with that considerate good nature
which attracted men so powerfully to him, "I admit that the girl's face
might well suggest the thought of dearer faces in distant lands--and
especially her eyes, so different from the piercing black orbs of Indian
squaws. Did you note the--the softness, I was going to say
truthfulness, of her strangely blue eyes?"

Did I note them! The question seemed to me so ridiculous that I
laughed, by way of reply.

I observed that Lumley cast on me for the second time a sharp inquiring
glance, then he said:--

"But I say, Max, we must have our arms looked to, and be ready for a
sudden call. You know that I don't love fighting. Especially at the
commencement of our sojourn would I avoid mixing myself up with Indians'
quarrels; but if our guide comes back saying that their camp is in
danger, we must help him. It would never do, you know, to leave women
and children to the mercy of ruthless savages."

"Leave woman and children!" I exclaimed vehemently, thinking of only
one woman at the moment, "I should _think_ not!"

The tone of indignation in which I said this caused my friend to laugh
outright.

"Well, well," he said, in a low tone, "it's a curious complaint, and not
easily cured."

What he meant was at the time a mystery to me. I have since come to
understand.

"I suppose you'll all agree with me, lads," said Lumley to the men who
sat eating their supper on the opposite side of the fire, and raising
his voice, for we had hitherto been conversing in a low tone, "if Big
Otter's friends need help we'll be ready to give it?"

Of course a hearty assent was given, and several of the men, having
finished supper, rose to examine their weapons.

The guns used by travellers in the Great Nor'-west in those days were
long single-barrels with flint-locks, the powder in which was very apt
to get wet through priming-pans and touch-holes, so that frequent
inspection was absolutely necessary.

As our party consisted of twelve men, including ourselves, and each was
armed--Lumley and myself with double-barrelled fowling-pieces--we were
able, if need be, to fire a volley of fourteen shots. Besides this, my
chief and I carried revolvers, which weapons had only just been
introduced into that part of the country. We were therefore prepared to
lend effective aid to any whom we thought it right to succour.

Scarcely had our arrangements been made when the lithe agile form of
Mozwa glided into the