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"So I supposed until now; yet 'tis evident you would have us continue toiling for weeks against this foul current rather than strike one quick blow, and be free fro stern in rebuke of his rashness, "you are wrong You know perfectly well, De Noyan, I risk ed the woods since boyhood, long accustomed to border broil and battle--there is scarcely an Indian trail between the Great Lakes and the country of the Creeks I have not followed either in peace or war I have faced savage foemen in battle, and crossed steel with those of your own school, and although I old lace, nor sport a title hich to dazzle the i to sneer at e, either amid the wilderness, or in the town, ain"
"Always at your service, Monsieur," he reatest pleasure"
"Very well then," I went on, barely noting his words, yetwife, and despising him for it "Understand this, Monsieur--we make no battle here, whether it suit your hot-brained desires or not I dragged you from the jaws of death at the request of her who sits in silence yonder I will never consent that your rashness no her into the peril of such a antlet Cairnes,"--I turned to face the Puritan, sitting all this ti to our quarrel, yet scarcely coay French cockerel would throw us against those eighteen ht our way from here to the Ohio, as if the Spaniards betere so reatly averse to trying that saodly and pious service to smite so black and Papist a crew"
"No doubt of that; yet, Master Cairnes, you are scarcely the sort ould involve a lady in such broil, when, if we escaped at first, the chances are we should have wounded to care for, or, perchance, be prisoners borne southward under Spanish guard--a contingency not over-pleasant, I iine, to a preacher of your faith"
I saw hiuidance, while he ran his hand nervously through his red hair before venturing a reply
"It must ever be as the Lord wills, friend Benteen," he returned soberly, De Noyan surveying the fellow as he e animal whose ways he did not understand "I ah Yet I have found you of a level and cool head in ment, and it is meet we exercise due care over this rare flower of woers I like not the hard pull up this swift current," he cast anxious eyes at the swirling stream "It is not clear into what additional peril it ifted at the oars, now the provisions bid fair to become somewhat scant"