Burnett was duly impressed with a sense of his responsibilities. He
really wished to send assistance to Fort Duncan, but felt the importance
of conveying his charge safely to Fort Edmonton, and he was too prudent
to run any risk, by weakening his escort. He, therefore, determined to
commence the journey at an earlier hour than usual, and to push forward
as fast as possible. He recollected the half-breeds from whom they had
parted only three days before, and whom they had left encamped. If they
could be overtaken, some of them might be induced to go to Fort Duncan
by the prospect of a brush with their sworn enemies, the Blackfeet.
"Perhaps this young Englishman will agree to go back and obtain their
assistance, and he will render far greater service to the captain than
if he were to go alone," thought Burnett. "I will propose the plan to
him to-morrow morning, and allow Allan Keith to accompany him. The two
seem to pull well together; and as soon as we get to Edmonton we will
send off as many men as can be spared."
Satisfied with his plan, Burnett pulled his blanket round him, and was
just dropping off to sleep, when he heard the distant neigh of a horse.
"That was not one of our animals!" he exclaimed, starting to his feet.
As he did so, he saw the old man and his Indian boy sitting up.
"What sound was that, Sass?" he asked.
"Blackfeet are not far off, I guess," was the answer.
Loraine, who had been unable to sleep, hearing what was said, came out
of his tent.
"Is there a chance of the camp being attacked?" he asked.
"They'll not attack the camp, but they'll steal our horses if they can,"
answered Burnett.
"Depend on that; if we don't keep a look-out they'll have half of them
away before morning," observed Sass; and turning to Loraine, he added,
"You said just now that you caught sight of a figure on the top of the
hill, and as that was not Greensnake or me, I have a notion that it was
one of the Blackfeet."
"Why didn't you tell me of that before?" inquired Burnett.
"Because I thought I was mistaken, and that it was not of sufficient
consequence to arouse you," answered Loraine.
"It may be of the greatest importance; even now the rascals may have
enticed off some of our horses," exclaimed Burnett, taking his gun, and
going up to where the men lay asleep.
A light touch on the shoulder, and a whisper in the ear, were sufficient
to arouse them. He having also called up the Doctor and the two clerks,
hurried on to where the men were on watch outside. They also had heard
the sounds, and were on the alert. They were certain that as yet all
the horses were safe. They were joined by most of the other men; two or
three only, by Burnett's orders, having remained behind to extinguish
the fires.
Just at this juncture several horses, feeding on the rich pasture not a
hundred yards off, came galloping up, and would have passed the camp had
not the men rushed out and stopped them. This proved without doubt that
enemies were in the neighbourhood. Accordingly, several men,
well-armed, went out and brought up the remainder of the horses, which
they at once tethered either to the carts or to stakes firmly fixed in
the ground; then each with his gun loaded with buck-shot, crawled out
through the long grass, so that they could not be seen, even by the
sharp eyes of the Blackfeet, and arranged themselves in a circle at the
distance of about eighty yards from the camp. The night was dark, and
perfect silence was maintained, so that even the most watchful enemy
could not have discovered what the travellers were about.
Burnett having thus made all necessary arrangements for the security of
the camp, directed Allan Keith and Maloney each to take his turn in
watching, and again lay down, his example being followed by the rest of
the party who were not required on duty. The most sharp-eyed Redskins
would have found it difficult to discover what the travellers were
about. Allan Keith was the only person who remained on foot. Having
visited the horses, and ascertained that the men in charge of them were
awake, he went on, intending to make the circuit of the camp, to assure
himself that the men were on the alert. Thinking it unnecessary to
crawl along the ground, from supposing that in the darkness he could not
be seen at any distance, he walked upright, and had just got close to
the outer circle where he expected to find one of the men on watch, when
an arrow whistled close to his head. The scout, who must have been
close in front of him, immediately began to crawl along, like a snake
through the grass, in the direction whence the arrow had come.
Allan was as courageous as most persons; but it would have been folly to
have exposed himself to the risk of another shot. He, therefore, wisely
crouched down in the spot which had been occupied by the man who had
gone forward in pursuit of the intruder. He listened with open ears,
but not a sound could he hear, nor could his eyes pierce the darkness
beyond a few yards from where he lay. He waited and waited, until he
began to fear that the scout must have been caught by the savages, and
killed before he had had time to cry out. That the other scouts were on
the watch, he had no doubt, and would take care that no Indians
approached without being discovered. He had remained in his recumbent
position for some time, when he at length heard a rustling in the grass,
and the scout rejoined him.
"The coquin has escaped us, monsieur," whispered the Canadian. "I wish
that I had shot him, but by firing I should have discovered our
position, and we should have had a score of arrows or bullets flying
about our ears."
After the warning he had received, Allan, imitating the example of the
scout, crawled along the ground to the different posts, and finding all
the men on the alert, returned in the same fashion to the camp.
Night went by, and no other alarm was raised. At early dawn Burnett,
having aroused the whole camp, gave them the information Isaac Sass had
brought.
There was no lack of volunteers, among whom was Allan Keith, eager to
accompany Loraine to Fort Duncan. He was somewhat less disappointed
than would otherwise have been the case at being refused permission to
go, when Burnett explained his plan of sending him in search of the
half-breed hunters, to collect among them as many recruits as he could
obtain to increase the garrison at Fort Duncan.
"I, at all events, will go with you!" exclaimed Hector, turning to
Loraine. "We have a compass, and as I know the direction in which the
fort lies, I shall not be afraid of missing my way."
"You forget the Redskins, and that you must be on your guard at night,
or you'll have your horses stolen," observed old Sass. "You will also
have to look out for game to support yourselves. However, if you take
Greensnake with you, he'll help you to kill game, and will give due
notice if enemies are near you."
"Yes, although I should have been glad to have had more companions, I am
ready to set out at once," said Loraine.
"I am sorry I cannot spare any of my men," observed Burnett. "Two or
three, indeed, would make but little difference, and the smaller your
party the better for safety's sake. However, you must let your horses
breakfast, for they got but little feeding last night, thanks to the
Blackfeet."
While these and other arrangements were being made, the scouts came in.
It was evident, they reported, from the tracks round the camp, that they
had been surrounded by a large band, who would probably have stolen all
their horses had they not been on their guard. The scouts, they added,
had followed to a considerable distance the tracks which led away to the
westward, and it was their opinion that the Indians would keep ahead,
and not make another attempt to steal the horses till they fancied that
the party were off their guard. It was so far satisfactory to have
discovered the direction the Indians had taken, as Loraine might thus
proceed southward and Allan Keith make his way eastward on the trail of
the buffalo hunters, without the risk of encountering them.
"I will spare no exertion to get as soon as possible to the fort with as
many men as I can induce to accompany me," said Allan, as he warmly
shook hands with Loraine. "I heartily wish that I could have gone with
you; but I must obey the orders of my chief. I am well acquainted with
the family of Captain Mackintosh; pray give them my respects, and say
how deeply I regret not being able to proceed at once to the fort."
Allan looked somewhat conscious as he said this. Loraine promised to
deliver his messages; and the horses having now had time to feed, the
three parties separated. Allan, accompanied by Pierre, rode off to the
eastward; Mr Burnett and the train continued their journey to the west;
while Loraine and his two companions took a southerly course.
"Good-bye, good-bye, my young friends," cried Dr McCrab, after riding a
short distance with Loraine and Hector. "Whatever you do; don't let the
Redskins take your scalps, my boys. Keep your powder dry, and your
larder well stored, and you'll get through. I heartily wish that I
could go with you; but I ride too heavy a weight, and should certainly
delay you if we had to run for it with a pack of howling savages at our
tails: the chances are, I should come off second best," said the
good-natured medico, when, shaking hands, he turned his horse's head and
galloped off to overtake the train brought up by Isaac Sass and his pack
animals. The country being level, the train could be seen for a long
distance, creeping on like a huge snake through the grass.
As Loraine looked round, a uniform and well-defined horizon met his eye.
So destitute was the country in general of all landmarks, that he was
thankful to have a good compass to guide his course, in addition to the
assistance of the young hump-backed Indian, who depended on his instinct
alone. Loraine and Hector had each a spare horse, which carried their
changes of clothes, a store of powder and shot, and such provisions and
cooking utensils as they were likely to require.
The young Indian frequently raised himself in his stirrups, and
sometimes even stood upon the back of his horse, to take a look round,
but dropped quickly down again into his saddle, satisfied that no foes
were in the neighbourhood.
"It was fortunate that the Blackfeet came about the camp last night, and
then took themselves off to the westward, as we are the less likely to
have them on our trail," observed Hector, who was highly delighted to be
able to go home at once, instead of having to make a long circuit, as he
had expected, through Edmonton. Though he had heard the report of old
Sass, he had not realised the danger in which his family might be
placed.
He rattled on as was his wont, never failing to find subjects of
conversation. "I did not suppose that there would be much risk, or I
should not have proposed your coming with me," observed Loraine. "I
was, besides, unwilling to make my appearance at the fort without you,
lest Captain Mackintosh should look upon me as an impostor."
"I am very sure my father would not do that, or my mother or sister
either, or Sybil. They'll make a good deal of you, I can tell you; for
it is not often they see a gentleman at the fort, except Allan Keith,
who comes whenever he can. He is, I suspect, a great admirer of my
sister; and I am not surprised, for she is a dear, good girl, and worthy
of the best fellow in the country."
"Which sister?" very naturally asked Loraine. "You showed me the
portraits of two."
"I have only one. Sybil is not really my sister, though I called her
so, and she is like a sister to us all. My father and mother adopted
her before Effie or any of us were born; and as they were as fond of her
as they could have been had she been their own child, she has lived on
with us ever since. She's as pretty as she looks in her portrait, and
as good and bright as she is pretty, and we boys love her as much as we
do Effie."
This account naturally increased Loraine's desire to see the original of
the beautiful picture; but a sense of delicacy prevented him further
questioning his young companion about her, being well assured that he
would before long tell him all he knew. Hector, indeed, talked away for
the whole party, for Greensnake never uttered a word except from
absolute necessity, and then it was in Cree. Hector, however,
remembered enough to make out the meaning, having known the language
before he went to school, and he translated what was said to Loraine.
They had got to some distance from the camp, when Hector, turning round,
observed two animals following.
"Holloa! What are these?" he exclaimed. "Can they be wolves?"
"If they are," said Loraine, "and they come near enough, we must shoot
them, or they may interfere with our horses at night, especially as they
are likely to pick up companions on the way."
"Very well; then we will stop at once, and do you fire at one of the
brutes, and I will try to kill the other," said Hector. "What do you
say, Greensnake?" he asked in Cree.
The hump-backed Indian grunted out an unintelligible reply, and pointed
ahead.
"He doesn't think it worth while to stop," remarked Hector.
"Nor do I," said Loraine; and they accordingly pushed on at the pace
they had before been going.
After a while, Hector, looking back, exclaimed, "Why, they are not
wolves at all, but a couple of dogs--Old Buster, who belongs to the
Doctor, and Dan Maloney's Muskey! They took a great fancy to me, for I
used to play with them; but I had no idea of enticing them away from
their masters."
"They must have found out that we are not with the train, and bolting,
followed up our trail," remarked Loraine. "We cannot drive them back
now."
The dogs were quickly up to the riders, and seemed highly delighted to
find Hector, jumping up on either side of him.
The prairie which Loraine and his companions were traversing was almost
treeless; but not many years before it had been covered with a pine
forest, destroyed by one of the ruthless prairie fires which so often
sweep over the north-west territory. Here and there, however, by the
sides of streams, or pools, numerous aspens--the fastest growing trees
in that region--had again sprung up, their stems being of considerable
thickness, while their light foliage gave a cheerful aspect to the
otherwise dreary scenery. When the ground allowed it, they occasionally
put their horses into a gallop--a pace well suited to their tempers. At
the same time, they knew that they must not run the risk of knocking up
their animals, or they would fail in their object of making a quick
journey.
They had gone on for some time, when Hector's tough little horse
suddenly came down, and threw him over its head.
"Don't care for me," he cried; "but I'm afraid my horse has broken its
leg."
The animal had put its foot into a badger-hole. After making some
violent struggles, however, it recovered itself, and Hector, getting
hold of its bridle, remounted.
"We must keep a better look-out for the badger-holes. It wouldn't be
pleasant to have to continue our journey on foot," he said, laughing.
Having stopped by the side of a pool to take a mid-day meal, give their
horses water, and allow them to crop as much grass as they could during
the time, the travellers pushed on until nightfall, when they encamped
under shelter of a grove of aspens, close to a stream, which flowed into
the South Saskatchewan. By Greensnake's advice, only a small fire was
lighted, which was to be put out when they had cooked their supper.
As soon as he had finished his meal, the Indian, taking his blanket,
went and lay down close to where the horses which had been hobbled were
feeding; while Loraine and Hector rolled themselves in their buffalo
robes, leaving the two dogs to keep watch by their sides.