"I saw him go. He went while you were talking with St. Luc."

"Why should Tayoga leave us?"

"He saw another smoke against the sky. It was but a faint trace. Only
an extremely keen eye would have noticed it, and having much natural
curiosity, Tayoga is now on his way to see who built the fire that
made the smoke."

"And it may have been made by friends."

"That's our hope."

Robert drew a long breath and looked toward the west. The sky was now
clear there, but he knew that Tayoga could not have made any mistake.
Then, his heart high once more, he settled himself down to wait.




CHAPTER III

THE SIGNAL


The day advanced, brilliant with sunshine, and the forces of St. Luc
were quiet. For a long time, not a shot was fired, and it seemed to
the besieged that the forest was empty of human beings save themselves.
Robert did not believe the French leader would attempt a long siege,
since an engagement could not be conducted in that manner in the