The New Englanders had been more industrious. A stoutly palisaded fort
had been completed on young Gillam's island, and cannon commanded all
approach. Radisson fired a musket to notify the sentry, and took care
to beach his canoe below the range of the guns. Young Gillam showed a
less civil front than before. His lieutenant ironically congratulated
Radisson on his "safe" return, and invited him to visit the fort if he
would enter _alone_. When Radisson would have introduced his four
followers, the lieutenant swore "if the four French were forty devils,
they could not take the New Englanders' fort." The safety of the
French habitation now hung by a hair. Everything depended on keeping
the two English companies apart, and they were distant only nine miles.
The scheme must have flashed on Radisson in an intuition; for he laid
his plans as he listened to the boastings of the New Englanders. If
father and son could be brought together through Radisson's favor,
Captain Gillam would keep the English from coming to the New England
fort lest his son should be seized for poaching on the trade of the
Company; and Ben Gillam would keep his men from going near the English
fort lest Governor Bridgar should learn of the contraband ship from
Boston. Incidentally, both sides would be prevented from knowing the
weakness of the French at Fort Bourbon. At once Radisson told young
Gillam of his father's presence. Ben was eager to see his father and,
as he thought, secure himself from detection in illegal trade.
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