s and
come near us, we must stop and drive them off. I can count but six; two
a-piece, and we each of us must settle one of those as soon as they come
within range of our bullets. In the meantime we will keep on as we are
going, and if the fort is at hand, it may be that they will think it
wise to keep at a distance."

Looking steadily in the direction the Dominie pointed, I could but just
discern some figures appearing against the sky above the horizon, but
whether Indians or white men I was unable to determine. I kept watching
them anxiously. In a short time Dio cried out--

"Dey come dis way! dey come dis way!"

"Never mind, if they come nearer than we like, we must send them to the
right-about," observed Mr Tidey calmly.

I could, however, see that the strangers were approaching at a rapid
rate, and it would soon be necessary for us to get ready to receive
them.

Mr Tidey frequently turned his head over his left shoulder, but still
rode on.

"Had we not better stop?" I asked, "they will be down upon us
presently."

The Dominie pulled up, and attentively regarded the approaching
strangers. "All right!" he exclaimed, "they are friends; I see their
uniforms, we shall not have to fight for our lives this time."

In a few minutes the strangers were up to us. They proved to be a
scouting party led by a sergeant, and had come out from the fort on
learning that a band of Indians on the war-path had been seen in the
neighbourhood, but on discovering us they had ridden up to ascertain who
we were. The sergeant gave us the satisfactory intelligence that the
fort was not half a mile ahead. "You cannot miss it," he observed, "if
you keep straight on as you are going, but we must ride round and drive
in some cattle which have strayed away, or we shall have them carried
off by those thieves of redskins."

We followed the advice of the sergeant; still, though according to our
calculation we had gone the distance he had mentioned, we could not in
the gloom distinguish the fort. Presently, however, a shot whistled
past Mr Tidey's ears, which made him suddenly bob his head, and a voice
was heard crying out in an Irish accent--

"Who goes there?"

"Friends, who would be obliged to you to challenge first and shoot if
they prove to be enemies," answered the Dominie.

The next instant we found ourselves in front of a stockade above which
appeared the roofs of some low buildings, while in front we could
distingui