learn to obey without
question. Now, go and saddle the horses. The big one for me, the pony
for yourself. Put the saddle-bags on the horse, and be quick."

There was a tone and manner about the usually quiet and gentle girl
which surprised and quite overawed little Trevor, so that he was reduced
at once to an obedient and willing slave. Indeed he was rather glad
than otherwise that Betty had declined to listen to his suggestion about
the army of young diggers--which an honest doubt as to his own capacity
to fight and conquer all who might chance to come in his way had induced
him to make--while he was by no means unwilling to undertake,
singlehanded, any duties his fair conductor should require of him.

In a few minutes, therefore, the steeds were brought round to the door
of the tent, where Betty already stood equipped for the journey.

Our fair readers will not, we trust, be prejudiced against the Rose of
Oregon when we inform them that she had adopted man's attitude in
riding. Her costume was arranged very much after the pattern of the
Indian women's dress--namely, a close-fitting body, a short woollen
skirt reaching a little below the knees, and blue cloth leggings in
continuation. These latter were elegantly wrought with coloured silk
thread, and the pair of moccasins which covered her small feet were
similarly ornamented. A little cloth cap, in shape resembling that of a
cavalry foraging cap, but without ornaments, graced her head, from
beneath which her wavy hair tumbled in luxuriant curls on her shoulders,
and, as Tolly was wont to remark, looked after itself anyhow. Such a
costume was well adapted to the masculine position on horseback, as well
as to the conditions of a land in which no roads, but much underwood,
existed.

Bevan's tent having been pitched near the outskirts of Simpson's Camp,
the maiden and her gallant protector had no difficulty in quitting it
unobserved. Riding slowly at first, to avoid attracting attention as
well as to pick their steps more easily over the somewhat rugged ground
near the camp, they soon reached the edge of an extensive plain, at the
extremity of which a thin purple line indicated a range of hills. Here
Tolly Trevor, unable to restrain his joy at the prospect of adventure
before him, uttered a war-whoop, brought his switch down smartly on the
pony's flank, and shot away over the plain like a wild creature. The
air was bracing, the prospect was fair, the sunshin