They saw the distant smoke once more, and kept close to the western shore where they were in the shadow of the wooded heights, their canoe but a mote upon the surface of the water.  In so small a vessel and almost level with its waves, they saw the lake as one cannot see it from above, its splendid expanse stretching away from north to south, until it sank under the horizon, while the Green Mountains on the east and the great ranges of New York on the west seemed to pierce the skies.

“It’s our lake,” said Robert, “whatever happens we can’t give it up to the French, or at least we’ll divide it with the Hodenosaunee who can claim the western shore.  If we were to lose this lake no matter what happened elsewhere I should think we had lost the war.”

“We don’t hold Champlain yet,” said the hunter soberly.  “The French claim it, and it’s even called after the first of their governors under the Company of One Hundred Associates, Samuel de Champlain.  They’ve put upon it as a sign a name which we English and Americans ourselves have accepted, and they come nearer to controlling it than we do.  They’re advancing, too, Robert, to the lake that they call Saint Sacrement, and that we call George.  When it comes to battle they’ll have the advantage of occupation.”

“It seems so, but we’ll drive ’em out,” said Robert hopefully.

“But while we talk of the future,” said Tayoga in his measured and scholastic English, “it would be well for us also to be watchful in the present.  The French and their Indians may be upon the lake, and we are but three in a canoe.”

“Justly spoken,” said Willet heartily.  “We can always trust you, Tayoga, to bring us back to the needs of the moment.  Robert, you’ve uncommonly good eyes.  Just you look to the north and to south with all your might, and see if you can see any of their long canoes.”

“I don’t see a single dot upon the water, Dave,” said the youth, “but I notice something else I don’t like.”

“What is it, Robert?”

“Several little dark clouds hanging around the crests of the high mountains to the west.  Small though they are, they’ve grown somewhat since I noticed them first.”

“I don’t like that either, Robert.  It may mean a storm, and the lake being so narrow the winds have sudden and great violence.  But meanwhile, I suppose it’s best for us to make as much speed southward as we can.”

Tayoga alone was paddling them, but the other two fell to work also, and the canoe shot forward, Robert looking up anxiously now and then at the clouds hovering over the lofty peaks.  He noticed that they were still increasing and that now they fused together.  Then all the crests were lost in the great masses of vapor which crept far down the slopes.  The blue sky over their heads turned to gray with amazing rapidity.  The air grew heavy and damp.  Thunder, low and then loud, rolled among the western mountains.  Lightning blazed in dazzling flashes across the lake, showing the waters yellow or blood red in the glare.  The forest moaned and rocked, and with a scream and a roar the wind struck the lake.