"We've fooled
'em nicely, so far."
By the crashing of the bushes the fugitives could hear strong parties
making their way along the shore in either direction. An hour passed,
during which the fugitives floated nearly opposite the clearing.
"Hullo!" Peter exclaimed presently. "There's a canoe coming along the
lake. I expect they got it from Cameron's."
As he spoke a canoe appeared round the point. Two men were standing up
holding blazing torches; two others paddled; while two, rifle in hand,
sat by them. Almost at the same moment another canoe, similarly manned,
pushed out from the shore immediately opposite.
"I wish we had known of that canoe," Peter said; "it would have saved us
a lot of trouble; but we had no time for looking about. I suspected them
settlers must have had one laid up somewheres. Now," he went on, "let's
make our plans. The canoes are sure to keep pretty nigh each other.
They'll most likely think as we've gone down the lake and'll not be
looking very sharply after us at present. It'll never do to let 'em pass
us. Now Jake and I and two of the Injuns will take one canoe, and the
chief and three of his braves the other. We must move round so as to get
between 'em and the shore, and then dive and come up close to 'em. Now,
Harold, do you swim out a bit further and then make a splash so as to
call their attention. Do it once or twice till you see that they've got
their eyes turned that way. Then be very quiet, so as to keep 'em
watching for another sound.
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