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298 to the ground. Barringford had been watching the trail intently.

"Fresh footprints, eh, White Buffalo?" queried the frontiersman.

"Indians close by," answered the chief, gravely. "No friends to the English."

"Then we'll go slow."

The Indian grunted, and the word was passed for every soldier to be on his guard. Barringford now calculated that they were less than quarter of a mile away from where Jean Bevoir had said the cave was situated.

Suddenly a shot rang out and this was followed by the whizzing of an arrow over Barringford's head. One of the rangers had been struck in the shoulder, although the wound was but a trifle.

"This way," shouted Barringford, who had been chosen as the leader, and all followed him to a thicket. In another moment they had caught sight of several Indians and two French traders hurrying along a trail leading to the river bank above the falls.

"Look! look!" cried Dave, suddenly. "There is little Nell now! An Indian has her in his arms!"

He was right, and soon they saw two other Indians who were carrying the Rose twins. The