Suddenly, however, a second gun, an answering signal, was fired from straight before us, and that revealed the truth.

We were actually between the two parties, and they were closing in upon us! They had already driven us to the edge of the bog.

The Finlander recognized our peril as quickly as I did, and halted.
"Let us turn straight back," he urged breathlessly.

"We may yet elude them." And then we again turned off at right angles, traveling as quickly as we were able back towards the lake shore.

It was an exciting chase in the darkness, for we knew not whither we were going, nor into what pitfall or ravine or treacherous marsh we might fall.