o hesitate, but dragging
them both after him, he nearly buried his own person in the fog of the
prairie, while he was speaking. It was fortunate that the senses of
the aged hunter remained so acute, and that he had lost none of his
readiness of action. The three were scarcely bowed to the ground, when
their ears were saluted with the well-known, sharp, short, reports of
the western rifle, and instantly, the whizzing of the ragged lead was
heard, buzzing within dangerous proximity of their heads.

"Well done, young chips! well done, old block!" whispered Paul, whose
spirits no danger nor situation could entirely depress. "As pretty a
volley, as one would wish to bear on the wrong end of a rifle! What d'ye
say, trapper! here is likely to be a three-cornered war. Shall I give
'em as good as they send?"

"Give them nothing but fair words," returned the other, hastily, "or you
are both lost."

"I'm not certain it would much mend the matter, if I were to speak with
my tongue instead of the piece," said Paul, in a tone half jocular half
bitter.

"For the sake of heaven, do not let them hear you!" cried Ellen. "Go,
Paul, go; you can easily quit us now!"

Several shots in quick succession, each sending its dangerous messenger,
still nearer than the preceding discharge, cut short her speech, no less
in prudence than in terror.

"This must end," said the trapper, rising with the dignity of one bent
only on the importance of his object. "I know not what need ye may have,
children, to fear those you should both love and honour, but something
must be done to save your lives. A few hours more or less can never
be missed from the time of one who has already numbered so many days;
therefore I will advance. Here is a clear space around you. Profit by it
as you need, and may God bless and prosper each of you, as ye deserve!"

Without waiting for any reply, the trapper walked boldly down the
declivity in his front, taking the direction of the encampment, neither
quickening his pace in trepidation, nor suffering it to be retarded
by fear. The light of the moon fell brighter for a moment on his
tall, gaunt, form, and served to warn the emigrants of his approach.
Indifferent, however to this unfavourable circumstance, he held his way,
silently and steadily towards the copse, until a threatening voice met
him with a challenge of--

"Who comes; friend or foe?"

"Friend," was the reply; "one who has lived too long to disturb the
clos