"Not if they return to their duty," he answered.

"Then I think I can lead you to where they are," said Maysotta. "I
observed the light of a small fire reflected in the sky some little way
from this, and I feel sure that it must have been kindled by the men you
speak of."

"At all events, we will approach cautiously," said the lieutenant. "If
my men are there, we shall have no difficulty in recovering them; or
should the fire prove to be at the camp of hostile Indians, we shall be
able to retreat unobserved."

Maysotta had no fear on the latter point, and advising us to picket our
horses where we then were, she led the way towards the point she had
described. In many places the thick foliage prevented the moonbeams from
penetrating through the forest, and we could with difficulty distinguish
the figure of our conductress, at so rapid a rate did she glide on
through the forest.

"I hope that the girl is not deceiving us," observed the lieutenant. "Is
it not possible that she may have been sent merely to beguile us into an
ambush?"

"I do not think that at all likely," I answered. "There can be no doubt
that she is the daughter of whom Winnemak told my sister Clarice, and
that she has heard all about us from her father. She is thus anxious to
render us any service in her power."

Maysotta, hearing us talking, stopped, and putting her finger to her
lips, made us understand that we must be silent. She then moved forward
again, at a slower pace, keeping close in front of us. After going a
little farther, I observed the faint glare of a fire reflected on the
loftier boughs of the trees. As we advanced it grew brighter and
brighter, some of the rays penetrating even through the bushes which
concealed the fire itself.

Maysotta now touched my arm, and pointing to the fallen trunk of a tree,
observed, "Creep up there, and you will ascertain whether those are the
people you are in search of."

We cautiously made our way towards the point indicated; but even before
we could lift our heads to look over the fallen trunk, the sound of
Barney Gillooly's jovial voice reached our ears, accompanied by Klitz's
guttural notes.

The lieutenant was about to spring over the trunk and seize hold of the
deserters at once, but I held him back.

"Let us see what the fellows are about," I whispered; and we crept
closer, keeping ourselves concealed by the bushes.

Gillooly and Klitz were seated on the ground opposite each other, with