Alec ran swiftly, but with exceeding caution, directly back on the heels of the men, until we had gone perhaps fifty yards, and were so near that further advance would have been dangerous, when, striking sharply off to the left toward the shore, he increased the pace.
Thinking of the venture now, it seems well-nigh incredible that we should have succeeded in giving the Britishers the slip at the very time when they had us almost within their clutches; yet so it was permitted that we should do, although not without much difficulty and great danger.
Twice before gaining the shore we came near to running full upon one or the other of those who were being lured by the French boy’s voice, and how we succeeded in escaping them it is impossible for me to say.
I only know that we did, and that after what seemed a very long time of scrambling over the fallen rocks, or wading waist-deep through bogs, we came out upon the northerly side of the Foreland.
Involuntarily halting just within a fringe of bushes which marked the limit of the water, I again asked myself helplessly of what avail was it that we had exchanged one hiding-place for another, since it seemed impossible, while being followed so closely, that we could embark.
Alec, brave lad that he was, did not hesitate because we had apparently come to the end of our path; but, pushing on in the direction of where we believed had been left our boat, he led the way at his best pace, and after five minutes or more had passed, the voices of our enemies sounded farther and farther in the distance, until even to my cowardly heart came the assurance that again we had earned a respite, although for how long no one could say.
Alec’s will was stronger than his body, and while I was yet comparatively fresh it became necessary for him to make a brief halt in order to regain his breath.
“What now?” I asked, showing by the question that I recognized him as the rightful leader.
“I wish I might make answer in proper fashion,” he said, with the ghost of a smile; “but it is a matter of chance. If it so be that Leon arouses the suspicion of our enemies, instead of leading them on a false scent, we are undone. But there yet remains the possibility that being convinced he has deceived them, whether wittingly or not, they will return without much search to the point at which he interrupted them, and in such case we may go free for the time being. My only hope now is of finding a craft of some kind.”
It was on the end of my tongue to say that it would be foolish to make an attempt at crossing the lake in a common skiff; but I realized that anything was preferable to the certainty which awaited us if we remained on the Foreland, and held my peace.