ly down to the wharf.
Mademoiselle was in a gay mood after her few hours of enjoyment among
the comforts of a city.

"Good-morning," she called, waving her hand.

"Good-morning," said Menard, shortly. He did not look a second time,
to see her smile fade, for Guerin had not appeared, and he was rapidly
losing patience. He walked up and down the wharf for a few moments,
while Danton found a seat for the maid and the two talked together.

"Perrot," he said, "do you know where Guerin was last evening?"

"Yes, M'sieu. He was at the inn."

"What was he doing? Drinking?"

"A little, M'sieu."

"Go up there, on the run. If you don't find him there, come right
back, for we can't wait much longer for anyone."

Perrot ran up the street and disappeared. In a few moments he came in
sight, striding down between the row of houses, holding Guerin firmly
by one arm. The young fellow was hanging back, and stumbling in limp
fashion. He was evidently drunk. Danton, who had joined Menard when
the two men appeared, said, "Heavens, he must have started early!"

Some distance behind Perrot and Guerin came a ragged crowd of
woodsmen, singing, jeering, and shouting, and bearing broad traces of
a sleepless night.

Menard stood waiting with a look of disgust. When they came upon the
wharf Guerin laughed, and tried to get out a flippant apology for his
tardiness; but Menard seized him before the words were off his lips,
and dragging him across the wharf threw him into the water. Then he
turned to Perrot, and said, "Pull him out."

The two new men stood uneasily near, with startled faces. Behind them
the maid was sitting, a frightened look in her eyes. Danton had
risen.

"Clear away from here!" Menard called to the drunken rabble, who had
collected a few rods away, and were now hesitating between laughter
and fright. They stood looking at each other and at Menard, then they
slunk away.

In all an hour had gone before they were ready to start. Guerin was
weak and shivering from his plunge, but Menard ordered him into the
canoe. The incident drew a cloud over the maid's spirits, and
altogether depressed the party, so that not until afternoon did they
get into conversation. By that time they were past the Lachine Rapids
and the Sault St. Louis, where the men made a portage, and Danton led
the maid along the bank through the tangled brush and briers. When at
last they were ready to push on across Lake St. Louis the maid's skirt
was torn