him with his warm fur, and so fell asleep in his turn. + +Now this bear was no other than the famous "Mascot," who was maintained +at the palace as a representative of the Canton of Berne, in +recognition of the valuable services rendered by the Swiss to the +people of Lorraine in their struggle with the Duke of Burgogne. + +Mascot was an important figure at the Court of Duke Leopold. +Everything possible was done for his comfort. He had his own +attendant, whose sole duty was to care for his person and to minister +to his every want. In his spacious cage he could move about freely and +swing at ease his heavy head. + +Every afternoon he was visited by the courtiers, and sometimes even by +the Duke; but he troubled himself very little concerning the one or the +other. Indifferent to everything, even the ducal smile, he gazed +stolidly upon the folk, who did not interest him in the least. His +superb fur was greatly admired, but not his unsociable disposition. +And so he passed the days, promenading up and down his cage, swinging +his head to and fro for hours at a time, eating, drinking, and sleeping +in seemingly perfect content, and regarded with profound respect by his +numerous visitors. + +On the morning after Michel made his way into the cage he awoke at +daybreak. Bewildered at his strange situation, yet delighted because +of the comfortable night he had passed snuggled up in the bear's thick +warm fur, he made haste to get out in the same manner that he had +entered, not forgetting, however, to give his kind host a hearty hug +expressive of his gratitude. He had no idea of losing so excellent a +sleeping-place by remaining in it too long and being discovered by the +bear's attendant. That day fortune favoured him in his begging, and he +was able to obtain the food he so sadly needed. As it was still very +cold he impatiently awaited the return of night in order to regain his +snug refuge. + +On re-entering the cage the bear gave him a kinder welcome than the +first time, and henceforward the two were great friends. Every morning +the little Savoyard slipped away unseen, and every night returned to +his shaggy benefactor. Thanks to the comfort he then enjoyed, his +appearance began to improve. His shrunken limbs rounded out again and +the colour came back to his cheeks. But this could not go on +indefinitely. One fine day the bear's attendant was filled with +astonishment at finding a small boy sleeping beside Mascot, who was +licking him softly. He thought he must have lost his senses, when he +beheld the little fellow wake up and caress the fierce brute in his +turn without showing the slightest sign of fear. + +His outcries attracted the attention of a groom, and he told the +strange news to a footman, who passed it on to the pages, and they +spread it about the palace so thoroughly that presently everybody, +including Duke Leopold himself, was hurrying towards the cage. + +There they found poor Michel, weeping piteously and evidently in terror +of being harshly dealt with. Having soothed him with a few kind words, +the Duke ordered him to come out of the cage and explain himself. The +boy promptly obeyed, and, as best he could, told his story. + +Touched by the recital of his sufferings, and animated by a worthy +determination not to be outdone in generosity by a bear, the Duke +offered Michel a place in his household. + +The little Savoyard did not hesitate to accept, and presently found +himself in what seemed like paradise, after the miseries he had been +enduring. + +Clothed in fine raiment and faring sumptuously every day, he soon +developed into a handsome lad. His spirit grew with his body. He took +an ardent interest in the sports and martial exercises of his +companions, and in due time he became the most expert of them all in +the use of bow and sword and lance. + +Withal, remaining modest in manner, respectful to his superiors, and +devoted to the Duke, he rapidly rose in the latter's service through +the grades of squire, knight and count, until he came to be the second +person in the realm, and the founder of a family enjoying large +possessions and great influence. + +Nor was he ungrateful to the animal which had befriended him in his +extremity. So long as Mascot lived he visited him constantly. Their +friendship never cooled, and when the one-time beggar was entitled to +choose a crest for himself, he gave orders that it should be a big +black bear in an iron cage. + + + + +LORIMER AND CHALMERS, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In Paths of Peril, by J. Macdonald Oxley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN PATHS OF PERIL *** + +***** This file should be named 33753.txt or 33753.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/7/5/33753/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/33753.zip b/33753.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a37b422 --- /dev/null +++ b/33753.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8922b64 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #33753 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/33753) |
