If he was surrounded by dangers he was also surrounded by powerful friends.

If chance had put him on the outskirts of the world it had also given him comrades who were an armor of steel about him.
Tayoga and he occupied their old bedroom at Mynheer Jacobus Huysman's that night, and once when Robert glanced out of the window he caught a glimpse of a dark figure lurking in the shrubbery.

It was a man who did not look like a sailor, but as he did not know of the conversation in the inner room the shadow attracted little attention from him.

It disappeared in an instant, and he thought no more about it.
Robert and his comrades were back in the camp next day, and now they saw Colonel Johnson at his best, a man of wonderful understanding and tact.
He was soon able to break through the reserve of the New England citizen officers who were not wont to give their confidence in a hurry, and around great bowls of lemon punch they talked of the campaign.

The Mohawks, as of old, told him all their grievances, which he remedied when just, and persuaded them into forgetting when unjust.
Robert, Tayoga and Willet, in their capacity of scouts and skirmishers, could go about practically as they pleased.