Morning came, without any signs of the absent ones. At daybreak
Pearson went out to scout in the woods, and returned late in the
afternoon with the news that the Indians had all departed, and that,
for a distance of ten miles at least, the woods were entirely free.

When it became dark the farmer again went down to the lake and
watched until two, when Pearson took his place. Mr. Welch was turning
to go back to the house when Pearson placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Listen!" he said; and for a minute the men stood immovable.

"What was it?" the farmer asked.

"I thought I heard the stroke of a paddle," Pearson said; "it might
have been the jump of a fish. There! there it is again!" He lay down
and put his ear close to the water. "There's a canoe in the lake to
the north'ard. I can hear the strokes of the paddle plainly."

Mr. Welch could hear nothing. Some minutes passed, then Pearson
exclaimed:

"There! I saw a break in the water over there! There it is!" he said,
straining his eyes in the darkness. "That's a canoe, sure enough,
although they have ceased paddling. It's not a mile away."

Then he rose to his feet and shouted "Halloo!" at the top of his
voice. An answering shout faintly came back across the water. He
again hailed loudly, and this time the answer came in a female voice.