"The Cayuga warriors await the word of the Long House. They know that their chiefs would hasten to bring it back to them." "Yes. It must be so, Father. And we can trust them to aid us. Perhaps they will give us a canoe. Teganouan must tell them he is our guide, sent by the Big Throat and the chiefs of the Onondagas to take us safely to Frontenac." The maid was struggling to keep awake, but her lids were heavy. Menard came to her and stood, hesitating. She knew that he was there; she could hear the rustle of his wet clothes, and his heavy breathing, but she did not look up. "Come," he said, lightly touching her shoulder, "we cannot wait here. We must go." She did not reply, and he hesitated again. Then he stooped and lifted her in his arms. "You will go ahead, Teganouan," he said, "and you, too, if you will, Father Claude. Choose an easy trail if you can, and be careful that no twig flies back." They set out slowly through the forest. The priest and the Indian laboriously broke a way, and Menard followed, holding the maid tenderly, and now and then, in some lighter spot where a beam of moonlight fell through the foliage, looking down at her gentle, weary face. She was sleeping; and he prayed that no sad dreams might come to steal her rest. His arms ached and his knees gave under him, but he had hardly a thought for himself. At last, after a long, silent march, the priest stopped, and said, supporting himself with one thin hand against a tree:-- "You are weary, M'sieu. You must let me take Mademoiselle." "No, Father, no. I have been thinking. I am afraid it is not right that she should sleep now. Even though she fail in the effort, exercise of her muscles is all that will prevent sickness. And yet I cannot,"--he looked again at her face as it rested against his shoulder,--"I cannot awaken her now." The Father saw the sorrow in the Captain's eyes, and understood. "I will take her, M'sieu." Carefully Menard placed her in Father Claude's arms and turned away. "Teganouan," he said, trying to recover his self-possession, "should we not be near the trail?" "Yes, more than half the way." "Can we reach it more quickly by heading a little to the north?" "We would reach the trail, yes; but the way would be longer." "Never mind; once on the trail it will be easier than in this forest. Turn to the north, Teganouan." He could hear the maid's voice, protesting sleepily, and Father Claude talking quietly to her. He looked around. The priest said in a low tone:-- "Come, M'sieu, it is hard to awaken her." "We must frighten her, then."