heeks flushed.

Danton was awake before the fish was cooked, and he stood about with a
pretence of not observing them. The maid was fairly aroused. She drew
him into the talk, and laughed and bantered with the two men as
prettily as they could have wished from a Quebec belle.

All during the morning Danton was silent. At noon, when the halt was
made for the midday lunch, he was still puzzling over the apparent
understanding between Mademoiselle and the Captain. Before the journey
was taken up, he stood for a moment near Menard, on the river bank.

"Captain," he said, "you asked me last night to--"

"Well?"

"It may be that I have misunderstood you. Of course, if Mademoiselle--if
you--" He caught himself.

Menard smiled; then he read the earnestness beneath the boy's
confusion, and sobered.

"Mademoiselle and I went fishing, Danton. Result,--Mademoiselle eats
her first meal. If you can do as much you shall have my thanks. And
now remember that you are a lieutenant in the King's service."

CHAPTER IV.

THE LONG ARROW.

Menard allowed a halt of but a few hours at Three Rivers. The
settlement held little of interest, for all the resident troops and
most of the farmers and _engages_ had gone up the river to join the
army which was assembling at Montreal. The close of the first week out
of Quebec saw the party well on the second half of the journey to
Montreal. As they went on, Menard's thoughts were drawn more deeply
into the work that lay ahead, and in spite of his efforts at
lightness, the work of keeping up the maid's spirits fell mostly to
Danton (though Father Claude did what he could). As matters gradually
became adjusted, Danton's cheery, hearty manner began to tell; and now
that there was little choice of company, the maid turned to him for
her diversion.

On the morning of the second day after leaving Three Rivers, the two
_voyageurs_ were carrying the canoe to the water when Guerin slipped
on a wet log, throwing the canoe to the ground, and tearing a wide
rent in the bark. Menard was impatient at this carelessness. The
knowledge that the Three Rivers detachment had already gone on to
Montreal had decided him to move more rapidly, and he had given orders
that they should start each day in the first light of the dawn. This
was a chill morning. A low, heavy fog lay on the river, thinning, at a
yard above the water, into a light mist which veiled what colour may
have been in the east.

While Gu