urried
back to poor little Lily.

"We are safe now, Lily," I said, "and you must come with me. Do you
think you could sit on my horse, while we gallop over the ground?"

"Oh yes, Lily often used to sit on Uncle John's horse. I not afraid,"
she answered. "But mother, where is mother?"

"That other man will take care of her," I answered evasively. "Come, I
want to carry you to friends; I've got a little sister, who would be so
glad to see you, and so will my mother. She, I know, will take care of
you."

"Lily will go with you," she answered.

Mounting my horse, I called to Uncle Denis to place Lily in front of me
on the saddle.

"Go on, Mike," he said; "we will do as Mr Tidey proposed with the poor
lady, and follow close behind you. The sooner we rejoin the waggons the
better, for one can never tell what tricks the redskins may play us.
Tell your father that I think he had better camp as soon as he can find
a suitable spot."

I did not stop for further directions, but rode off as fast as I could
venture to go, holding Lily tightly with my right arm round her waist
before me. I very naturally, as I rode along, kept a look-out on either
side, half expecting to see a party of Indians creeping forward to cut
me off. I was thankful when I caught sight of the waggons approaching
with my father at their head. His astonishment at beholding my young
companion was very great. I stopped but for a moment to tell him what
had occurred. He ordered the waggons to halt, that I might give Lily
over to my mother. She and Kathleen uttered exclamations of surprise at
seeing the little girl, while Dio, who was on foot, ran forward and
lifted her into the waggon.

"This is my mother, Lily," I said, "and my little sister Kathleen; I am
sure they will be kind and love you very much."

"That we will," said my mother, as Lily, looking up in her face, smiled
faintly; but she had been too much frightened to speak. As I left her
in my mother's arms I whispered--

"I will tell you by-and-by how I found her, but don't ask her any
questions now, mother." I made a sign, which I think she understood, to
show her that something very dreadful had occurred.

Without stopping further, I returned to my father, to whom I gave my
uncle's message, and as we rode along I told him what had happened. We
had not got far when Mr Tidey and Uncle Denis arrived. I saw that both
my uncle and the Dominie looked unusually anxious. Just as they