A few
moments more and Pierre found himself by a camp fire which blazed
cheerfully in the recess of a sheltered ravine. Around the fire were
gathered some twoscore of Micmacs in their war dress, who merely grunted
as the abbe and his little party joined them.
Here, wrapped in his blanket, his feet to the fire and his head on an
armful of hemlock boughs, Pierre slept as sweet a sleep as if in his bed
at home. At dawn he woke with a start, just as the abbe drew near to
arouse him. For a moment he was bewildered; then gathering his wits
he sprang quickly to his feet, looking ready for an instant departure.
Le Loutre was content and turned away. Not many minutes were consumed
in breakfasting, and the raiders were under way by the time the sun
was up.
All that day the stealthy band crept on, avoiding the trails by which
communication was kept up between the settlements. Early in the evening
Le Loutre called a halt, and Pierre, exhausted, fell asleep the moment
he had satisfied his hunger. Next morning the sun was high ere the party
resumed its march, and not long after midday Le Loutre declared they had
gone far enough as they were now near the settlement of Kenneticook.
There was now nothing to be done but wait for night. A scout was sent
forward to reconnoiter, and came back in a couple of hours with word that
all was quiet in the little village, and no danger suspected.
About nine o'clock the abbe gave his orders. Not a soul in the village
was to be spared, and not a house left standing.
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