of
the wounded men had also to be carried, so that we formed a
mournful-looking party, as, shortly after our meal was finished, we
commenced our march.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

ON THE MARCH--WINNEMAK UNABLE TO GIVE ME NEWS OF MY FRIENDS--MY
ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF PIOMINGO--ENCAMPED FOR THE NIGHT--WE REACH
WINNEMAK'S CAMP--BRAVES AND SQUAWS--WHERE ARE MY FRIENDS?--WINNEMAK AND
HIS IDOLS--A PARTY OF BRAVES ARRIVE, WITH PRISONERS--MAYSOTTA AND HER
DOG--A STRANGE MEETING--THE LIEUTENANT'S STORY--WE START IN QUEST OF
CLARICE AND RACHEL--A FRUITLESS SEARCH--I LOSE MY FRIEND IN THE FOREST--
TRYING TO REGAIN THE RIGHT PATH, I MEET WITH CLARICE AND MAYSOTTA--MY
SISTER'S STORY--I TELL HER OF THE BURNING OF THE FARM--WE SET OUT FOR
THE CAMP, AND MEET WITH THE LIEUTENANT--NIGHT COMING ON, WE ENCAMP IN
THE FOREST--RESUMING OUR JOURNEY IN THE MORNING, WE REACH THE CAMP IN
SAFETY.

As we proceeded on our journey, I walked alongside the chief,
endeavouring to gain from him all the information I could. I was
surprised that he had not fallen in with Uncle Jeff, and that he had
seen nothing of Lieutenant Broadstreet and Clarice. I supposed that he
or his people would certainly have met them on their way to his camp--
Winnemak could only account for it by supposing that they had made a
detour to avoid some party of the enemy.

"But might they not, then, have been surprised and overcome?" I asked,
with much agitation.

"Not if they faced them with a bold front, or kept a proper watch at
night," he answered. "Those Arrapahas are cowardly; they will only
attack their enemies when they feel secure in their numbers, or can take
them by surprise."

"They fought bravely enough when they assaulted Uncle Jeff's farm," I
observed. "I should not have called them cowards."

"They had white men with them--and only the bravest of their warriors
took part in the fight," he replied.

I could only trust that Winnemak was right in his conjecture, and that
we should find Clarice and her escort at the camp. With regard to Uncle
Jeff, I was still more anxious, and I began to fear that,
notwithstanding his clever trick, he might not have escaped the bullets
and arrows of his pursuers; or his horse might have fallen, and he have
been taken prisoner. Altogether, my state of mind may be better
imagined than described; still, always hopeful, I continued to hope, in
spite of the appearance of things, that they would all turn up right at
last.

I spo