The reception which we met with from the Widow Marchand was a warm one, as can well be imagined, and had we come for no other purpose than to restore her son, I should have felt that we were fully repaid for all the labor expended in his behalf.
She, as may well be fancied, had been in great distress of mind because of his absence, and now that he was with her once more, her anxiety to show gratitude was so great as to be most painful.
Alec, with a view to checking her efforts at displaying thankfulness, explained at considerable length how we had come upon him, and why he might do more for us than we had for him, whereat I could see plainly that the good woman was in much distress of mind.
She realized that Leon should do somewhat toward repaying us; but feared to have him venture within reach of those men who had shown to what length their cruelty could go.
“Your son has no need to do more than point out the location of the encampment, in case we decide to go there,” I said, hastening to quiet her mind, and Leon interrupted by declaring positively that he should not leave us until we had accomplished our mission.
Well, we had a controversy there, Alec taking sides with me in the declaration that we would not lead the lad into further danger, and his mother, her gratitude outweighing her fears, insisting with him that it was his duty to do whatsoever lay in his power toward furthering our mission.
The result of it was that after partaking of a supper cooked in an outlandish fashion, although most palatable, we three lads set out to reconnoitre the British camp, I saying to myself meanwhile that it was not only a hazardous, but a foolish proceeding, for what could we hope to learn more than was known already?
The British were there in force, for Leon had good proof of such fact, and were threatening Presque Isle, which to my mind was as much as we needed to ascertain.
I did not venture to dissuade Alec from the reconnoissance, knowing full well that it would be useless, but believing we were venturing more recklessly into danger than when we had skated straight toward this same encampment three months before.
Leon led us by a roundabout way, skirting here along the shore, and again making a detour across the wooded lands until we were come to what was seemingly the rear of the camp, and here lay all the proof we needed.