ed,
was the difference in the rate of going between the two canoes for
the next five minutes, that the Hurons began to be convinced all their
powers must be exerted or they would suffer the disgrace of being
baffled by women. Making a furious effort under the mortification of
such a conviction, one of the strongest of their party broke his paddle
at the very moment when he had taken it from the hand of a comrade to
relieve him. This at once decided the matter, a canoe containing three
men and having but one paddle being utterly unable to overtake fugitives
like the daughters of Thomas Hutter.

"There, Judith!" exclaimed Hetty, who saw the accident, "I hope now you
will own, that praying is useful! The Hurons have broke a paddle, and
they never can overtake us."

"I never denied it, poor Hetty, and sometimes wish in bitterness of
spirit that I had prayed more myself, and thought less of my beauty!
As you say, we are now safe and need only go a little south and take
breath."

This was done; the enemy giving up the pursuit, as suddenly as a ship
that has lost an important spar, the instant the accident occurred.
Instead of following Judith's canoe, which was now lightly skimming over
the water towards the south, the Hurons turned their bows towards the
castle, where they soon arrived and landed. The girls, fearful that some
spare paddles might be found in or about the buildings, continued on,
nor did they stop until so distant from their enemies as to give them
every chance of escape, should the chase be renewed. It would seem that
the savages meditated no such design, but at the end of an hour their
canoe, filled with men, was seen quitting the castle and steering
towards the shore. The girls were without food, and they now drew nearer
to the buildings and the Ark, having finally made up their minds from
its manoeuvres that the latter contained friends.

Notwithstanding the seeming desertion of the castle, Judith approached
it with extreme caution. The Ark was now quite a mile to the northward,
but sweeping up towards the buildings, and this, too, with a regularity
of motion that satisfied Judith a white man was at the oars. When within
a hundred yards of the building the girls began to encircle it, in order
to make sure that it was empty. No canoe was nigh, and this emboldened
them to draw nearer and nearer, until they had gone round the piles and
reached the platform.

"Do you go into the house, Hetty," said Judit