The Rulers of the Lakes: A Story of George and Champlain Read online

  Produced by Suzanne Shell, Graeme Mackreth and the Online DistributedProofreading Team.

  The French and Indian War just after Braddock's defeat is again thebackground for an Altsheler triumph.

  Young Robert Lennox and his friend Tayoga, an Onondaga Indian, undertaketo make a dangerous journey through the northern wilderness to warn thegarrison and settlers gathered at Fort Refuge of the hostile forces.Afterwards they join the army as scouts, preceding it on an expeditionto Lake George and Lake Champlain, where they engage in many fierceencounters. The story concludes with the battle of Lake George, in whichthe Colonists win their first great success of the war.

  The story takes place almost wholly in the wilderness, and gives apicture of Iroquois life and warfare, historically true. The descriptionof life in the wilderness, of the intrigue and cunning necessary indealing with the French and Indians, of repeated encounters whereultimate success depends on quick wit and wily cleverness, makesfascinating reading for boys and girls.

  THE RULERS OF THE LAKES

  _A STORY OF GEORGE AND CHAMPLAIN_

  BY

  JOSEPH A. ALTSHELER

  AUTHOR OF "THE SHADOW OF THE NORTH," "THE HUNTERS OF THE HILLS," "THEEYES OF THE WOODS," ETC., ETC.

  APPLETON-CENTURY-CROFTS, INC. NEW YORK

  1917, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

  Printed in the United States of America

  FOREWORD

  "The Rulers of the Lakes" is a complete story, but it is also the thirdvolume of the French and Indian War Series, following "The Hunters ofthe Hills" and "The Shadow of the North." Robert Lennox, Tayoga, Willet,and all the important characters in the earlier romances reappear.

  CHARACTERS IN THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR SERIES

  ROBERT LENNOX A lad of unknown origin TAYOGA A young Onondaga warrior DAVID WILLET A hunter RAYMOND LOUIS DE ST. LUC A brilliant French officer AGUSTE DE COURCELLES A French officer FRANCOIS DE JUMONVILLE A French officer LOUIS DE GALISONNIERE A young French officer JEAN DE MEZY A corrupt Frenchman ARMAND GLANDELET A young Frenchman PIERRE BOUCHER A bully and bravo PHILIBERT DROUILLARD A French priest THE MARQUIS DUQUESNE Governor-General of Canada MARQUIS DE VAUDREUIL Governor-General of Canada FRANCOIS BIGOT Intendant of Canada MARQUIS DE MONTCALM French commander-in-chief DE LEVIS A French general BOURLAMAQUE A French general BOUGAINVILLE A French general ARMAND DUBOIS A follower of St. Luc M. DE CHATILLARD An old French Seigneur CHARLES LANGLADE A French partisan THE DOVE The Indian wife of Langlade TANDAKORA An Ojibway chief DAGANOWEDA A young Mohawk chief HENDRICK An old Mohawk chief BRADDOCK A British general ABERCROMBIE A British general WOLFE A British general COL. WILLIAM JOHNSON Anglo-American leader MOLLY BRANT Col. Wm. Johnson's Indian wife JOSEPH BRANT Young brother of Molly Brant, afterward the great Mohawk chief, Thayendanegea ROBERT DINWIDDIE Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia WILLIAM SHIRLEY Governor of Massachusetts BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Famous American patriot JAMES COLDEN A young Philadelphia captain WILLIAMWILTON A young Philadelphia lieutenant HUGH CARSON A young Philadelphia lieutenant JACOBUS HUYSMAN An Albany burgher CATERINA Jacobus Huysman's cook ALEXANDER MCLEAN An Albany schoolmaster BENJAMIN HARDY A New York merchant JOHNATHAN PILLSBURY Clerk to Benjamin Hardy ADRIAN VAN ZOON A New York merchant THE SLAVER A nameless rover ACHILLE GARAY A French spy ALFRED GROSVENOR A young English officer JAMES CABELL A young Virginian WALTER STUART A young Virginian BLACK RIFLE A famous "Indian fighter" ELIHU STRONG A Massachusetts colonel ALAN HERVEY A New York financier STUART WHYTE Captain of the British sloop, _Hawk_ JOHN LATHAM Lieutenant of the British sloop, _Hawk_ EDWARD CHARTERIS A young officer of the Royal Americans ZEBEDEE CRANE A young scout and forest runner ROBERT ROGERS Famous Captain of American Rangers