He smiled at me.
"This Englishman is honest. He is kind. If he fights, I will aid him."
"Do you see?" whispered Colden in my ear. "You have saved an Indian from ridicule. In his estimation that is a greater service than rescue from the stake."
"But you know nothing of the cause I am enlisting you in," protested the governor.
"That matters little," said Ta-wan-ne-ars composedly. "If you and this Englishman and Colden are in it, it is an honest cause. What say you, Corlaer?"
"It vill pe goodt enough for me," declared the Dutchman solemnly.
The governor laughed.
"My friends and I do thank you for the compliment you do us, Ta-wan-ne-ars. But I must lay our case before you, for we seek your counsel. Do you know that Andrew Murray is landed today and that he hath secured the consent of the Lords of Trade in London to the suspension of our law against the exporting of trade-goods to Canada?"
Both the Indian and Corlaer were startled from their customary stoical attitudes.
"Yes," continued the governor, "Murray landed this morning, together with a French officer, the Chevalier de Veulle, who——"