r after hour went
by. All the family retired, and the house was still. Claude then
slowly, and carefully, and noiselessly removed the window from its
place. Then he waited. The hours still passed on. At last he know
that it must be about midnight.

Suddenly he heard, immediately outside, a low, guttural sound--the
well-known sound of a frog. It was the signal mentioned by the
priest. The time had come.

He put his head cautiously outside. Crouched there against the wall
of the house, close underneath, he saw a dusky figure. A low,
whispered warning came up. Claude responded in a similar manner.
Then, softly and noiselessly, he climbed out of the window. His feet
touched the ground. No one had heard him. He was saved.

CHAPTER XII.

THE PARSON AMONG THE PHILISTINES.

A map of this part of America, in this year, 1743, would show a very
different scene from that which is presented by one of the present
date. The country held by the English did not reach beyond the
Kennebec, although claimed by them. But north of this river it was
all in the virtual possession of the French, and on the map it was
distinguished by the French colors. A line drawn from the mouth of
the Penobscot, due north, to the River St. Lawrence, divided New
England from the equally extensive territory of New Scotland, or Nova
Scotia. This New England was bordered on the east by Nova Scotia, on
the north by the River St. Lawrence, and on the west by the province
of New York. But in New England the French colors prevailed over
quite one half of this territory; and in Nova Scotia, though all was
claimed by the English, every part was actually held by the French,
except one or two points of a most unimportant character.

Looking over such a map, we perceive the present characteristics all
gone, and a vast wilderness, full of roaming tribes of Indians,
filling the scene. North of Boston there are a few towns; but beyond
the little town of Falmouth, the English settlements are all called
Fort this and Fort that. Up the valley of the Kennebec is the mark of
a road to Quebec; and about half way, at the head waters of the
Kennebec, a point is marked on the map with these words: "_Indian and
French rendezvous. Extremely proper for a fort, which mould restrain
the French and curb the Abenakki Indians_." And also: "_From Quebec
to Kennebek River mouth, not much above half way to Boston, and one
third to New York, thence by that R. and ye Chaudiere ye