Louis Glotte soon disappeared among the bushes, and then Jadwin led the way to where a fallen tree lay. "Tie up the horses," he ordered, and it was done. Next the tree trunk was pushed into the stream and all straddled it. By means of rude paddles cut from tree boughs they ferried themselves to the opposite shore. "Wait! I see something!" murmured Dave, after having gone through the bushes which lined the water's edge. "So I do see something," came from Jadwin. "Lay low until I investigate, boys." Dave and Sanderson secreted themselves in the bushes and waited. Tony Jadwin disappeared and it was the best part of half an hour before he returned. "Just as I thought," he said. "The Frenchmen and the Indians have a village back there, on the bank of a creek that flows into this river. Jean Bevoir is there, and also Jacques Valette, and I rather think all the stolen goods are there also." CHAPTER XX GUARDING THE TRADING-POST "Did you see anything of Sam Barringford?" asked Dave, who was just then thinking more of his old friend than of his father's belongings. "I did not. But I shouldn't be surprised if those Frenchmen and redskins had some prisoners," answered Jadwin. "They have one wigwam that they are guarding closely. If it doesn't contain prisoners, it contains something of great value." For quarter of an hour the frontiersmen and Dave talked over the situation, but could not solve the problem of what was best to do next. "To attack would be foolhardy, even if we hid ourselves among the trees," said Sanderson. "They'd drive us from cover sooner or later, and kill us." "One of us might go back for help," suggested the young pioneer. "I was thinking of that. But that would take time, and your father couldn't spare enough men to make it worth while. As near as I can make out there are six Frenchmen in the camp and nineteen red men, or twenty-five fighters in all. The most we could muster up would be ten or a dozen. That would be two to one." "If they have any captives, and especially Sam Barringford, I wish we could release them." "Let us wait until nightfall," suggested Ira Sanderson. "Something may turn up." Not far away was a slight rise of ground, and behind some bushes on this they hid themselves. From this quarter they could get a fair view of the village and note much of what was going on. They had scarcely settled themselves when they heard a shout, and an Indian who had been on guard came in with another Indian, who had just arrived on foot from a distance. "It is an Ottawa!" murmured Jadwin. "One of the braves of Pontiac's tribe." "He evidently has news," said Dave. "I wish we knew what it was." Jadwin decided to crawl to another spot and learn if he could overhear what was being said. This time he was gone the best part of an hour, nor did he return until Dave and Sanderson saw the strange Indian messenger depart. "What did you learn?" asked the youth eagerly. "A great deal," answered Jadwin hurriedly.