THE LORDS OF THE WILD

CONTENTS


CHAPTER

I.--THE BLUE BIRD

II.--THE LIVE CANOE

III.--IN THE CLIFF

IV.--THE DARING ATTEMPT

V.--TAYOGA'S REVENGE

VI.--BLACK RIFLE

VII.--THE FOREST BATTLE

VIII.--THE BOAT BUILDERS

IX.--THE MASKED ATTACK

X.--IN THE FOG

XI.--THE HAPPY ESCAPE

XII.--THE FRENCH CAMP

XIII.--EVE OF BATTLE

XIV.--TICONDEROGA




THE LORDS OF THE WILD

A STORY OF THE OLD NEW YORK BORDER




CHAPTER I

THE BLUE BIRD


The tall youth, turning to the right, went down a gentle slope until
he came to a little stream, where he knelt and drank. Despite his
weariness, his thirst and his danger he noticed the silvery color of
the water, and its soft sighing sound, as it flowed over its pebbly
bed, made a pleasant murmur in his ear. Robert Lennox always had an
eye for the beautiful, and the flashing brook, in its setting of deep,
intense forest green, soothed his senses, speaking to him of comfort
and hope.

He drank again and then sat back among the bushes, still breathing
heavily, but with much more freedom. The sharp pain left his chest,
new strength began to flow into his muscles, and, as the body was
renewed, so the spirit soared up and became sanguine once more. He put
his ear to the earth and listened long, but heard nothing, save sounds
natural to the wilderness, the rustling of leaves before the light
wind, the whisper of the tiny current, and the occasional sweet note
of a bird in brilliant dress, pluming itself on a bough in its pride.
He drew fresh courage from the peace of the woods, and resolved to
remain longer there by the stream. Settling himself into the bushes
and tall grass, until he was hidden from all but a trained gaze, he
waited, body and soul alike growing steadily in vigor.

The forest was in its finest colors. Spring had never brought to it a
more splendid robe, gorgeous and glowing, its green adorned with wild
flowers, and the bloom of bush and tree like a gigantic stretch of
tapestry. The great trunks of oak and elm and maple grew in endless
rows and overhead the foliage gleamed, a veil of emerald lace before
the sun.