on, when, utterly exhausted from want of sleep and food, I
sank down under shelter of a copse which I had just reached. How long I
had remained in a state of unconsciousness I could not tell, when I felt
something licking my hand. I opened my eyes with the idea that a wolf
or a grizzly bear was about to seize me.

What was my astonishment to behold our dog Bouncer, a general favourite
at the fort, but especially attached to me.

"Bouncer, old fellow, where have you come from?" I exclaimed.

As soon as he heard me speak, he began leaping round me, and barking for
joy at finding me alive.

"Where are the rest, Bouncer? Are they near at hand?" I asked; but the
only reply Bouncer could make was to wag his tail and bark and attempt
to lick me all over.

The sight of the faithful dog greatly restored my spirits and even my
strength, for I was able to get up and walk more steadily than I had
been doing during the whole morning. I looked about in every direction,
expecting to see some of my friends who had come in search of me; but no
one appeared, nor did Bouncer show any intention of leaving my side.
That he would know the way to the fort I felt very sure, and I now hoped
that I should have no difficulty in reaching it. He looked in pretty
good condition, so I judged that he could not have been very long on the
search. I walked on as I had been going when I sank down, and as he did
not attempt to lead me in any other direction, I concluded that I was
taking the right course. Before long we came to a wood. As I suspected
that I should be led a considerable distance out of the direct line of
march should I attempt to go round the wood, I made my way through it,
and found that it bordered a broad stream, too deep apparently in that
place to ford. I therefore continued down the stream. Before I had
gone far, what was my surprise to see lying on the bank a small canoe,
known among us as a bull boat or parchment canoe. It was formed of
buffalo hide with the hair scraped off, stretched over a framework. It
contained a single paddle, but there was nothing else whatever in it.
The canoe appeared to be in very good condition, and to require nothing
whatever done to it to make it fit for a voyage down the stream.

From its construction, I came to the conclusion that it was not a canoe
belonging to our fort, though at first I supposed that it must have been
left by some of the party who had come out in search of me. O