"It won't do for me to make myself too evident," he explained.
"I've called for Lord Fitzhugh's mail, and I'd better lie as low
as possible until the corn begins to pop."

Philip again searched the forests to the north and west with the
hope of finding some trace of Pierre and Jeanne. The forest people
were beginning to come into Churchill from all directions to be
present at the big event of the year--the arrival of the London
ship--and Philip made inquiries on every trail. No one had seen
those whom he described. The fourth and fifth days passed without
any developments. So far as he could discover there was no Fort o'
God, no Jeanne and Pierre Couchee. He was completely baffled. The
sixth day he spent in the cabin with Gregson. On the morning of
the seventh there came from far out over the Bay the hollow
booming of a cannon.

It was the signal which for two hundred years the ships from over
the sea had given to the people of Churchill.

By the time the two young men had finished their breakfasts and
climbed to the top of the ridge overlooking the Bay, the vessel
had dropped anchor half a mile off shore, where she rode safe from
the rocks at low tide. Along the shore below them, where Churchill
lay, the forest people were gathered in silent, waiting groups.
Philip pointed to the factor's big York boat, already two-thirds
of the way to the ship.

"We should have gone with Bludsoe," he said. "Brokaw will think
this a shabby reception on our part, and Miss Brokaw won't be half
flattered. We'll go down and get a good position on the pier."