ainder of the crew. The marquis, with Madame de Valricour and
Perigord, at once stepped into the boat, and as the beach was not far
off, they were quickly rowed to the shore. "Now," said Duboscq, when
they were fairly landed, "push on into the wood straight ahead, and I
will join you there. We shall give our friends the slip after all,
thanks to monsieur's suggestion."

The little party did as they were told, and presently stopped to await
the coming of the others; but they waited in vain, and were destined
soon to find out that they had only escaped one danger to rush upon
another. From a lofty point overhanging the river an Indian scout had
watched all that had occurred. Suddenly the wood rang with a terrible
war-whoop, and half a dozen savages darted through the trees and came
upon the panic-stricken group. The chief, who was a little in advance,
sprang towards Perigord, but on perceiving that the party consisted
only of two unarmed men and a woman, stopped short, making a sign to
his followers to do the same. Then, contemptuously flinging old
Perigord down, he snatched from him an ornamented casket which he was
clutching in his hands: it was his master's strong box, which he had
rescued at the last moment, and brought away with him from the ship.
Wrenching it open the savage drew out the first thing that came to
hand: it was the ribbon and order of St. Louis.

With an exclamation of surprise he held it up and examined it. He had
seen the like once or twice before, but only on the breasts of Montcalm
and Governor de Vaudreuil.

"Whose is this? Who are you?" said he, quickly regarding the old
_chef_ with evident astonishment.

"It belongs to the Marquis de Beaujardin," replied Perigord, piteously.

"Beaujardin! Beaujardin!" answered the Indian, with increasing
amazement. "There is one of that name in the camp. Who is this
Beaujardin?"

"His father--his father!" exclaimed Perigord. "Have you seen him? Is
he at Quebec? My poor Isidore! He was lost, and we have come out here
to seek him.'

"Yes, Isidore--that is his name," replied the chief; and with that he
turned to his warriors, and spoke to them rapidly, gesticulating
vehemently all the while.

Perigord would have questioned him further, but the chief at first took
no heed of him; after some further conference, however, he once more
addressed his excited prisoner, saying, "It is well--the Frenchman
shall see his son again."

"But in one th