I marked her quick smile, but thought it not wholly untouched by sadness, as she attempted answer.

“We will hope for the best; yet, Monsieur, we are still deeply buried in the wilderness.  Ay! worse—­in the country of our enemies.  You may not comprehend the full truth of this, but Spain lays claim now to all this great river, with the country bordering it.  O’Reilly has already despatched soldiers as high as the mouth of the Ohio, to guard its passage; so there is peril lurking before us, as well as behind.”

“O’Reilly has sent soldiers northward?  How know you this, Eloise?”

“It was common talk in the town.  I saw with my own eyes the departure of one expedition.  It was composed of a captain, with twelve soldiers, destined for the Ohio.  I have heard that twice since others have been despatched northward, although to what points was unknown.”

“The saints defend us! ’tis indeed serious.  I supposed the boat which passed contained all the Dons on the upper river, but if this be true we may have to desert the stream, and take to the eastern trail on foot. Sacre!  I like it not!  What say you, you sphinx of an English borderman?  Knew you this all along?”

“It is news to me,” I answered soberly.  “But if three expeditions have already been despatched north, there is little hope the land routes have been forgotten.  Beyond doubt every trail, white or Indian, leading toward French or English settlements, is by now patrolled by the Dons.  Nor can we hope to gain passage by surprise.  That man-of-war boat will spread far the rumor of your escape, so every Spaniard between here and the Ohio will be on the lookout for our coming.”

I imagine the same thought stole into the mind of both, how easily we two, travelling light, might press our way through that scattered line of guard, and attain the upper Ohio; how easily, only for the danger and distress to which so desperate an attempt would expose her.  She alone ventured to give the idea utterance.

“Messieurs,” she said earnestly, her calm brown eyes uplifted to our faces, “I have been considering this for an hour past.  I know you would experience small trouble eluding the Spaniards, or even cutting your way through them, were I not with you.  Yet this is not beyond remedy.  I had sincerely hoped to prove of service when I usurped the slave’s place in the boat; instead, I am an encumbrance, a weakling whom you must protect at the risk of your own lives.  Fortunately it is not yet too late to leave you free; it cannot be many miles back to New Orleans, and the current would bear me swiftly downward.  I have loyal friends in the town to hide the daughter of Lafreniere, should the Spaniards wage war against a woman, and surely some means would open whereby I might make the shores of France.  Perhaps I should be there in advance of you.  What say you, Messieurs, to such proposal?  Would it not be best?”