Ah, here I be! Now, boy." The three set off as usual, strolling carelessly to the outskirts of the camp; then they quickened their pace, and, gaining the lake, pushed off in a small canoe.
At the same moment Mahtawa stepped from the bushes, leaped into another canoe, and followed them.
"Ha! he must die," muttered Henri.
"Not at all," said Joe; "we'll manage him without that." The chief landed and strode boldly up to them, for he knew well that whatever their purpose might be they would not venture to use their rifles within sound of the camp at that hour of the night.

As for their knives, he could trust to his own active limbs and the woods to escape and give the alarm if need be.
"The Pale-faces hunt very late," he said, with a malicious grin.

"Do they love the dark better than the sunshine ?" "Not so," replied Joe, coolly; "but we love to walk by the light of the moon.

It will be up in less than an hour, and we mean to take a long ramble to-night." "The Pawnee chief loves to walk by the moon, too; he will go with the Pale-faces." "Good!" ejaculated Joe.

"Come along, then." The party immediately set forward, although the savage was a little taken by surprise at the indifferent way in which Joe received his proposal to accompany them.