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Updated: June 11, 2025
As they drew near, a troop of Indians, headed by a Frenchman, descended from the rock, and fired their guns to salute them. They landed, and followed the forest path that led towards the fort, when they were met by Boisrondet, Tonty's comrade in the Iroquois war, and two other Frenchmen, who no sooner saw them than they called out, demanding where was La Salle.
"What, still here, Madame, and the gate beyond open," he took my hand, and lifted it to his lips. "My congratulations; your work was well done, and our lives thank you. Madame Cassion, this is my comrade, Francois Boisrondet, whose voice I was never more glad to hear than this night. I commend him to your mercy." Boisrondet, a mere shadow in the night, swept the earth with his hat.
They had abandoned their worthless canoe and were making their way on foot, living on acorns and roots, when the young Sieur de Boisrondet wandered off and was lost. The flint of his gun had dropped out, and he had no bullets. But he cut a pewter porringer into slugs, discharged his gun with a fire-brand, and thus killed wild turkeys. After several days he was so fortunate as to rejoin his party.
"Ay, listen; is there any way by which I can join you?" "Join me here?" astonishment at my request made him incoherent. "Why, Madame, the risk is great " "Never mind that; my reason is worthy, nor have we time now to discuss the matter. Monsieur Boisrondet is there a way?" I heard them speak to each other, a mere murmur of sound; then another voice reached my ears clearly.
The beauty of the view from its palisades, the vast concourse of Indians encamped on the plains below, and those men guarding its safety the faithful comrades of La Salle in explorations of the unknown, De Tonty, Boisrondet, and all the others, had long since become to my mind the incarnation of romantic adventure.
I asked, "the man who led?" "Boisrondet, Francois de Boisrondet." "An officer of La Salle's? You then are of his company?" "I am," a bit proudly, "but most of the lads yonder belong with De Baugis. Now we fight a common foe, and forget our own quarrel. Did you say Rene de Artigny was in the fighting yonder?" "Yes; he and a soldier named Barbeau." The fellow stood silent, shifting his feet.
"Not from those we have passed, but 'tis told me there are more than a thousand Iroquois warriors in the valley, and the garrison has less than fifty men all told. It was luck we got through so easily. Ay, Boisrondet, we are ready."
"Far more than with it, especially if I furnish a good substitute. I shall be watched now, every step I take. 'Tis like enough De Baugis will send me challenge, though the danger that Cassion would do so is slight. It is the latter who will have me watched. No, Madame, Boisrondet is the lad who must find a way out for the prisoner; they will never suspicion him, and the boy will enjoy the trick.
I had no way of computing time, and the lagging hours seemed centuries long, as terrifying doubts assailed me. Every new thought became an agony of suspense. Had the plans failed? Had Boisrondet discovered the prisoner so closely guarded as to make rescue impossible? Had his nerve, his daring, vanished before the real danger of the venture? Had De Artigny refused to accept the chance?
I sat there for perhaps an hour, my thoughts sad enough, yet unconsciously gaining courage and hope from the memory of De Tonty's words of confidence. He was not a man to fail in any deed of daring, and I had already seen enough of this young Boisrondet, and heard enough of his exploits, to feel implicit trust in his plans of rescue.
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