The Masters of the Peaks | Page 5

"It's the man who tried to kill you, none other," said Tayoga gravely,

"and Areskoui whispered in my ear that it would be he."
"What on earth can he be doing here in this lone wilderness at such a
time?" asked Robert.
"Likely he's on his way to a French camp with information about our
forces," said Willet. "We frightened Mynheer Hendrik Martinus, when
we were in Albany, but I suppose that once a spy and traitor always a
spy and traitor. Since the immediate danger has moved from Albany,
Martinus and Garay may have begun work again."
"Then we'd better stop him," said Robert.
"No, let him go on," said Willet. "He can't carry any information about
us that the French leaders won't find out for themselves. The fact that
he's traveling in the night indicates a French camp somewhere near.
We'll put him to use. Suppose we follow him and discover what we can
about our enemies."
Robert looked at the cheerful bed of coals and sighed. They were
seeking the French and Indians, and Garay was almost sure to lead
straight to them. It was their duty to stalk him.
"I wish he had passed in the daytime," he said ruefully.
Tayoga laughed softly.
"You have lived long enough in the wilderness, O Dagaeoga," he said,
"to know that you cannot choose when and where you will do your
work."
"That's true, Tayoga, but while my feet are unwilling to go my will
moves me on. So I'm entitled to more credit than you who take an
actual physical de light in trailing anybody at any time."
The Onondaga smiled, but did not reply. Then the three took up their
arms, returned their packs to their backs and without noise left the
alcove. Robert cast one more reluctant glance at the bed of coals, but it

was a farewell, not any weakening of the will to go.
Garay, after his brief rest on the summit, had passed the open space and
was out of sight in the bushes, but Robert knew that both Tayoga and
Willet could easily pick up his trail, and now he was all eagerness to
pursue him and see what the chase might disclose. A little farther down,
the cliff sloped back to such an extent that they could climb it without
trouble, and, when they surmounted the crest, they entered the bushes
at the point where Garay had disappeared.
"Can you hear him now, Tayoga?" asked Robert.
"My ears are as good as they were when I was in the ravine," replied
the Onondaga, "but they do not catch any sounds from the Frenchman.
It is, as we wish, because we do not care to come so near him that he
will hear."
"Give him a half mile start," said Willet. "The ground is soft here, and
it won't be any sort of work to follow him. See, here are the traces of
his footsteps now, and there is where he has pushed his way among the
little boughs. Notice the two broken twigs, Robert."
They followed at ease, the trail being a clear one, and the light of moon
and stars now ample. Robert began to feel the ardor of the chase. He
did not see Garay, but he believed that Tayoga at times heard him with
those wonderful ears of his. He rejoiced too that chance had caused
them to find the French spy in the wilderness. He remembered that foul
attempt upon his life in Albany, and, burning with resentment, he was
eager to thwart Garay in whatever he was now attempting to do.
Tayoga saw his face and said softly:
"You hate this man Garay?"
"I don't like him."
"Do you wish me to go forward and kill him?"
"No! No, Tayoga! Why do you ask me such a cold-blooded question?"

The Onondaga laughed gently.
"I was merely testing you, Dagaeoga," he said. "We of the
Hodenosaunee perhaps do not regard the taking of life as you do, but I
would not shoot Garay from ambush, although I might slay him in open
battle. Ah, there he is again on the crest of the ridge ahead!"
Robert once more saw the thick, strong figure of the spy outlined
against the sky which was now luminous with a brilliant moon and
countless clear stars, and the feeling of resentment was very powerful
within him. Garay, without provocation, had attempted his life, and he
could not forget it, and, for a moment or two, he felt that if the
necessity should come in battle he was willing for a bullet from Tayoga
to settle him. Then he rebuked himself for harboring rancor.
Garay paused, as if he needed another rest, and looked back, though it
was only a casual glance, perhaps to measure