earance was not unlike that of Joe Blunt. "Jest keep clear
o' the Injuns an' the grog bottle, an' ye've a glor'ous life before
ye."

At this point the conversation was interrupted by the order being
given to move on, which was obeyed in silence, and the cavalcade,
descending the valley, entered one of the gorges in the mountains.

For the first half-mile Cameron rode a little ahead of his men, then
he turned to speak to one of them, and for the first time observed
Crusoe trotting close beside his master's horse.

"Ah! Master Dick," he exclaimed with a troubled expression, "that
won't do. It would never do to take a dog on an expedition like this."

"Why not?" asked Dick; "the pup's quiet and peaceable."

"I doubt it not; but he will betray our presence to the Indians, which
might be inconvenient."

"I have travelled more than a thousand miles through prairie and
forest, among game an' among Injuns, an' the pup never betrayed me
yet," said Dick, with suppressed vehemence. "He has saved my life more
than once though."

"You seem to have perfect confidence in your dog, but as this is a
serious matter you must not expect me to share in it without proof of
his trustworthiness."

"The pup may be useful to us; how would you have it proved?" inquired
Dick.

"Any way you like."

"You forgot your belt at starting, I think I heerd ye say."

"Yes, I did," replied the trader, smiling.

Dick immediately took hold of Cameron's coat, and bade Crusoe smell
it, which the dog did very carefully. Then he showed him his own belt
and said, "Go back to the camp and fetch it, pup."

Crusoe was off in a moment, and in less than twenty minutes returned
with Cameron's belt in his mouth.

"Well, I'll trust him," said Cameron, patting Crusoe's head. "Forward,
lads!" and away they went at a brisk trot along the bottom of a
beautiful valley on each side of which the mountains towered in dark
masses. Soon the moon rose and afforded light sufficient to enable
them to travel all night in the track of the Indian hunter who said he
had seen the Peigans, and who was constituted guide to the party. Hour
after hour the horsemen pressed on without check, now galloping over a
level plain, now bounding by the banks of a rivulet, or bending their
heads to escape the boughs of overhanging trees, and anon toiling
slowly up among the rocks of some narrow defile. At last the moon set,
and the order was given to halt in a little plain where there we