"Then what I would suggest," James said, "is, that we should at once stroll down to our canoe, put it in the water, and paddle out a few hundred yards, and there let down the lines we have got on board, and begin to fish. As long as we are quiet there, the redskins may not interfere with us, and, when it gets dark, we can make off. At the worst, we have a chance for it, and it seems to me anything would be better than this sort of wandering about, when we know that, at any time, we may have them down upon us."
"Perhaps that is the best plan," Nat said. "What do you think, Jonathan?"
Jonathan gave an assenting grunt, and they turned their faces towards the lake, still walking at the same leisurely pace. Not once did any of the three look back. As they neared the water, James found the temptation very strong to do so, but he restrained it, and sauntered along as carelessly as ever.
The canoe was lifted from its hiding place and put in the water. As they were about to step in, the bushes parted, and the Owl stood beside them.
"Where are my brothers going?" he asked quietly.
"We are going fishing," Nat answered. "The noise in the woods will have frightened game away."
"There is food in the camp," the Owl said. "The French give food to their brothers, the redskins."
"My white brother wants fish," Nat said quietly, "and we have told him we will catch him some. Will the Owl go with us?"
The Indian shook his head, and in a moment the canoe put off from the shore, the Indian standing, watching them, at the edge of the water.
"That's a badly puzzled redskin," Nat said, with a low laugh. "His braves have not come up yet, or he would not have let us start.