re to push our horses without over-fatiguing them;
but when we came to woody districts we kept as much as possible under
shelter of the trees, so as to avoid being seen. We did not forget
that, should enemies cross our trail, they would probably follow us. We
therefore very frequently looked about us, to ascertain if we were
pursued. We agreed that, in that case, we would run for it, trusting to
the mettle of our horses for escape.

It may seem strange, but I enjoyed the excitement, and should not have
been alarmed had we caught sight of a dozen Redskins, provided they were
on foot, and we had a fair start. Mike did not quite enter into my
feelings, however.

"Sure it would be betther, Masther Roger, if we could get along asily,
and just stop and enjoy our dinner and supper without the feeling that
at any moment our scalps might be taken off our heads," he observed.

"We have kept them on through much greater dangers than we are now
likely to meet with," I answered; "and while we have fleet horses under
us, we may laugh at the Indians. They won't know that we are without
firearms, and they are terribly afraid of bullets."

For all this, I should have been glad had we possessed a good rifle and
a brace of pistols apiece. Though our spears might serve us in a close
encounter with a bear, or even with wolves, we were but ill able to
protect ourselves against the arrows of a party of Redskins.

Whenever we reached a height we surveyed the country both before and
behind us, to make sure, in the first place, that no Indians were
following; and, in the second, that none were encamped ahead, or, as I
have before said, moving about. During the day we met with several
small streams at which we could water our horses and slake our own
thirst; and the first night we encamped under shelter of a wood, where
there was plenty of grass for our steeds. We contented ourselves with
forming a lean-to, but did not light a fire lest it should betray our
whereabouts. Having eaten a little more pemmican, we formed our beds of
spruce-fir tops, and lay down to rest.

"Do you slape as sound as you like, Masther Roger; I'll jist keep one
eye open, in case any unwelcome visitor should take the throuble to poke
his nose into our palace," observed Mike. "When you think you have had
rest enough, you can jist wake up and let me take a snooze till
morning."

I thanked my honest friend for his kind intentions, and in less than
half a min