ttle girl and myself to the last. A
new danger arose: the waggon was burning furiously; the flames might
ignite the others, which in all probability also contained kegs of
powder, and it was more than likely that the grass would be set on fire
and the whole prairie would be in a blaze. Not only should I and my
young companion lose our lives, but my friends would be exposed to the
most fearful danger. I must endeavour, I saw, to make some effort to
prevent the catastrophe; but I had not the heart to force the little
girl's arms from around my neck, and to place her on the ground. I
endeavoured to tranquillise her by every means I could think of. At
last I bethought me of placing her in the only waggon which remained
upright.

"Stay quiet there, Lily," I observed; "no one will hurt you, and I will
come back as soon as possible. I want to try and put out that fire, or
it will do us harm."

"Don't leave me, don't leave me," cried Lily; but as she did not resist.
I placed her in the waggon, and begged her to be quiet, while I seized
a long stick which lay on the ground, and rushing up to the fire, beat
out the flames which already rose from the grass. Mercifully it was not
so thick there as in other places a short distance off. I rushed round
and round the burning mass, now and then being just in time to reach a
snake-like line of flame which was extending towards the brushwood or in
the direction of the tall grass, which, had it gained, nothing could
have stopped the dreaded catastrophe. I was thus engaged when I heard a
loud holloa! For a moment I thought the Indians were upon me, but on
looking up, I saw Mr Tidey, leading my horse and followed by Uncle
Denis. They were soon up to me, and leaping from their steeds, without
stopping to ask questions, commenced stamping out the smouldering fire,
which a sudden puff of wind might soon have raised again into a flame.
Not until they had succeeded in overcoming the threatened danger did
they speak a word. Uncle Denis then told me that they had heard the
report; and fearing that we might be exposed to danger, he had galloped
forward to ascertain the cause, leaving the waggons under the command of
my father, who had made every preparation for resistance in case they
should be attacked by the Indians. He had seen Mr Tidey catch my
horse, and had been very anxious lest some accident should have befallen
me. A few words served to explain what had happened, and I then h