"I would not detain you," he answered. "Your companion requires
probably more care than I do. I have only to lie here and suffer. My
medicine-chest is well-nigh exhausted, and I must now trust to nature.
Farewell! I hope to see you all to-morrow."
He spoke in the tone of a gentleman inviting a party of guests to his
house. We took our departure, and hurried back as fast as we could go.
The shades of evening were rapidly increasing; the cold was becoming
intense. We were not likely to lose our way, but that was possible, and
the consequences might be serious.
"There is something strange in the tone of his voice," observed Robin,
as he walked by my side. "I could almost fancy that I had heard it
before, and yet I don't remember ever seeing anybody like him."
Before I could answer, Robin had to fall behind me to follow in my
trail, and, indeed, we had to move too rapidly to allow of any
conversation. It was becoming darker and darker, and I anxiously looked
out for the camp-fire, which I felt sure Martin would keep up to guide
us on our way. I should have been thankful could we have moved into
warm quarters that night, for I feared that Alick would suffer from the
cold.
It was a great relief when I at length caught sight of a bright light
between the trunks of the trees, as I knew that it must proceed from our
camp-fire. We hurried on, and found Martin busily employed in cooking
supper. He had made some soup for Alick. I don't know what we should
have done without that old iron pot. He had also lighted a small fire
in the centre of our wigwam, which of course required constant
attention, lest any sparks should reach the inflammable materials of
which our habitation was composed.
"What news?" asked Martin, looking up from his occupation. "Don't stop
to tell me here--it's wonderfully cold; but go inside, and I'll come and
hear all about it. Pat, you carry the pot, and I'll bring in the roast.
You'll want some food, I suspect, after your expedition."
We followed his advice. Pat took off the pot, and we were all soon
seated round our wigwam with the entrance carefully closed. Alick was
of course much surprised to hear the account we gave him, and declared
that he should be perfectly ready to set off the next morning; he would
go on his own feet if he could, but if not he must ask us to carry him.
"Shure, it's not on your own feet you're going, Mister Alick," observed
Pat; "we'll build you an illigant litther, and carry you on our four
shoulders."
Alick felt conscious that the journey would surpass his powers, and
thanked Pat for his good intentions. The Irishman, who was sincerely
attached to my brother, proposed immediately setting to work to form a
litter, and in spite of the cold, as soon as supper was over he went out
with the axe on his shoulder; and, aided by the light of the fire, he
cut two long saplings and several smaller pieces, with which he returned
to the hut.
Before they lay down to sleep, he and Martin put together a litter well
suited for carrying Alick. I was thankful the next morning to find my
brother so much better, and as soon as we had had some breakfast, having
stretched one of the skins over the litter, we placed him on it,
covering him up carefully with the others.
Not till we were about to start did we think of the danger to which our
camp would be exposed by being left without any protection.
"Shure, Bouncer will look afther that," said Pat. "Here, Bouncer, see
that not a wolf, or a grizzly, or an Indian, or any other brute comes to
our camp till we are back again to carry off the things."
The dog clearly understood him, and set himself down at the entrance of
our wigwam. We then, taking up Alick, commenced our journey to the log
hut.
Considerable as was the cold, the excursion we had to make kept us warm,
and Alick, being well covered up, did not suffer from it. We felt much
anxiety as we approached our destination with regard to the sick
stranger, and I was prepared as we got up to the door to hear the worst.
I was greatly relieved when the Indian, appearing at the door, told us
that the gentleman was no worse. Sitting up in his bunk, he welcomed us
with a languid smile, and begged that we would place Alick by his side
near the fire.
We had brought the iron pot at Martin's request, that he might make some
soup for the two invalids.
"We want you to assist in bringing our provisions from the camp," I
observed.
"Oh! then let me attend to the soup," exclaimed Robin. "I don't want to
shirk my duty."
As Martin was now perfectly recovered, he agreed to Robin's proposal.
"The lad will be able to attend to all our wants," remarked the sick
man, who seemed pleased that Robin should remain. He then turned to the
Ojibbeway, and desired him to accompany us, observing that Rabushway,
the other Indian, had gone out hunting in the morning, and would
probably not return till late. Misticook, the Indian we found at the
hut, expressed his readiness to accompany us, and he, Martin, Pat, and I
set off at once for our camp.
In broad daylight the journey appeared much shorter than it had done the
previous evening. As we got up to the camp, I examined it with no
little anxiety, fearing that during our absence a prowling bear or band
of more ferocious wolves might have broken into it, and carried off our
provisions, though I knew that Bouncer would have fought to the death
before he allowed them to approach. My fears were at an end when he
came rushing out with a cheerful bark to welcome us, wagging his tail
and leaping up to assure us that all was safe.
Martin and I at once began making up the packages to carry on our backs.
"That not do; I no carry these things," observed Misticook.
"Arrah! thin, why in the name of wonder did you come?" exclaimed Pat.
"You see, I show better way," answered the Indian, and forthwith taking
his axe from his belt, he chopped two branches from a neighbouring tree,
about ten feet long, turning up at the ends. He then adroitly secured
several cross-pieces a little more than a foot long, and in a short time
had manufactured a rough sledge. To this he lastly fastened some of the
thongs which he had brought with him, to serve as traces.
"Now what you carry?" he asked.
We showed him the packages we had done up. Nearly as much again
remained, for which we had intended to return. He placed the whole of
it on the sledge, securing it firmly.
"Now ready," he said, and started off.
We took a look round, to see that nothing was left behind, and then
followed, but found it difficult to keep up with Misticook, who glanced
round every now and then in triumph at us.
"I wish that we also had made a sledge," said Martin; "we might have
saved ourselves a good deal of trouble."
However, our pride would not allow us to give in, and we managed to
reach the hut soon after the Indian.
We found Robin seated by the side of the sick man, who had fallen
asleep. Robin put up his finger as a sign to us not to make any noise.
We placed our packages with the other things already there, against the
walls, as well as those which had been brought on the sleigh.
I then observed that there were a number of buffalo-robes and a small
tent, and several other articles of traveller's gear. Alick seemed much
better.
"I shall be all to rights in a few days, I hope," he said; "but I fear
that the days of the poor man there are numbered. He has spoken but
little during your absence though I remarked that his eyes were
continually falling upon Robin as he moved about the hut."
"We shall see how he is when he awakes. In the meantime, as you must be
hungry, I advise you to take the food Robin has prepared."
We very gladly followed the advice, and then lay down to rest.
In the evening Rabushway, the other Ojibbeway, returned with a
ground-squirrel, the only animal he had shot; the previous day he had
killed nothing; he reported that game was very scarce. Knowing that we
were coming to the hut, he expressed no surprise at seeing us. He,
however, did not look very well pleased.
"If you wish to live, you must go out and shoot," he observed, "or else
we all starve."
"We will do what we can, depend on that," I answered; and Martin and I
agreed to accompany him the next morning.
The sick man slept on and on, till at last I began to fear that he would
not awake. At length, greatly to my relief, I heard him speaking to
Robin, and I went up to the side of his bunk to inquire how he felt.
"As I have done for several days," he answered.
Robin, who had gone to the fire, brought him some broth.
"This will restore your strength, sir," he said, "for it has done Alick
much good."
The sick man took it with a faint smile, for he doubted whether anything
would do him good.
"Your elder brother will, I hope, soon be well," he observed. "He only
requires food and rest."
"He is not my brother," answered Robin; on which, thinking it might
interest the sick man, he briefly described how he had been carried off
by the Indians, and finally, having made his escape from them, been
brought to Fort Black.
The stranger was evidently listening with intense interest.
"Tell me, boy," he exclaimed, interrupting him--"have you no
recollection of your parents? What's your name?"
"Oh yes, indeed I have. I remember them well--my father and mother, and
my sister Ella, and little brother Oliver. My name is Robin Grey!"
Almost before the words were out of his mouth, the sick man stretched
out his arms, exclaiming--
"I thought it was so. Come here, my boy. I am your father. Long and
almost hopelessly I have searched for you."
Robin embraced his father. "O papa, I remember you now," he answered,
"though you look so ill and sad; but you must get well, you must not
die; and dear mamma and Ella and Oliver?"
"They were quite well when I left them many months ago; though your poor
mother has never ceased to mourn for your loss," answered Captain Grey.
"I could not bear to see her suffering, and year after year, since you
were lost, I have set off in search of you, returning home only when
driven back by the winter. While I lay here I believed that I must
abandon all hopes of restoring you to your mother's arms; and,
ungrateful as I was, a merciful Providence has brought you to me."
"O papa! papa! I am so happy," cried Robin. "You must get well, and
we'll go back together to mamma and dear little Ella and Oliver."
Captain Grey smiled faintly.
"You must pray with me to God that He will restore me, for He alone has
the power," he answered; "and we must never again mistrust His
providence."
This unexpected meeting between Robin and his father gave us all sincere
pleasure, and made us acknowledge that our course had been directed by a
Superior Power. I cannot but suppose that Robin's arrival at that very
moment had the effect of giving a turn to his father's complaint;
though, for several days, we perceived no change in him.
All we could see was that he was not worse.
Alick rapidly recovered, and in the course of a week was on foot and
able to face the wintry cold.
A heavy fall of snow prevented us from leaving the hut, so we employed
the time in manufacturing snow-shoes, without which we saw that it would
be impossible to go in search of game. On examining our store of
provisions, we found that unless we could kill some large game--either a
buffalo, a deer, or a bear--we should be compelled to trespass on
Captain Grey's stock.
Alick and I discussed the matter when we were out together.
"I see no other alternative, should we fail to obtain an abundance of
meat, than to push on at once to Fort Ross," he observed. "You and I
and Martin and Pat must go. I shall be very sorry to part from Robin,
but we must, of course, leave him with his father, and endeavour as soon
as possible to send them assistance. I wish that we could find a doctor
to send to them, for I fear that the captain will not recover without
medical aid. As it is, should the two Ojibbeways be unsuccessful in
hunting, they will be very hard pressed for food."
I agreed in this with Alick, but I thought that Captain Grey would get
well in the course of time, without a doctor. I hoped so, indeed, for
there was but little prospect of our finding one.
As soon as the weather cleared, Alick, Martin, and I set off on
snow-shoes with our guns, but returned without having seen even the
trace of an animal. For three days in succession we went out, but came
back as unsuccessful as at first. We accordingly, as we had determined,
told Captain Grey of our proposal to start forthwith for Fort Ross.
He appeared to be very unwilling to let us go.
"I don't wish to detain you on my own account, though I shall be sorry
to lose your society," he said, "but Robin will be very solitary without
your companionship; and should death overtake me, I dread to think of
the situation the poor boy will be left in with these two Indians
alone."
We endeavoured to raise the captain's spirits by promising to send him
aid, and pointing out to him that our plan was the best for all parties.
We at length succeeded, and as he consented to our proposal, we made
immediate preparations for our departure. We first set to work to
manufacture fresh knapsacks, with one of which each of us was provided,
as also fur coats and caps, that we might be enabled the better to
withstand the cold, to which we must inevitably be exposed.
Our snow-shoes were strengthened for the long tramp we had in prospect.
Fortunately we found a sleigh in the hut, the wood of which was in good
condition. It was simply a thin board, twelve feet long, twelve inches
broad, and turned up at one end, from the top of which end to the hinder
part, two thin poles were fixed on either side for the purpose of
fastening the thongs by which the baggage carried on it was to be
secured.
We also manufactured some harness from buffalo thongs for Bouncer, who
was destined to drag it. Pat undertook to drag the sledge which
Misticook had made to bring the provisions from our camp. The captain
insisted that we should take the tent, as it was but small, and would
greatly contribute to our comfort; and he also gave us a further supply
of powder and shot, of which we had run short.
The morning we had arranged to start arrived. It was snowing, but not
sufficiently heavy to delay us. We had tried Bouncer twice before, and
he seemed fully to understand the duty required of him. Pat, who was
less accustomed to snow-shoes than the rest of us, practised himself
frequently, that he might perform the journey without any inconvenience.
Robin had been too stoically brought up among the Indians to exhibit
the sorrow he felt at seeing us depart, but he was satisfied that it was
his duty to remain with his father. After shaking us all by the hand,
he resumed his seat by the side of the captain, apparently being
unwilling actually to witness our start.
The two Indians came out of the hut to give us their final advice as to
how, under various circumstances, we should act. While Alick was
securing the cargo of Bouncer's sleigh, and I held the brave dog, who
once having got on the harness, was eager to set out. Pat led the way
with his sleigh to make a road, the direction we were to take having
before been arranged.
"Good-bye! good-bye!" we cried to the Indians, and away we started,
Martin following Pat, while I went just ahead of Bouncer, and Alick
brought up the rear, It continued to snow harder than we liked, though
as there was but little wind, we did not in consequence suffer. Pat,
whose sleigh was but lightly laden, went on bravely, he having wisely
placed his knapsack and gun upon it. We, having heavier weights to
carry, had at first some difficulty in keeping up with him; and as we
were compelled to proceed in Indian file, we could hold but little
conversation with each other.
Bouncer needed no whip, but followed closely at my heels, assisted by
Alick when any hill had to be surmounted.
At first we kept along the margin of the river; then having ascended the
bank, we found ourselves on level ground, covered by an almost unbroken
sheet of snow, here and there only a line of trees showing themselves
above the wide expanse of white.
Captain Grey had given Alick a compass, which much assisted us in
directing our course. The snow ceased about noon, and we halted in the
open plain, to enjoy what was decidedly a cold collation, for there was
no wood to light a fire, and we did not think it worth while to unpack
our sleigh to put up the tent.
We were more fortunate in the evening in reaching a thick grove,
sheltered by which we encamped. On Pat's sleigh were three short poles,
over which the little tent was stretched. It was large enough to allow
us four, with Bouncer, to creep inside, while the sleighs were placed
one on one side and one on the other, to prevent the canvas from being
blown away.
We made up our fire at a sufficient distance from the tent, to avoid the
risk of the flames catching it.
Captain Grey had supplied us with some tea and sugar, and I shall never
forget how much we enjoyed the warm beverage, after our long tramp
across the snow.
Having taken a good meal, we all turned in, wrapped in our
buffalo-robes, knowing that Bouncer would warn us should any enemy
approach. The only enemies we had to dread were bears or wolves, and we
should not have objected to be visited by one of the former, provided we
had time to get a fair shot at it.
Nothing occurred that night to disturb our repose, and we arose in good
spirits, anticipating a successful termination to our journey. In the
morning the sky was clear, and the sun glanced brightly over the
glittering sheet of snow. It was perfectly calm, and we trudged on
cheerfully, every now and then exchanging remarks with each other. We
had been walking for some hours, and had agreed that it would soon be
time to stop for dinner, when Martin complained of a peculiar pricking
in the eyelids.
"Shure, it's the same sort of thing I've been feeling," exclaimed Pat.
"It's mighty unpleasant, but I thought I'd say nothing about it."
It did not occur to me at the time that the symptoms were those which
precede snow-blindness, and Alick was too far behind to hear what was
said. I had found the glare of the sun unpleasant, and had drawn the
front of my cap somewhat over my eyes, which I kept partially closed,
fixing them only on Martin's dark coat, which served to guide me. It
was owing to this that I did not experience the sensations of which my
companions complained.
Nothing more was said on the subject for some time, and Pat went forward
at his usual pace.
The ground became at length rather more uneven than before, but Pat
manfully dragged forward his sleigh without complaining; and Alick, who,
though coming last, was really directing us like a helmsman at the
wheel, seemed to consider that we were going right.
Presently I heard a cry, and looking over Martin's shoulder, I saw Pat's
legs in the air, and the sleigh, the hinder part of which Martin had
just caught hold of, tipping up, as if about to follow the Irishman down
the hollow into which it was evident he had fallen. I sprang forward as
fast as my snow-shoes would allow me, to catch hold of the sleigh, when
what was my dismay to see Pat's feet disappear altogether beneath the
snow, his stifled cries alone reaching my ears.
"He has fallen into a deep pit, I fear," cried Martin.
"He'll be smothered if we don't dig him out quickly," I said.
Martin and I, going ahead of the sleigh, hauled away at the traces which
were secured round Pat's body, but in our efforts to haul him out they
broke. We became seriously alarmed, for the snow falling in completely
concealed Pat from sight.
Alick, seeing what had happened, came hurrying up ahead of Bouncer, who
sagaciously halted. Every moment of delay was of consequence, but
before we could do anything we had to take off our snow-shoes. Alick
then holding on to the sledge, which we brought close to the side of the
pit, plunged into it, feeling with his hands in the hopes of catching
hold of one of Pat's feet, while we shovelled away, lying flat with our
heads and shoulders over the hollow, endeavouring to throw out the snow.
"I feel one of Pat's shoes!" cried Alick at length. "Here is a foot!
Pass the broken trace down to me."
We did as he directed. Presently we caught sight of another foot which
was still moving about, showing that the owner was not yet altogether
suffocated.