There were six Indians. Of these, three went
in front, and three in the rear, the whole party going in single
file. The trail was a wide one, and comparatively smooth. The guide
drew Claude's attention to tracks on the ground, which could easily
be recognized as the prints of horse hoofs. To Claude's inquiry how
many there were, the Indian informed him that there were four. By
this it seemed to Claude that Mimi and her maid had each one, while
the other two were used by Cazeneau and the priest.

After several hours they at length came to a river. It was like the
Gaspereaux in one respect, for it was turbid, and rolled with a swift
current. The banks also were lined with marshes, and the edges were
composed of soft mud. No way of crossing it appeared, and as they
approached it, the Indians turned away to go up the stream. The
prospect of a long detour was very unpleasant to Claude; and when at
length he came to a place where the tracks of the horses went towards
the river, he asked why this was. The Indians informed him that the
horses had crossed here, but that they would have to go farther up.
It did not turn out so bad as Claude had feared, for after about half
an hour's further walk, they stopped at the bank of the river, and
waited.

To Claude's question why they waited, an extraordinary answer was
given. It was, that they were waiting till the water ran out. This
reminded him of the old classic story about the fool who came to a
river bank and waited for the water to run out, so that he might
cross. Claude could not understand it; but, supposing that his guides
knew what they were about, he waited for the result, taking advantage
of this rest to fortify his inner man with a sound repast. After this
was over, he rose to examine the situation; and the first sight
showed him an astonishing change. He had lingered over his repast,
now eating, now smoking, for about an hour, and in that time there
had been wrought what seemed to him like a wonder of Nature. The
water of the river had indeed been running out, as the Indian said;
and there before him lay the channel, running low, with its waters
still pouring forward at a rate which seemed to threaten final
emptiness. And as he looked, the waters fell lower and lower, until
at length, after he had been there three hours, the channel was
almost empty.

This particular spot was not so muddy as other parts of the river
bed, and therefore it had been chosen as the best pl