A fire was lighted now, the greatest care being taken to select perfectly dry sticks, for the Iroquois were likely to be scattered far and wide among the woods.

The risk, however, was far less than when in sight of the French side of Lake George.

After darkness fell, the canoes were again placed in the water, and, striking across the lake, they followed the right-hand shore.

After paddling for about an hour and a half, the work suddenly ceased.
The lake seemed to widen on their left, for they had just passed the tongue of land between the two lakes, and on the opposite shore a number of fires were seen, burning brightly on the hillside.

It was Ticonderoga they were now abreast of, the advanced post of the French.
They lingered for some time before the paddles were again dipped in water, counting the fires and making a careful note of the position.
They paddled on again until some twelve miles beyond the fort, and then crossed the lake and landed on the French shore.
But the canoes did not all approach the shore together, as they had done on the previous nights.