river to the opposite bank, which also sloped at a
convenient angle.

Steps were cut upon one side of the slides, by which we ascended to the
summit. Thus we were able to pass backwards and forwards, the rapidity
of the motion and the risk of upsetting giving excitement to the
amusement.

Alick generally took charge of Rose, who was not at all unwilling to
have him as her charioteer. The other boys had smaller toboggans, each
having one to himself.

Up and down the icy hills we went, and across the bright glassy river,
laughing and shouting for hours together; indeed, I confess that we were
never tired of the sport.

Sometimes I must own that we were upset, and rolled down to the bottom;
though we were never much the worse for the catastrophe, for of course
we were all well wrapped up in warm clothing.

The young stranger entered into this amusement with as much zest as any
of us. He quickly recovered his spirits, and, under the tuition of
Letty and Rose, soon found English words in which to express himself.
His English name, he told us, was Robin, though he had been called
Kishkanko by the Indians.

"It is a very ugly name, and we don't intend to call you by it," said
Letty.

"Pray don't; I would rather be called Robin, as I used to be when I was
a little boy by my father, and mother, and sister."

"Then you had a father, and mother, and sister," said Rose.

"Oh yes! and I love them so much, and they love me; and I wanted to go
back to them, and thought I should have died when the cruel Indians
would not let me," answered Robin.

"We want very much to hear how it was that the Indians took you away
from your family," said Rose; "you must tell Letty and me all about it."

Robin passed his hand across his brow, as if trying to collect his
thoughts. It was very evident that the circumstances were of a painful
description. He was about to begin, when it was announced that several
dog-sleighs were approaching the fort from the eastward. There was no
doubt that they were coming from Fort Ross.

We all hurried out to meet them, and in a short time we saw that Mr
Meredith himself was leading the party, which consisted of two clerks
and several hunters. He was on his road, he said, to Mr Crisp's
missionary station, to bring away his daughter Letty, and Rose, if her
parents would allow her to accompany him; and he was very happy to find
that they were already with us. He had heard rumours of the disaffecte