w
of the lake, and he examined it carefully. Nothing moved on its virgin
surface of snow. It was as blank as Modred's shield. He examined the
shore at the foot of the wood-covered hills carefully. Creek by creek,
bay by bay, his eye searched the shore-line for any sign of life. He
found none, nowhere was there any sign of life; any thin column of
smoke betokening the presence of man. He looked at the other shore of
the lake, though without any expectation of finding that which he
sought. It was bleak and barren, and precipitous in places, where the
hills seemed to rise directly from the lake's edge. Nothing moved
there, and a single glance told him that the land trail on that side
was an impossibility. He looked at his companion.

"Dey haf not yet arrive," said Benard, answering his unspoken question.
"Dey camp in zee woods for zee night."

"If Chief George lied----"

"I say again I tink he not lie. We must haf zee patience, m'sieu. Dere
is noding else dat we can do. We are here an' we must watch."

The minutes passed slowly, and to keep themselves from freezing the two
men were forced to do sentry-go on the somewhat narrow platform where
they stood, occasionally varying the line of their short march by
turning down the trail towards their camp, a variation which for
perhaps a couple of minutes hid the lake from view. Every time they so
turned, when the lake came in sight again, Stane looked down its length
with expectation in his eyes, and every time he was disappointed. An
hour passed and still they watched without any sign of their quarry to
cheer them. Then Jean Benard spoke.

"We tire ourselves for noding, m'sieu. We walk, walk, walk togeder, an'
when Chigmok come we too tired to follow heem. It ees better dat we
watch in turn."

Stane admitted the wisdom of this, and since he felt that it was
impossible for himself to sit still, and suspected that his companion
was sadly in need of rest, he elected to keep the first watch.

"Very well, Jean, do you go and rest first; but tell me before you go
where the party we are looking for should strike the lake."

"Ah, I forgot to tell you dat, m'sieu." He pointed towards the southern
shore of the lake, where a small tree-covered island stood about half a
mile from the shore. "You see zee island, m'sieu. Just opposite dere
ees a creek. Zee regular trail comes out to zee lak' just dere, an' it
ees dere dat you may look for zee comin' of Chigmok."

Stane looked at th