the garrison
should be on the alert."

We thanked him heartily for the important service he had rendered us.

"But will you not come with us," said Mr Tidey; "you yourself may be
exposed to danger from the Indians."

"I have been too long in their territory to have any fear on that score,
and know their ways well enough to avoid them," he answered; "but time
is precious; give your horses the rein. On, on!"

Waving his hand as a farewell, he retreated again into the wood: when I
again looked round he was not to be seen. We galloped forward, the
Dominie, Martin, and Dio leading the pack-animals, which as they were
lightly laden, kept up with us; Dan and I rode alongside each other
ahead of the rest.

"This is capital fun!" cried my young brother; "I would not have missed
it on any account. I only wish that fine fellow had been with us, and
should we be overtaken by the Indians; we might face about and drive
them back."

"If we are overtaken, we shall have to do that at all events," I
replied; "but I hope that we may not be compelled to fight them, and I
have no wish to hear their war-whoops in our rear."

I was not at all certain, however, that those unpleasant sounds would
not reach our ears before we gained the fort. I knew the rate at which
the half-naked savages could scour across the prairie, and when once
they got on our trail, they would, I was convinced, press on at their
utmost speed. But darkness favoured us for some time, though we ran the
risk of one of our horses stepping into a hole or stumbling over the
skeleton of a buffalo or deer, numbers of which strewed the plain. At
length the first streaks of dawn appeared ahead; the light rapidly
increased and the sun which was to guide us rose above the horizon.

Our horses kept up their speed, seeming to be well aware that an enemy
was behind them. My eyes being dazzled by the bright beams of the sun,
I could scarcely see the way, and had to shade them with my hand, while
I bent forward towards my horse's neck.

After a few seconds I made out the wood on our left, and knew that we
were pursuing a right course.

Few words were exchanged by any of the party: at last Dan cried out that
he was getting very hungry, and proposed to stop for breakfast.

"Our scalps are of more value than the refreshing of our inward man,"
answered the Dominie. "We must not think of breakfast, dinner, or
supper, until we get inside the fort, and then we will take all