almost in trying to load my piece,
and it dropped from my hand, and the hand itself sank lifeless to the
ground.

"I was scarcely in my senses, the yells and shots ringing dimly in
my ears, when I saw an Indian before me, busied over the body of the
Frenchman I had just shot, but glancing towards me as I lay on the
ground bleeding. He first rifled the Frenchman, tearing open his coat,
and feeling in his pockets: he then scalped him, and with his bleeding
knife in his mouth advanced towards me. I saw him coming as through a
film, as in a dream--I was powerless to move, or to resist him.

"He put his knee upon my chest: with one bloody hand he seized my long
hair and lifted my head from the ground, and as he lifted it, he enabled
me to see a French officer rapidly advancing behind him.

"Good God! It was young Florac, who was my second in the duel at Quebec.
'A moi, Florac!' I cried out. 'C'est Georges! aide moi!'

"He started; ran up to me at the cry, laid his hand on the Indian's
shoulder, and called him to hold. But the savage did not understand
French, or choose to understand it. He clutched my hair firmer, and
waving his dripping knife round it, motioned to the French lad to leave
him to his prey. I could only cry out again and piteously, 'A moi!'

"'Ah, canaille, tu veux du sang? Prends!' said Florac, with a curse; and
the next moment, and with an ugh, the Indian fell over my chest dead,
with Florac's sword through his body.

"My friend looked round him. 'Eh!' says he, 'la belle affaire! Where art
thou wounded? in the leg?' He bound my leg tight round with his sash.
'The others will kill thee if they find thee here. Ah, tiens! Put me on
this coat, and this hat with the white cockade. Call out in French if
any of our people pass. They will take thee for one of us. Thou art
Brunet of the Quebec Volunteers. God guard thee, Brunet! I must go
forward. 'Tis a general debacle, and the whole of your redcoats are on
the run, my poor boy.' Ah, what a rout it was! What a day of disgrace
for England!

"Florac's rough application stopped the bleeding of my leg, and the kind
creature helped me to rest against a tree, and to load my fusil, which
he placed within reach of me, to protect me in case any other marauder
should have a mind to attack me. And he gave me the gourd of that
unlucky French soldier, who had lost his own life in the deadly game
which he had just played against me, and the drink the gourd contained
serv