Young Robert Lennox and his friend Tayoga, an Onondaga Indian, undertaketo make a dangerous journey through the northern wilderness to warn thegarrison and settlers gathered at Fort Refuge of the hostile forces.Afterwards they join the army as scouts, preceding it on an expeditionto Lake George and Lake Champlain, where they engage in many fierceencounters. The story concludes with the battle of Lake George, in whichthe Colonists win their first great success of the war.The story takes place almost wholly in the wilderness, and gives apicture of Iroquois life and warfare, historically true. The descriptionof life in the wilderness, of the intrigue and cunning necessary indealing with the French and Indians, of repeated encounters whereultimate success depends on quick wit and wily cleverness, makesfascinating reading for boys and girls.CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE HERALDS OF PERIL 1 II. THE KINDLY BRIDGE 22 III. THE FLIGHT 42 IV. A FOREST CONCERT 64 V. GATHERING FORCES 88 VI. THE DARK STRANGER 112 VII. ON THE GREAT TRAIL 136 VIII. ARESKOUI'S FAVOR 154 IX. ON ANDIATAROCTE 178 X. THE NAVAL COMBAT 198 XI. THE COMRADES 220 XII. THE SINISTER SIEGE 243 XIII. TANDAKORA'S GRASP 268 XIV. SHARP SWORD 289 XV. THE LAKE BATTLE 312_The_ RULERS OF THE LAKES_A STORY OF GEORGE AND CHAMPLAIN_CHAPTER ITHE HERALDS OF PERILThe three, the white youth, the red youth, and the white man, lay deepin the forest, watching the fire that burned on a low hill to the west,where black figures flitted now and then before the flame. They did notstir or speak for a long time, because a great horror was upon them.They had seen an army destroyed a few days before by a savage butinvisible foe. They had heard continually for hours the fiercetriumphant yells of the warriors and they had seen the soldiers droppingby hundreds, but the woods and thickets had hid the foe who sent forthsuch a rain of death.Robert Lennox could not yet stop the quiver of his nerves when herecalled the spectacle, and Willet, the hunter, hardened though he wasto war, shuddered in spite of himself at the memory of that terriblebattle in the leafy wilderness. Nor was Tayoga, the young Onondaga,free from emotion when he thought of Braddock's defeat, and the blazingtriumph it meant for the western tribes, the enemies of his people.They had turned back, availing themselves of their roving commission,when they saw that the victors were not pursuing the remains of thebeaten army, and now they were watching the French and Indians. FortDuquesne was not many miles away, but the fire on the hill had beenbuilt by a party of Indians led by a Frenchman, his uniform showing whenhe passed between eye and flame, the warriors being naked save for thebreech cloth."I hope it's not St. Luc," said Robert."Why?" asked Willet. "He was in the battle. We saw him leading on theIndian hosts.""I know. That was fair combat, I suppose, and the French used the toolsthey had. The Chevalier could scarcely have been a loyal son of Franceif he had not fought us then, but I don't like to think of him overthere by the fire, leading a band of Indians who will kill and scalpwomen and children as well as men along the border."