"In the event of certain exigencies," he guessed.

"Yes."

He had still assisted her over the rocks by holding to her hand,
and suddenly her fingers clutched his convulsively. She pointed to
a stretch of the open lake. The canoes were plainly visible not
more than a quarter of a mile away. Even as he felt her trembling
slightly he laughed.

"Only three!" he exclaimed. "Surely it is not going to demand a
great amount of courage to face that number, Josephine?"

"It is going to take all the courage in the world to face one of
them," she replied in a low, strained voice. "Can you make them
out? Are they white men or Indians?"

"The light is not right--I can't decide," he said, after a
moment's scrutiny. "If they are Indians--"

"They are friends," she interrupted. "Jean--my Jean Croisset--left
me hiding here five days ago. He is part French and part Indian.
But he could not be returning so soon. If they are white--"

"We will expose ourselves on the beach," he finished
significantly.

She nodded. He saw that in spite of her struggle to remain calm
she was seized again by the terror of what might be in the