Part 7 (2/2)

The lieutenant and I had dismounted, and were holding our horses by the bridle, while we talked to the Indian girl.

”If I could get hold of these deserters, I should feel warranted in returning to a.s.sist your friends,” observed the lieutenant to me. ”But do you think that we can depend upon the information this girl gives us?”

”I feel sure that we may,” I answered. ”And as I should not like to be absent while Clarice and Uncle Jeff are exposed to danger, I would certainly urge you to return. Perhaps our friend here may be able to a.s.sist us in discovering the runaways!”

I turned to Maysotta and asked her whether she or any of her people had seen the two truants, or had observed the light of a camp-fire anywhere in the forest.

”Are you seeking for any one?” she asked.

I told her that two of the lieutenant's men, forgetful of their duty, had gone off by themselves, and that they might now be of use, could they be discovered, in defending the farm.

”Will they be punished for what they have done?” she inquired.

I told the lieutenant what she said.

”Not if they return to their duty,” he answered.

”Then I think I can lead you to where they are,” said Maysotta. ”I observed the light of a small fire reflected in the sky some little way from this, and I feel sure that it must have been kindled by the men you speak of.”

”At all events, we will approach cautiously,” said the lieutenant. ”If my men are there, we shall have no difficulty in recovering them; or should the fire prove to be at the camp of hostile Indians, we shall be able to retreat un.o.bserved.”

Maysotta had no fear on the latter point, and advising us to picket our horses where we then were, she led the way towards the point she had described. In many places the thick foliage prevented the moonbeams from penetrating through the forest, and we could with difficulty distinguish the figure of our conductress, at so rapid a rate did she glide on through the forest.

”I hope that the girl is not deceiving us,” observed the lieutenant.

”Is it not possible that she may have been sent merely to beguile us into an ambush?”

”I do not think that at all likely,” I answered. ”There can be no doubt that she is the daughter of whom Winnemak told my sister Clarice, and that she has heard all about us from her father. She is thus anxious to render us any service in her power.”

Maysotta, hearing us talking, stopped, and putting her finger to her lips, made us understand that we must be silent. She then moved forward again, at a slower pace, keeping close in front of us. After going a little farther, I observed the faint glare of a fire reflected on the loftier boughs of the trees. As we advanced it grew brighter and brighter, some of the rays penetrating even through the bushes which concealed the fire itself.

Maysotta now touched my arm, and pointing to the fallen trunk of a tree, observed, ”Creep up there, and you will ascertain whether those are the people you are in search of.”

We cautiously made our way towards the point indicated; but even before we could lift our heads to look over the fallen trunk, the sound of Barney Gillooly's jovial voice reached our ears, accompanied by Klitz's guttural notes.

The lieutenant was about to spring over the trunk and seize hold of the deserters at once, but I held him back.

”Let us see what the fellows are about,” I whispered; and we crept closer, keeping ourselves concealed by the bushes.

Gillooly and Klitz were seated on the ground opposite each other, with the fire between them. The Irishman was holding up a piece of venison, which he had just cooked, at the end of a stick, while Klitz held another piece to the fire.

”Arrah! now, this illigint piece of meat will be enough to last us until we stop again for the night!” exclaimed Gillooly. ”I'll race you now, and see who can get his whack down the fastest. If I win, you must hand over to me what remains of yours; and if you win, you shall have the remainder of my whack.”

”Dat would not be fair,” answered Klitz. ”You got big mout and short body, and can stow away much faster dan I. You eat your breakfast as fast as you like, but let me take mine at my ease.”

”Arrah! thin, here goes,” cried Gillooly; and he began gnawing away with right good will at the _lump_ of venison.

It was pretty evident that either he or Klitz must have managed to kill a deer, judging from the ample supply of meat they appeared to possess.

<script>