So he and
Quonab continued for five minutes, as fast as they could go,
knowing perfectly well that they were watched. Round and round
that bush they went, sometimes close together, carrying the guns,
sometimes dragging the sled, sometimes with blankets on their
shoulders, sometimes with a short bag or even a large cake of
snow on their backs. They did everything they could to vary the
scene, and before five minutes the British officer in charge had
counted fifty-six armed Americans marching in single file up the
bank with ample stores, accompanied by five yellow dogs. Had
Skookum been allowed to carry out his ideas, there would have
been fifty or sixty yellow dogs, so thoroughly did he enter into
the spirit of the game.
The track gave no hint of such a troop, but of course not, how
could it? since the toboggan left all smooth after they had
passed, or maybe this was a reinforcement arriving. What could he
do with his ten men against fifty of the enemy? He thanked his
stars that he had so cleverly evaded the trap, and without
further attempt to gauge the enemy's strength, he turned and made
all possible haste back to the shelter of Ogdensburg.
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