es it out of you. We have got another nine or ten
miles before us, yet."

"I can hold on for a bit," James replied. "I am getting my wind better,
now; but why only ten miles? We must be seventy away from the fort."

"We should never get there," Nat said. "A few of us might do it, but
the redskins would be on us in an hour or two. I thought, when we
started, as the captain would have told us to scatter, so as to give
each of us some chance of getting off; but I see his plan now, and it's
the only one as there is which gives us a real chance. He is making
straight for the French fort. He reckons, no doubt, as the best part of
the French troops will have marched out after the redskins."

"But there would surely be enough left," James said, "to hold the fort
against us; and, even if we could take it, we could not hold it an hour
when they all came up."

"He ain't thinking of the fort, boy, he's thinking of the boats. We
know as they have lots of 'em there, and, if we can get there a few
minutes before the redskins overtake us, we may get off safe. It's a
chance, but I think it's a good one."

Others had caught their leader's idea and repeated it to their
comrades, and the animating effect soon showed itself in the increased
speed with which the party hurried through the forest. Before, almost
every man had thought their case hopeless, had deemed that they had
only to continue their flight until overtaken by the redskins, and that
they must, sooner or later, succumb to the rifles of the Iroquois and
their French allies. But the prospect that, after an hour's run, a
means of escape might be found, animated each man to renewed efforts.

After running for some distance longer, Rogers suddenly halted and held
up his hand, and the band simultaneously came to a halt. At first,
nothing could be heard save their own quick breathing; then a confused
noise was heard to their left front, a deep trampling and the sound of
voices, and an occasional clash of arms.

"It is the French column coming out," Nat whispered, as Rogers,
swerving somewhat to the right, and making a sign that all should run
as silently as possible, continued his course.

Chapter 12: A Commission.

Presently the noise made by the column of French troops was heard
abreast of the fugitives. Then it died away behind them, and they again
directed their course to the left. Ten minutes later, they heard a loud
succession of Indian whoops, and knew that the