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Chapter 14
Hist!seeyounothingwalkingontheshoreofthepond?"
"’Tisnotprobablethatanyareashouselessasourselves,inthisdrearyforest."
"Suchashemaycarebutlittleforhouseorshelter,andnightdewcanneverwetabodythatpassesitsdaysinthewater,"returnedthescout,graspingtheshoulderofHeywardwithsuchconvulsivestrengthastomaketheyoungsoldierpainfullysensiblehowmuchsuperstitiousterrorhadgotthemasteryofamanusuallysodauntless.
"Byheaven!thereisahumanform,anditapproaches!Standtoyourarms,myfriends;forweknownotwhomweencounter."
"Quivive?"demandedastern,quickvoice,whichsoundedlikeachallengefromanotherworld,issuingoutofthatsolitaryandsolemnplace.
"Whatsaysit?"whisperedthescout;"itspeaksneitherIndiannorEnglish!"
"Quivive?"repeatedthesamevoice,whichwasquicklyfollowedbytherattlingofarms,andamenacingattitude.
"France!"criedHeyward,advancingfromtheshadowofthetreestotheshoreofthepond,withinafewyardsofthesentinel.
"D’oùvenez-vous—oùallez-vous,d’aussibonneheure?"demandedthegrenadier,inthelanguageandwiththeaccentofamanfromoldFrance.
"Jeviensdelàdécouverte,etjevaismecoucher."
"Etes-vousofficierduroi?"
"Sansdoute,moncamarade;meprends-tupourunprovincial!Jesuiscapitainedechasseurs(Heywardwellknewthattheotherwasofaregimentintheline);j’aiici,avecmoi,lesfillesducommandantdelàfortification.
