im to settle. La Tour had it on the tip of
his tongue to brusquely refuse Raoul's request, but the expression on
his wife's face made him pause, and before he spoke, she said in her
gentle way:

"You might let him go, Charles. He will be in God's hands. There is
danger everywhere now, and his heart is set upon going."

"Oh, very well, then, so long as Joe is willing. What do you say,
Joe?" and La Tour turned to the taciturn Indian.

"Joe say all right," was the laconic response, at which Raoul clapped
his hands gleefully.

They set off the same night. Fortunately it was both dark and windy,
so that there was all the less danger of their movements being seen or
heard. But they must needs exercise the utmost caution, for Charnace
had many Indians in his service, and they would no doubt be acting as
scouts and sentinels in the neighbourhood of the fort.

Joe led the way with amazing dexterity, stepping over the ground as
silently as a serpent, and the other two followed, doing their best to
imitate him. Several times he stopped short, peered eagerly into the
darkness, listened intently for a moment, and then, muttering something
which Raoul could not catch, changed his course to right or left.

[Illustration: "JOE LED THE WAY."]

Once the sound of voices came out of the night to them, and Raoul's
heart throbbed wildly. He was not so much afraid of being captured as
he was that they should be balked in their purpose, and that the supply
ship, coming up without warning, would fall into Charnace's hands.
They were evidently passing through the line of their enemy's
sentinels, and in peril of being betrayed by the slightest sound. Very
cautiously did Joe make his way, now turning this way and now that,
while Raoul and Jean kept so close that they could almost touch him.
It was trying work, that told upon muscles and nerve, yet Raoul held
his own with the men all right, and certainly moved as silently as
Jean, even if he could not quite equal Joe.

At last they seemed to be getting well away from the fort, and into
safer ground, when suddenly a dark form rose in front of them.

CHAPTER IX

THE STOPPING OF THE SUPPLY SHIP

Joe crouched low, preparing for a spring. Jean and Raoul did likewise,
and not one of them breathed.

"Who goes there?" demanded a rough, stern voice, but the next instant
it was silenced, for Joe, throwing himself upon the speaker with a leap
like that of a panther, brought him