ching the summit of one of the undulations
rather than hills, which rise in different parts of the prairie, we saw
some objects in the distance which we both agreed must be waggons. As
we got nearer we saw that two were upset, and that from a third smoke
was ascending, while from another the tilt had been torn off, one only
remaining intact.

"That must be the train we are in search of," observed the Dominie; "it
has too evidently been attacked by the Indians; but I see no one moving
about. Perhaps the savages caught sight of us, and supposing that we
were at the head of a large party, have gone off. We may be in time to
help some of the poor people, if any have escaped with their lives,
though I fear the worst, as the redskins seldom leave their work half
finished, and the chances are that all the white men have been killed."

We rode forward as fast as the rugged nature of the ground would allow,
prepared at any moment to wheel round and gallop back should we catch
sight of the savages.

We hoped, however, as the dogs did not return, that we should have no
trouble on that account. We were still at some distance from the
waggons, when we heard a loud yelping and barking.

"Those sounds came from a pack of wolves," exclaimed Mr Tidey; "I see
the brutes, they are calling to each other, expecting to enjoy a banquet
on the dead bodies of the slain."

Directly afterwards we caught sight of the animals making their way
through the brushwood and trees which surrounded the waggons. Above
their hideous yelps we could distinguish the deep honest bark of our own
dogs. Forgetting for the moment the risk we ran of being surprised, we
put spurs to our horses, and galloping over the uneven ground soon got
up to the spot. Neither cattle nor horses were visible, they had
evidently been carried off. The scene which soon met our eyes filled us
with horror.

On the ground lay half-a-dozen men, each of whom had been scalped and
their bodies partly stripped. Farther on were two or three more, who
had fallen between the waggons. Some of the wolves, more daring than
their companions, had advanced at the head of the pack, and would
already have commenced the horrible repast had not our two noble dogs,
barking furiously, kept them at bay.

"I am afraid we are too late here to be of any use except to bury the
dead," observed Mr Tidey as we surveyed the melancholy scene. "But
holloa! what is that among the bushes? A woman,--I