"is to fill it with the hot stones. We will then rake the fire
out of the hole, put the pot in and cover it up, and in a short time we
shall have as good soup as you ever tasted."

Bouncer, who seemed to take great interest in what was going on, drew
near to examine the pot, and would have poked his nose in had not Martin
given him a tap on the tip of it and sent him off somewhat ashamed of
himself.

While Robin's directions were being carried out, Alick and I prepared
some of the bear's meat for roasting, and cut up the remainder into
slices to dry in the sun, intending also to smoke them well before we
commenced our journey. Though the flesh of the old bear was not so
tender as that of her cub, we ate it with no little relish.

"Leave some room for the soup," exclaimed Robin; "that will be ready in
a few minutes, and will do us more good than the roast meat. It's a
pity we cannot carry some with us."

We accordingly stopped, and in a short time he produced the pot from the
hole. In spite of the want of salt and vegetables, the soup was
pronounced excellent. We fortunately had a couple of tin cups with
which to ladle it out.

We were on the point of starting, when Robin asserted that he heard the
tramp of horses. Putting our ears to the ground, we were convinced that
he was right, and that the sound came from the north-west, the direction
from which the wind was blowing. To attempt to hide would be useless,
as the fire which was still burning would have betrayed us, even had the
sharp eyes of the Indians not discovered our tracks. We could only
hope, therefore, that they would prove friends, who would allow us to
proceed on our way, even should they refuse to supply us with horses.
We therefore, having seen to our firearms, remained where we were, with
our backs to the wood, so that we might present as formidable an
appearance as possible should the newcomers venture to attack us.

All hope of offering any effectual resistance, however, was dissipated
when we saw coming round the edge of the wood a large band of half-naked
warriors, armed with bows and arrows, their hair streaming over their
backs--perfect savages in appearance.

"They are Crees of the plain," exclaimed Robin, "and are, I think, on a
hunting expedition. If we make friends with them they will not harm us,
as they are generally well disposed towards the white men."

The Crees saw us, and came galloping up, most of them flourishing their