A youth had stepped forth, and stood in full view.

He was taller than either, but younger, dressed completely in deerskin, although superior in cut and quality to that of the ordinary borderer, his complexion fair beneath his tan, and his hair light.

He gazed at them steadily with bright blue eyes, and both the first lieutenant and the second lieutenant of the Quaker troop saw that he was no common person.
"Who are you ?" repeated William Wilton, who was the first lieutenant.
"Who are you ?" repeated Hugh Carson, who was the second lieutenant.
"My name is Robert Lennox," replied the young stranger in a mellow voice of amazing quality, "and you, I suppose, are Lieutenant William Wilton, the commander of this little troop." He spoke directly to the first lieutenant, who replied, impressed as much by the youth's voice as he was by his appearance: "Yes, such is my name.

But how did you know it?
I don't recall ever having met you before, which doubtless is my loss." "I heard it from an associate of yours, your chief in command, Captain James Colden, and I am here with a message from him." "And so Colden is coming up?
Well, we beat him to the place of meeting.

We've triumphed with ease over the hardships of the wilderness." "Yes, you arrived first, but he was delayed by a matter of importance, a problem that had to be solved before he could resume his march." "You speak in riddles, sir." "Perhaps I do for the present, but I shall soon make full explanations.