The scaling away of the piece of rock that had formed the narrow ledge made it necessary for Hugh to take a slightly different route up the flue. He was heavier than Blaise and for him the climb was even more perilous. Profiting by his younger brother’s experience, Hugh trusted to crannies and cracks into which he could thrust his fingers and toes, rather than to the more treacherous projections. Climbing cautiously, he reached the summit without accident.
The growth on the ridge top prevented the boys from seeing to the east, but the sky was now so light they knew sunrise could not be far away. Hurrying across the summit, they came out upon the southeastern slope. From there they could see the rose pink flush of day.
The southeastern side of the high ridge was far less abrupt than the northwestern. Except for occasional open rock stretches, it was, however, thickly forested. In spite of the rough going, the fugitives made good speed on the down grade. Nimbly the light-footed Blaise threaded his way among trees and undergrowth, and sprang down the open slopes. Hugh, to whose feet the very thought of the cruel Iroquois seemed to give wings, kept close behind. In a shorter time than they would have believed possible, they were at the edge of the water.
Blaise glanced towards the woods across the channel. “That is not the island where the little lake is,” he said. “We are too far down. The bateau is over that way.” Without waiting for Hugh to reply, the lad turned to the right and began to make his way along shore.
A moment later, Hugh, following closely, said anxiously, “We are leaving a plain trail here. The ground is damp and there is much undergrowth.”
“We cannot help that. If we must leave a trail, we will use it to lead our enemies astray, Step as lightly as you can, and in a little while I will show you a trick.” Hugh had been possessed with the fear that some of Ohrante’s men might have discovered the boat and taken it away. He was greatly relieved to find it tied to the overhanging tree where he had left it.
“Take the bateau,” the younger boy ordered, “and paddle down to the place where we came out of the woods. I will join you there.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Lead our enemies astray. If they find my tracks near their camp and follow them, they may also find the trail down to this place. They must not think that we crossed the water from here. I shall make tracks, plain tracks, from here down towards the mouth of the bay, beyond the place where you and I came out of the woods a little while ago.”
“But in our old trail from here to the ridge top the footprints point up, not down.”