“Perhaps they turned off on a side road,” said Tom, and there the matter was dropped, to be brought to their notice very forcibly that night.

Evening found them at another hostelry, presided over by a Frenchman who had a giant negress for a wife.  The pair were a crafty looking couple, and did not at all please the Rovers.

“Perhaps we may as well sleep with one eye open tonight,” said Randolph Rover, upon retiring.  “We are in a strange country, and it’s good advice to consider every man an enemy until he proves himself a friend.”

The hostelry was divided into half a dozen rooms, all on the ground floor.  The Rovers were placed in two adjoining apartments, while the natives and Aleck were quartered in an addition of bamboo in the rear.

“Keep your eyes and ears open, Aleck,” whispered Dick, on separating from the faithful colored man.  “And if you find anything wrong let us know at once.”

“Do you suspect anyt’ing, Massah Rober?” was Pop’s anxious question.

“I do and I don’t.  Something in the air seems to tell me that everything is not as it should be.”

“Dat Frenchman don’t look like no angel, sah,” and Aleck shook his head doubtfully.

“You’re right, Aleck, and his wife is a terror, or else I miss my guess.”

“Dat’s right, Massah Rober; nebber saw sech sharp eyes.  Yes, I’ll look out-fo’ my own sake as well as fo’ de sake ob Ye and de rest,” concluded Aleck.

CHAPTER XVII

THE ATTACK AT THE HOSTELRY

The night was exceptionally cool for that locality; and, utterly worn out by their tiresome journey, all of the Rovers slept more soundly than they had anticipated.

But not for long.  Dick had scarcely dropped off when he heard a noise at the doorway, which was covered with a rough grass curtain.

“Who is there?” he demanded, sitting up.

“Dat’s all right,” came in a whisper from Aleck.  “Is dat yo’, Massah Dick?”

“Yes, Aleck.  What brings you?”

“I dun discovered somet’ing, sah.”

“What?”

“Dat udder party dun come up an’ is in de woods back ob dis, house.”

“In camp?”

“No; dare is a Frenchman wot is talkin’ to dah chap wot runs dis shebang, sah.”

“Perhaps he wants accommodations,” mused Dick.

“Can’t say about dat, sah.  But de fellers who come up hab a lot ob ropes wid ’em.”

“That’s certainly queer.”

“What’s the row?” came sleepily from Tom, and presently Randolph Rover and Sam likewise awoke.

In a few words the colored man explained the situation.  He had just finished when the wife of the proprietor of the resort came up to the doorway.

“The gentleman is wanted outside by my husband,” she said in broken French.

“What does he want?” asked Mr. Rover.

“I can’t say.  But he says please to step out for a moment.”