With George Washington into the wilderness

by Edwin L. Sabin

“It will be a hard journey, through the winter.”

“I go,” said Robert.

“Here you could rest, and then travel by canoe to the people you know.”

“I go,” said Robert, “with George Washington.”

Across the thin face of George Washington there glimmered one of those rare, grave smiles.

“We will come back to Logstown with an army to drive out the French,” he said.

So Robert the Hunter, whose father was red, but whose mother was white, equipped like a warrior with his gun and his panther-claw necklace prepared to go with this George Washington whom he had grown to love as a strong man, a kind man, a man of patience and courage and great will.

“Will the Half-King be true, you think?” Washington queried.

“Yes,” said the Hunter. “Tanacharison now sees that Washington is wise, and he has been foolish. The French would treat him as if he had no brains, he says; but the English are men and he will show that he is a chief. Tanacharison will always be your brother. When he tells Scarouady, Scarouady will be your brother, too.”