ching the point of Ian's upturned nose, awoke him. (See
Frontispiece).

He leaped up with a start instantly, conscious of his situation, and
afraid lest he had slept too long.

"Hi! leve! leve! awake! up!" he exclaimed in a vigorous undertone.

Victor growled, turned on his other side with a deep sigh, wanted to be
let alone, became suddenly conscious, and sprang up in alarm.

"We're too late!"

"No, we're not, Vic. The moon is just rising, but we must be stirring.
Time's precious."

Victor required no urging. He was fully alive to the situation. A few
minutes sufficed to get the canoe ready and roll up their blankets,
during the performance of which operations they each ate several
substantial mouthfuls of pemmican.

Looking carefully round before pushing off the canoe to see that nothing
was forgotten, Ian observed some chips of wood on the beach close at
hand.

"See, Vic!" he said eagerly; "some one has been here--perhaps the
Indian."

They examined the chips, which had been recently cut. "It's not easy to
make out footprints here," said Ian, going down on his knees the better
to observe the ground; "and so many settlers and Indians pass from time
to time, having little boys with them too, that--. I say, look here,
Vic, this little footmark might or might not be Tony's, but moccasins
are so much alike that--"

"Out o' the light, man; if you were made o' glass the moon _might_ get
through you. Why, yes, it _is_ Tony's moccasin!" cried Victor, in eager
excitement. "I know it by the patch, for I saw Elsie putting it on this
very morning. Look, speak, man! don't you see it? A square patch on
the ball of the right foot!"

"Yes, yes; I see it," said Ian, going down on his knees in a spirit of
semi-worship, and putting his nose close to the ground.

He would fain have kissed the spot that had been pressed by a patch put
on by Elsie, but he was "unromantic," and refrained.

"Now," he said, springing up with alacrity, "that settles the question.
At least it shows that there is strong probability of their having taken
the left shore of the lake."

"Come along, then, let's after them," cried Victor impatiently, pushing
off the canoe.

The moment she floated--which she did in about four inches of water--
they stepped swiftly yet gently into her; for bark canoes require tender
treatment at all times, even when urgent speed is needful. Gliding into
deep water, they once more dipped their paddles, dee