s are always hearing something that nobody else can, Master Dick."

"Well, I am not going to stop here any longer," said the first speaker.
"We know that the Commandant of Fort Chambly has pushed forward
detachments in this direction, and 'tis my belief that if we don't
clear out, instead of shooting these Frenchmen and sending their
despatches to the General at New York, we may get shot ourselves, or be
taken and sent off to Montreal."

By this time Boulanger, feeling cautiously over the side, had come
across the bramble that had stopped their course; his knife was through
it in a moment and the canoe swung clear.

"Hush! I'll swear I heard a paddle this time, say what you like,"
cried the former speaker. "Run one of you to the creek and see that
the canoes are all safe."

What else he may have said died away in the distance as the frail
barque that carried Isidore and his companions stole swiftly away, and
soon afterwards rounded a small headland and took to the open waters.

"All safe!" cried Boulanger. "Half an hour will bring us across to a
point they could not reach on foot in three hours at least. We are out
of rifle shot already, even if they should see us; so take it easy a
little, my brave girl, whilst I look about and get my bearings all
right."

Just for a moment the evening breeze wafted towards them a faint sound
as of men shouting; then a shot was fired, but after that all became
still. In half an hour they had crossed the lake, and on landing the
guide ordered a halt and produced their supper.

"Our friends from Chambly are pretty certain to have reached St. Michel
by this time if they are really moving in this direction," said
Boulanger, as he shared the provisions among them. "We will rest a bit
here and then push on; in any case there is, or used to be, an Indian
settlement there, where we can take up our quarters for the night."

"Thank Heaven for that, on this poor child's account," replied Isidore.
"From what you have told me I hope that her misfortunes will ensure her
safety with any tribe of friendly Indians."

"Undoubtedly; but we will not talk of that now, nor think about it just
yet, monsieur," whispered the guide, "or she will read it in our faces
that we want to get rid of her, which may make the thing not quite so
easy."

On starting again, to Isidore's great surprise, the guide quietly
shouldered the canoe and marched off with it, though he subsequently
allowed both Isido