. It was a call, insistent, imperative, and
never had he disobeyed the voice. To him danger was a tonic, and the
great wild with all its mystery and uncertainty was his playground.
His nature demanded activity, and the lure of something beyond was as
breath to his being.

The bark canoe seemed like a thing of life as it cut through the water
and the night, straight for the open. It trembled as with excitement,
impelled by the strong arms wielding the paddles. It was well seasoned
to such work. It was Pete's favourite craft, and it knew all the
streams for leagues around. It had poked its nose into every creek,
cove, and tributary of the St. John River from the Kennebacasis to the
Shogomoc. It knew the windings of the Washademoak, and the rolling
billows of windy Grand Lake had tested its endurance. It had battled
with running ice; it had been borne over innumerable portages; and it
had lain concealed in many secret places while enemies had sped by in
the darkness but a few yards away. It bore the scars of ice, rocks,
and bullets, and its long, lean body had been patched and repatched.
But notwithstanding all these years of hardships, it was as eager now
as the hardy men who drove it forward to rush into new adventures.

Steadily Dane and Pete urged the springing craft onward. Seldom did
they speak, and hardly a sound did they make as their paddles dipped
rhythmically into the cold water. The sky was overcast, and not a star
was to be seen. No lights gleamed along the shore. They were
completely enwrapped by night and silence, securely enfolded in
Nature's great secret embrace.

Reaching at length the upper end of an island which divides the river,
they ran the canoe ashore, rested, and ate some of the food Jean and
Old Mammy had so thoughtfully prepared. They talked in low voices, and
Pete explained the cause of his long absence, where he had been, and
how for some time he had been trailing the rebels until he had at last
discovered the place and night of meeting to arrange plans for united
action.

"How did you know where I was?" Dane asked. "I didn't tell any one
where I was going."

"Me know, a'right. Me know white woman. Me know Dane."

"You were sure that I couldn't keep away from her?"

"A-ha-ha."

"But I never did such a thing before, Pete. When did you ever know me
to run after a woman?"

"Dane find good white woman. Dane mak' no mistake."

"I have made no mistake," was the emphat