Part 15 (1/2)

CHAPTER VI

THE DARK STRANGER

Robert arrived at the house of Jacobus Huysman about dark and Tayoga came with him. Willet was detained at the camp on the flats, where he had business with Colonel Johnson, who consulted him often. The two lads were in high good spirits, and Mynheer Jacobus, whatever he may have been under the surface, appeared to be so, too. Robert believed that the army would march very soon now. The New York and New England men alike were full of fire, eager to avenge Braddock's defeat and equally eager to drive back and punish the terrible clouds of savages which, under the leaders.h.i.+p of the French, were ravaging the border, spreading devastation and terror on all sides.

”There has been trouble, Mynheer Huysman,” said Robert, ”between Governor s.h.i.+rley of Ma.s.sachusetts, who has been in camp several days, and Colonel Johnson. I saw Governor s.h.i.+rley when he was in the council at Alexandria, in Virginia, and I know, from what I've heard, that he's the most active and energetic of all the governors, but they say he's very vain and pompous.”

”Vanity and pomp comport ill with a wilderness campaign,” said Mynheer Jacobus, soberly. ”Of all the qualities needed to deal with the French und Indians I should say that they are needed least. It iss a shame that a man should demand obeisance from others when they are all in a great crisis.”

”The Governor is eager to push the war,” said Robert, ”yet he demands more wors.h.i.+p of the manner from Colonel Johnson than the colonel has time to give him. 'Tis said, too, that the delays he makes cause dissatisfaction among the Mohawks, who are eager to be on the great war trail. Daganoweda, I know, fairly burns with impatience.”

Mynheer Jacobus sighed.

”We will not haf the advantage of surprise,” he said. ”Of that I am certain. I do believe that the French und Indians know of all our movements und of all we do.”

”Spies?” said Robert.

”It may be,” replied Mynheer Jacobus.

Robert was silent. His first thought was of St. Luc, who, he knew, would dare anything, and it was just the sort of adventure that would appeal to his bold and romantic spirit. But his thought pa.s.sed on. He had no real feeling that St. Luc was in the camp. Mynheer Jacobus must be thinking of another or others. But Huysman volunteered no explanation.

Presently he rose from his chair, went to a window and looked out.

Tayoga observed him keenly.

The Onondaga, trained from his childhood to observe all kinds of manifestations, was a marvelous reader of the minds of men, and, merely because Mynheer Jacobus Huysman interrupted a conversation to look out into the dark, he knew that he expected something. And whatever it was it was important, as the momentary quiver of the big man's lip indicated.

The Indian, although he may hide it, has his full share of curiosity, and Tayoga wondered why Mynheer Jacobus watched. But he asked no question.

The Dutchman came back from the window, and asked the lads in to supper with him. His slight air of expectancy had disappeared wholly, but Tayoga was not deceived. ”He has merely been convinced that he was gazing out too soon,” he said to himself. ”As surely as Tododaho on his star watches over the Onondagas, he will come back here after supper and look from this window, expecting to see something or somebody.”

The supper of Mynheer Jacobus was, in reality, a large dinner, and, as it was probably the last the two lads would take with him before they went north, he had given to it a splendor and abundance even greater than usual. Tayoga and Robert, as became two such stout youths, ate bountifully, and Mynheer Jacobus Huysman, whatever his secret troubles may have been, wielded knife and fork with them, knife for knife and fork for fork.

But Tayoga was sure that Mynheer Jacobus was yet expectant, and still, without making it manifest, he watched him keenly. He noted that the big man hurried the latter part of the supper, something which the Onondaga had never known him to do before, and which, to the observant mind of the red youth, indicated an expectancy far greater than he had supposed at first.

Clearly Mynheer Jacobus was hastening, clearly he wished to be out of the room, and it was equally clear to Tayoga that he wanted to go back to his window, the one from which he could see over the grounds, and into the street beyond.

”Will you take a little wine?” he said to Robert, as he held up a bottle, through which the rich dark red color shone.

”Thank you, sir, no,” replied Robert.

”Und you, Tayoga?”

”I never touch the firewater of the white man, call they it wine or call they it whiskey.”

”Good. Good for you both. I merely asked you for the sake of politeness, und I wa.s.s glad to hear you decline. But as for me, I am old enough to be your father, und I will take a little.”

He poured a small gla.s.s, drank it, and rose.

”Your old room iss ready,” he said, ”und now, if you two lads will go to it, you can get a good und long night's sleep.”