But after Henry had taken the trouble to dress the wounded one's hurt and had supplied him with water and food, the redman's tongue became loosened, and he listened to what Henry had to say with increased interest.
"Yes, Missapaw has seen the little girls," he said. "Two are of the same birth, and the other is called 'Nell.'"
"And where are they now?" demanded Henry, eagerly.
"They are with some Indians and some French traders, in the west--at the mighty fall of waters."
"Missapaw knows but one of them--a trader of the Kinotah."
"What, you don't mean Jean Bevoir?" cried the young soldier.
"And they are helping the Indians to hold the little girls captive. What is their object?"
"To make the little girls' fathers pay well for the return of the little ones," was the answer.
We will now go back to Dave, at the time he was thrown into the waters of the lake, in the midst of the storm.
For the moment after the waters closed over him, the young soldier was too bewildered to do more than throw out his hands wildly. He attempted to cry out, and the water rushed into his mouth, almost drowning him. Then he spluttered and struggled, and more by instinct than anything else began to strike out.
When he came up he took a fresh breath and dashed the water from his eyes. He could see but little in the darkness, and although he could hear many cries, and a shout or two from distant boats, yet the craft remained invisible to him.
At length another flash of lightning showed him that one batteau had gone down and also showed him the sailor-soldier struggling near him.
"Hullo there!" shouted the other, whose name was Simon Lapp. "Can you swim?"
"Move this way, then--the shore's over yonder, and I think we'll soon strike bottom with our feet."
Dave did as suggested, and ranged up alongside of Simon Lapp. The proximity of the sailor-soldier gave the youth confidence, and he did his best to keep up with the man.
It was the hardest swim of his life and more than once Dave felt as if the weight of his uniform would carry him down. The two were alone in the vicinity, the others having either gone down or struck out for the uninjured boats nearest to them.
When Dave was almost exhausted he felt bottom under him, and hand in hand he and Simon Lapp waded ashore. The rain was now coming down harder than ever, and both crawled to the shelter of some overhanging trees, regardless of the danger from lightning.