"If you accept you must be prepared to fight your old friends, for
the enemy I have spoken of is Jacobite at heart and works under cover
for the return of the Pretender through the weakening of England and
the paramount influence of France. Remember that before you commit
yourself.
"You must be prepared for no half-way measures. You have seen how my
enemy fights. He does not stop at assassination. If you meet him
weakly you will only insure your own death. On the other hand, if
your efforts are successful you will have earned gratitude from the
Government which should secure your pardon."
"Even as I told you last night, Master Juggins, I am for England
now," I answered. "If such a plot as you speak of is under way, then
surely 'tis for loyal Englishmen to thwart it. Count me with you, I
pray."
"I will," he said quietly. "Now hark to these facts. At the
instance of myself and my associates in the Company of Merchant
Traders to the Western Plantations, the Provincial Government of New
York several years ago secured the royal assent to a law prohibiting
the sale of Indian trading-goods to the French in Canada.
"Our object was twofold. The best and cheapest trading-goods are
manufactured in England. If we can keep them to ourselves and compel
the French to use more costly and less durable goods made on the
Continent we shall be able to underbid them with the Indians. So the
fur-trade will come more and more into our hands."
"Is that so important?" I asked curiously.
"'Tis all-important, lad."
Juggins leaned forward and tapped me on the knee.
"North America," he went on, "is the richest land in all the
world--how rich it is or how vast no man knows. 'Twill require
centuries to exploit it. Since first we colonized there we have
contended with France, not only for further power, but for the actual
right to breath. Our two countries can not agree to divide this
domain, limitless though it be. Sooner or later one must oust the
other."
"But the fur-trade?" I insisted, my curiosity now fully aroused.
"Aye; the fur-trade is the key to it all. The English settled along
the more southerly seaboard, with fertile lands, have devoted
themselves mainly to farming. The French in Canada, with an
inclement climate, have been driven to spread out their settlements
in order to find room for subsistence. The English power is limited,
but compact; the French is spread all around us. Both nations
supplement their farming by trading with the savages for furs, and
these furs are the principal export from New York to England.
"I said the fur-trade was the key. It is so, because neither the
French nor we are yet sufficiently powerful to ignore the strength of
the Indian tribes. The fur-trade is the source of the savages for
securing trade-goods. They will be bound closest to the country
which gives them the best terms. If we can deprive the French of the
ability to buy their goods as cheaply as we do, then we shall be able
to trade to better advantage, with the Indians and so increase their
friendship for us. At the same time the volume of the provincial
trade will be increased."
"I see," I answered. "But you spoke before of a two-fold object in
depriving the French of the right to obtain trade-goods through New
York?"
"So I did, and that brings me to the enemy whom I mentioned. Heard
you ever in Paris of one Murray--Andrew Murray!"