you doing down here?"

"Sorter contemplatin' a sea v'yage," he said, dryly. "'T was
rec'mended by my doctor fer the growth o' my har. So, snoopin' 'round
yere in the dark, an' not over fond o' Injun com'any, I found this yere
boat. Jest got in ter see how 't was fixed, when ye jumped down
yonder. Reckon I 'd kinder like ter wet 'er up an' see wot she 's
like."

"Good! so would I. This boat was placed here for that very purpose.
Now listen. The young woman you just mentioned, that Indian missionary
with the auburn hair, is above yonder, together with another young
white girl rescued from the massacre, and the Frenchman, De Croix. We
have come here, on pledge of a half-breed chief that this boat would be
ready for our escape. And we have no time to waste, for we may be
followed at any moment."

"They ain't seen ye stealin' outer the camp?"

"No, but in doing it I was compelled to kill Little Sauk, and the
others may find his body at any time."

For a moment the sly old borderer made no response, and I knew he was
quietly turning over the complicated situation in his own mind
preparatory to intelligent action. I heard him step from the boat into
the shallow water.

"All right, lad! I understand," he said heartily, his former
indifference vanished. "Derned if I wouldn't jist as soon leave that
Parley-Voo behind; but I 'm with ye, an' I reckon Ol' Burns 'll give
them thar redskins another dern good jolt. Take hold here, boy, an' we
'll run this yere man-o-war outside, where we kin ship the rest o' her
crew."

The back-water rippling among the old piling was shallow, but the boat
had little aboard and floated free, so that we worked it forward with
little difficulty until we succeeded in rounding the slight promontory
and held its bulging sides close against the mud wall. Leaving Burns
to keep it in place, I crept silently up the bank.

"Come!" I whispered, making my way to the side of Mademoiselle more by
instinct than sight. "The boat we sought is here and ready! I have
even found a boatman to aid us, in the form of Ol' Burns, who, you
remember, aided De Croix and me at the time of our famous race. Let us
waste no more of the night here, but do the rest of your talking in
greater safety on the water."

They came with me down to the edge of the stream without a word of
protest. I had taken Mademoiselle in my arms and lifted her slight
form into the boat, when she turned suddenly, as it by an