e French
were constructing their new fort.

The canoes were to be carried some seven or eight miles through the
wood, across the neck of land between the two lakes, and were then to
be launched again on Lake Champlain, so that, by following the east
shore of that lake, they would pass Ticonderoga at a safe distance. The
halt was made as noiselessly as before, and, having hauled up the
canoes, the men slept till daybreak; and then, lifting the light craft
on their shoulders, started for their journey through the woods. It was
toilsome work, for the ground was rough and broken, often thickly
covered with underwood. Ridges had to be crossed and deep ravines
passed, and, although the canoes were not heavy, the greatest care had
to be exercised, for a graze against a projecting bough, or the edge of
a rock, would suffice to tear a hole in the thin bark.

It was not until late in the afternoon that they arrived on the shores
of Lake Champlain. A fire was lighted now, the greatest care being
taken to select perfectly dry sticks, for the Iroquois were likely to
be scattered far and wide among the woods. The risk, however, was far
less than when in sight of the French side of Lake George. After
darkness fell, the canoes were again placed in the water, and, striking
across the lake, they followed the right-hand shore. After paddling for
about an hour and a half, the work suddenly ceased.

The lake seemed to widen on their left, for they had just passed the
tongue of land between the two lakes, and on the opposite shore a
number of fires were seen, burning brightly on the hillside. It was
Ticonderoga they were now abreast of, the advanced post of the French.
They lingered for some time before the paddles were again dipped in
water, counting the fires and making a careful note of the position.
They paddled on again until some twelve miles beyond the fort, and then
crossed the lake and landed on the French shore.

But the canoes did not all approach the shore together, as they had
done on the previous nights. They halted half a mile out, and Captain
Rogers went forward with his own and another canoe and landed, and it
was not for half an hour that the signal was given, by an imitation of
the croaking of a frog, that a careful search had ascertained the
forest to be untenanted, and the landing safe.

No sooner was the signal given than the canoes were set in motion, and
were soon safely hauled up on shore. Five men went out, as