Part 27 (1/2)

”Four leagues down the river,” explained the governor.

”_Under_ the river,” retorted Radisson, affecting not to hear.

”No--down the river,” and the governor whisked round a bluff out of call.

The gray night shadows gathered against the woods. Stars seeded the sky overhead till the whole heavens were aglow. And the northern lights shot their arrowy jets of fire above the pole, rippled in billows of flame, scintillated with the faint rustling of a flag in a gale, or swung midway between heaven and earth like censers to the invisible G.o.d of that cold, far, northern world.

Then the bastions of Ben Gillam's fort loomed above the wastes like the peak of a s.h.i.+p at sea, and M. Radisson issued his last commands.

G.o.defroy and I were to approach the main gate. M. Radisson and his five men would make a detour to attack from the rear.

A black flag waved above the s.h.i.+p to signal those inland pirates whom Ben Gillam was ever cursing, and the main gates stood wide ajar. Half a mile away G.o.defroy hallooed aloud. A dozen New Englanders, led by the lieutenant, ran to meet us.

”Where is Master Ben?” demanded the leader.

”Le capitaine,” answered G.o.defroy, affecting broken English, ”le capitaine, he is fatigue. He is back--voila--how you for speak it?--avec, monsieur! Le capitaine, he has need, he has want for you to go with food.”

At that, with a deal of unguarded gabbling, they must hail us inside for refreshments, while half a dozen men ran in the direction G.o.defroy pointed with the food for their master. No sooner were their backs turned than G.o.defroy whispers instructions to the marquis and his man, who had been left as hostages. Foret strolled casually across to the guard-room, where the powder was stored. Here he posted himself in the doorway with his sword jammed above the hinge. His man made a precipitate rush to heap fires for our refreshment, dropping three logs across the fort gates and two more athwart the door of the house.

G.o.defroy and I, on pretext of scanning out the returning travellers, ran one to the nigh bastion, the other to the fore-deck of the s.h.i.+p, where was a swivel cannon that might have done damage.

Then G.o.defroy whistled.

Like wolves out of the earth rose M. Radisson and his five men from the sh.o.r.e near the gates. They were in possession before the lieutenant and his men had returned. On the instant when the surprised New Englanders ran up, Radisson bolted the gates.

”Where is my master?” thundered the lieutenant, beating for admission.

”Come in.” M. Radisson cautiously opened the gate, admitting the lieutenant alone. ”It is not a question of where your master is, but of mustering your men and calling the roll,” said the Frenchman to the astounded lieutenant. ”You see that my people are in control of your powder-house, your cannon, and your s.h.i.+p. Your master is a prisoner in my fort. Now summon your men, and be glad Ben Gillam is not here to kill more of you as he killed your super-cargo!”

Half an hour from the time we had entered the fort, keys, arms, and ammunition were in M. de Radisson's hands without the firing of a shot, and the unarmed New Englanders a.s.signed to the main building, where we could lock them if they mutinied. To sound of trumpet and drum, with G.o.defroy bobbing his tipstaff, M. Radisson must needs run up the French flag in place of the pirate ensign. Then, with the lieutenant and two New Englanders to witness capitulation, he marched from the gates to do the same with the s.h.i.+p. Allemand and G.o.defroy kept sentinel duty at the gates. La Chesnaye, Foret, and Jack Battle held the bastions, and the rest stood guard in front of the main building.

From my place I saw how it happened.

The lieutenant stepped back to let M. de Radisson pa.s.s up the s.h.i.+p's ladder first. The New Englanders followed, the lieutenant still waiting at the bottom step; and when M. Radisson's back was turned the lieutenant darted down the river bank in the direction of Governor Brigdar's fort.

The flag went up and M. Radisson looked back to witness the salute.

Then he discovered the lieutenant's flight. The New Englanders'

purpose was easily guessed--to lock forces with Governor Brigdar, and while our strength was divided attack us here or at the Habitation.

”One fight at a time,” says Radisson, summoning to council in the powder-house all hands but our guard at the gate. ”You, Allemand and G.o.defroy, will cross the marsh to-night, bidding Chouart be ready for attack and send back re-enforcements here! You two lads”--pointing to the stowaway and scullion--”will boil down bears' grease and porpoise fat for a half a hundred cressets! Cut up all the brooms in the fort!

Use pine-boughs! Split the green wood and slip in oiled rags! Have a hundred lights ready by ten of the clock! Go--make haste, or I throw you both into the pot!

”You, Foret and La Chesnaye, transfer all the New Englanders to the hold of the s.h.i.+p and batten them under! If there's to be fighting, let the enemies be outside the walls. And you, Ramsay, will keep guard at the river bastion all night! And you, Jack Battle, will gather all the hats and helmets and caps in the fort, and divide them equally between the two front bastions----”

”Hats and helmets?” interrupts La Chesnaye.

”La Chesnaye,” says M. Radisson, whirling, ”an any one would question me this night he had best pull his tongue out with the tongs! Go, all of you!”

But G.o.defroy, ever a dour-headed knave, must test the steel of M. de Radisson's mood.

”D'ye mean me an' the pilot to risk crossing the marsh by night----”