“The Owl is, in truth, a most dangerous man,” replied the hunter.  “His name, which the Indians have given him, indicates he works by night, though he’s no sloth in the day, either.  But he has another name, also, the one by which he was christened.  It’s Charles Langlade, a young Frenchman who was a trader before the war.  I’ve seen him more than once.  He’s mighty shrewd and alert, uncommon popular among the western Indians, who consider him as one of them because he married a good looking young Indian woman at Green Bay, and a great forester and wilderness fighter.  It’s wonderful how the French adapt themselves to the ways of the Indians and how they take wives among them.  I suppose the marriage tie is one of their greatest sources of strength with the tribes.  Now, Tayoga, why do you think the Owl is here so far to the eastward of his usual range?”

“He and his warriors are looking for scalps, Great Bear, and it may be that they have seen St. Luc.  They were traveling fast and they are now between us and Andiatarocte.  I like it but little.”

“Not any less than I do.  It upsets our plans.  We must leave the trail, or like as not we’ll run squarely into a big band.  What a pity our troops didn’t press on after the victory at the lake.  Instead of driving the French and Indians out of the whole northern wilderness we’ve left it entirely to them.”

They turned from the trail with reluctance, because, strong and enduring as they were, incessant hardships, long traveling and battle were beginning to tell upon all three, and they were unwilling to be climbing again among the high mountains.  But there was no choice and night found them on a lofty ridge in a dense thicket.  The hunter and the Onondaga were disturbed visibly over the advent of Langlade, and their uneasiness was soon communicated to the sympathetic mind of Robert.

The night being very clear, sown with shining stars, they saw rings of smoke rising toward the east, and outlined sharply against the dusky blue.

“That’s Langlade sending up signals,” said the hunter, anxiously, “and he wouldn’t do it unless he had something to talk about.”

“When one man speaks another man answers,” said Tayoga.  “Now from what point will come the reply?”

Robert felt excitement.  These rings of smoke in the blue were full of significance for them, and the reply to the first signal would be vital.  “Ah!” he exclaimed suddenly.  The answer came from the west, directly behind them.

“I think they’ve discovered our trail,” said Willet.  “They didn’t learn it from Garay, because Langlade passed before we sent him back, but they might have heard from St. Luc or Tandakora that we were somewhere in the forest.  It’s bad.  If it weren’t for the letter we could turn sharply to the north and stay in the woods till Christmas, if need be.”

“We may have to do so, whether we wish it or not,” said Tayoga.  “The shortest way is not always the best.”