"'Twould be the ransom of a king," he answered; "though first I wish to know the terms of this contest more clearly." She looked out into that silent and lonely night, her eyes upon the distant gleam, and instinctively our glances followed hers. It was a dull desolation, with no sound, no movement, in all the black void. The stars gleamed dull on the water of the river beneath us, and we could dimly see the denser shadow of the opposite shore; beyond this, nothing was apparent save that distant candle flame. What lay between,--what strange obstruction of land, what ambushed foes,--neither of us had means of knowing. We could simply plunge into the mystery of it blindfolded by the fates. Yet to draw back now would brand either of us forever with the contempt of her who had challenged us so lightly. "'Tis all simple enough," she said at last, her eyes glowing with quick excitement. "The goal is yonder where that light glows so clearly, though I warn you the longest way round may prove the surest in the end. To the one of you who reaches there first and returns here, I am to give one kiss as a measure of reward. I care not how it may be accomplished,--such minor matters rest with your own wits." "But the young girl we seek," he insisted; "must she also be brought here upon the return?" "Pish! what care I what may be done with the girl? Besides, she is far safer from the savages there than she would be here." I saw De Croix lean far out over the sharpened palisades and peer downward. The movement gave me instantly a thought of his purpose, and, unnoticed, I loosened the pistol-belt about my waist and silently dropped it upon the platform. Whatever desperate chance he might choose to take, I was determined now to equal. "Doth the water of the river come to the very foot of these logs?" he asked, unable to determine in the darkness. "No, Monsieur, the earth slopes downward for some feet, yet the current is at this bank, and gives much depth of water at the shore." "But of what width is the strip of earth between?" "Perhaps the length of a tall man." "Saint Guise! 'tis well I thought to ask!" he explained jauntily. "And now, Mademoiselle, if you will but kindly hold this coat and sword, I shall strive to show you how highly I value the prize offered, and what a French gentleman can do for love." I fully grasped his purpose now, and even as he turned toward her, holding out the valuables he hesitated to lose, I scaled the low barrier in my front, planted my feet firmly between the pointed stakes, and sprang boldly into the darkness. CHAPTER XIV DARKNESS AND SURPRISE It was a greater distance to the water than I had supposed, but I struck at last fairly enough, and went down until I thought I should never come up again. As I rose to the surface and shook the moisture from my face and ears, a light laugh rang out high above me, and Mademoiselle's clear voice cried mockingly: "The backwoodsman has taken the first trick, Monsieur."