Pierre understood. He had caught at the same thing. "There is
a dance on," said Jose, "I can hear the drum."

Pierre thought a minute. "We will reconnoitre," he said presently.

"It is near night now," remarked Little Babiche. "I know something
of these. When they have a great snake dance at night, strange things
happen." Then he spoke in a low tone to Pierre.

They halted in the bush, and Little Babiche went forward to spy upon the
Fort. He came back just after sunset, reporting that the Indians were
feasting. He had crept near, and had learned that the braves were
expected back from the hunt that night, and that the feast was for their
welcome.

The Fort stood in an open space, with tall trees for a background. In
front, here and there, were juniper and tamarac bushes. Pierre laid his
plans immediately, and gave the word to move on. Their presence had not
been discovered, and if they could but surprise the Indians the Fort
might easily be theirs. They made a detour, and after an hour came upon
the Fort from behind. Pierre himself went forward cautiously, leaving
Macavoy in command. When he came again he said:

"It's a fine sight, and the way is open. They are feasting and dancing.
If we can enter without being seen, we are safe, except for food; we
must trust for that. Come on."

When they arrived at the margin of the woods a wonderful scene was
before them. A volcanic hill rose up on one side, gloomy and stern, but
the reflection of the fires reached it, and made its sides quiver--the
rock itself seemed trembling. The sombre pines showed up, a wall all
round, and in the open space, turreted with fantastic fires, the Indians
swayed in and out with weird chanting, their bodies mostly naked, and
painted in strange colours. The earth itself was still and sober. Scarce
a star peeped forth. A purple velvet curtain seemed to hang all down the
sky, though here and there the flame bronzed it. The Indian lodges were
empty, save where a few children squatted at the openings. The seven
stood still with wonder, till Pierre whispered to them to get to the
ground and crawl close in by the walls of the Fort, following him. They
did so, Macavoy breathing hard--too hard; for suddenly Pierre clapped a
hand on his mouth.

They were now near the Fort, and Pierre had seen an Indian come from
the gate. The brave was within a few feet of them. He had almost passed
them, for they were in the shadow, but Jose had burst a puffball with