"You're right," said Mr. Waterman.
They hurried on and in due time they arrived in camp. By this time it was getting late, so they determined to go into Escoumains the next morning and inform the authorities of their discovery. They found Bill and Pud and Jean quite excited. In a short time they had the story in full.
"You did not see any one around here to-day, did you?" asked Mr. Waterman, addressing the young Indian Jean.
"No," was the reply.
"I am pretty sure that the German is making for the St. Lawrence to try and get out of the country. Let's go over to the old trail, just to see if any one has passed that way to-day," said Mr. Waterman.
All of them went, for the trail was only a few minutes' paddle down the lake around a point of land that almost cut the lake in two. On arrival there it was plain even to the unpracticed eyes of the boys that more than one person had passed that way recently. Mr. Waterman and Jean landed first. Jean had been on land not more than a minute before he pointed to some tracks and said,
"Pierre here, Jack there, other man there."
They boys came over, but though they could see some tracks in the soft trail, they did not see how Jean had identified his father and Jack at once.
"You're right," said Mr. Waterman. "Three men have passed this way to-day. It looks as if Pierre and jack are hot on his trail."
They then returned to camp. Bob was compelled to tell his mates all about the trip, and they were greatly excited when they were told of the scene in the hut when it was necessary to hold up the German in self-defense at the point of a rifle.