"The same, Sandy," the trapper replied, laying a kindly hand on the arm of the excited boy. "Rist aisy now, would ye, for we have it in our power to sind warmin' to lit thim know danger hangs over the camp; and that they must git aboord, and cut loose down the strame widout delay. But, befoore we sind that warrnin', 'tis only the parrt av wisdom, do ye say, to lit the inimy cover more ground, so that we do be havin' a chanct to make our iscape, in case they sind back a parrt av their number to look us up." Sandy, after all, could be reasonable, once he grasped the breadth of a plan, and he hastened to declare his reliance on the shrewdness of the Irish trapper. "You're right, Pat," he said, huskily; "but oh! don't wait too long; make it soon!" CHAPTER XVII SIGNAL SHOTS HOW those seconds dragged, to the two impatient boys! They seemed, each one, to be hours in length, so eager were the lads to send the warning. But Pat, who kept quite cool, knew what he was doing. He was also well aware of the fact that, in their eagerness to save the others, the boys would not take any precaution with reference to themselves; and, as a consequence, must fall victims to the fury of the baffled savages. Pat's idea was to save both parties; and this was why he meant to allow a certain amount of time to elapse before informing those at the boat of the impending peril, which they could only avoid by immediate flight. "Come, lit us be thryin' to cross the ridge, me byes," said Pat, picking up his bundle of meat with the old-time obstinacy that would not give in. "The ridge!" echoed Sandy, in dismay, as he fell in behind, when they had started. "Sure, we have to git beyant the same, av we hope to make the river," the Irish trapper went on to say. "Then do you hope to follow up the water, and get there ahead of them?" gasped the boy, in sore distress, as he contemplated the slow progress the limping man was making at the time. "I do not, be the same token," answered Pat; "but the closer we are to the river, the better for us, when we do be thryin' to work down strame, afther warrnin' the camp, d'ye mind." "Oh! I see now what you mean," Sandy whispered, keeping close behind the other. "After we've sent the signal, we must hurry as fast as we can down the river, so as to put a lot of distance between us. Then, when the boat comes along, we have to hail them, and wade out to get aboard. Is that what you figure on, Pat?" "Yees have hit the tarrget in the bull's-eye, Sandy; and now, arrah, please close up shop; it do be harrd climbin' the ridge, and we nade ivery bit av breath to kerry us over the same." Under ordinary conditions the task would not have given them much trouble; but bearing such heavy burdens, and with Pat able to make such poor headway, it took them some little time to gain the top of the ridge.