way, followed
by the dark-skinned Indian, who, with the usual reticence of his race,
had stood like a brown statue, silently observing events.

Jessie Davidson, who was a fair and comely maiden, touched him on the
arm as he was passing out--

"Oh! take care of him, Okematan," she said, anxiously.

Okematan replied "Ho!" in a sort of grunt. It was an expressively
uttered though not very comprehensible reply; but Jessie was satisfied,
for she knew the man well, as he had for a considerable time been, not
exactly a servant of the house, but a sort of self-appointed hanger-on,
or unpaid retainer. For an Indian, he was of a cheerful disposition and
made himself generally useful.

When they were outside, it was found that the gale had abated
considerably, and that the moon was occasionally visible among the
clouds which were driving wildly athwart the heavens, as though the
elemental war which had ceased to trouble the earth were still raging in
the sky.

"Peter," said the brother, as they stood for a moment beside two Indian
sledges, one of which was laden with provisions, the other
empty--"Peter, don't forget your promise. Lay the whip on heavy.
Nothing else will keep me awake!"

"All right! Sit down there for a moment. We're not quite ready yet."

"I'd better not. No! I will stand till it's time to start," returned
Dan with a dubious shake of his head.

"Didn't you say you would trust me?"

"Yes, I did, old boy."

"Does it look like trusting me to refuse the very first order I give
you? What an example to Okematan! I am in command, Dan. Do as you're
bid, sir, and sit down."

With a faint smile, and a still more dubious shake of the head, Dan
obeyed. He sat down on the empty sledge and the expected result
followed. In a few seconds he was asleep.

"Now we'll pack him in tight," observed his brother, as he and the
Indian stretched the sleeper at full length on the sledge, wrapped him
completely up in the warm buffalo-robes, and lashed him down in such a
way that he resembled a mummy, with nothing visible of him except his
mouth and nose.

Four strong large dogs were attached to each sledge in tandem fashion,
each dog having a little collar and harness of its own. No reins were
necessary. A track beaten in the soft snow with his snow-shoes by the
Indian, who stepped out in front, was guide enough for them; and a
tail-line attached to the rear of each sledge, and held by the drivers,
sufficed to