see her moving.
Perhaps we may be in time to save her."

Forgetting that the Indians might still be at hand, we dismounted, and
fastening our horses to the wheels of one of the waggons, made our way
through the brushwood. As we did so, a couple of wolves approached from
an opposite direction, and were on the point of seizing the woman's
body, when Boxer and his companion springing forward, they took to
flight. We hurried to the assistance of the poor woman. We now saw
that it was not she who had moved, but a little girl whose arms were
thrown round her.

"Oh! come help Lily!" exclaimed the child, at once recognising us as
white men: "look up mother! oh, mother, mother! speak to Lily, one word.
White man come to help you, no fear now."

In vain, however, Lily called to her mother. While I took the child in
my arms, Mr Tidey knelt down by the side of the poor lady. The blood
which flowed from her breast, and dyed the ground on which she lay, too
plainly told that she had received a mortal wound.

"She is beyond our help," he said; "but I would prevent her body being
devoured by these abominable brutes. Do you carry the child, and I will
convey the poor mother into the nearest waggon. We can cover her up
sufficiently to prevent the wolves getting at her until we return, when
we can bury her decently, as well as the rest of the murdered people."

I did as he advised, and was making my way to where we had left the
horses, when I heard a loud explosion, and fragments of all sorts came
whizzing through the air: mercifully none of them struck me. I looked
round, and was thankful to see Mr Tidey safe. I had forgotten the
waggon which we had seen burning. The horses, terrified by the sound,
reared and plunged, and broke their bridles. The Dominie, letting the
body fall, rushed after his horse; fortunately catching it, he galloped
after mine in the direction from which we had come, and I found myself
standing alone in the midst of the blackened train, with the little girl
clinging to my neck and crying bitterly for her mother to speak to her,
while the wolves, driven to a distance by the explosion, howled and
yelped around me, though kept from again approaching by the gallant dogs
and the shouts I raised for the purpose of keeping them at bay.

I felt that I was in a fearful position. At any moment the savages
might return, in the hopes of obtaining more plunder. I had my rifle,
and I determined to defend the li