d of
rushing into it, as we expected, they kept along the edge. Presently we
heard them give tongue, and hurrying forward, we saw a person issuing
from the thick brushwood, accompanied by the two dogs. On getting
nearer to him, I discovered, to my joy, that he was my father. He
seemed more than usually agitated, and when I inquired the cause, he
told me that he had been separated from his companion, whom, after some
time, he had found dead on the ground, stabbed apparently, but not
scalped, so that he was in doubt whether an Indian had done the deed.
Anxious, however, about his own safety, he was endeavouring to make his
way out of the hummock, when he caught sight, in the distance, of
several figures moving among the trees, which, though indistinctly seen,
he was convinced were those of Indians. He concealed himself at once,
and had reason to believe that he was not detected, but had been unable
to make his way out, until the hounds had found him, not being aware how
close he was to the edge of the hummock. How he had escaped from the
Redskins it was difficult to say. Some of the party proposed at once to
go in search of the body of the murdered man; but though we might
possibly have found it, with the assistance of the dogs, in daylight, it
would have been almost impossible to do so in the dark. We therefore
agreed to return to the camp, and made the best of our way back, where
the news we brought created no little sensation. Some suspected that
Spotted Wolf was not altogether unacquainted with the circumstance.
Carlos declared that he should not be surprised had the Indian himself
killed the man; but on comparing the time we had met him with that when
my father believed the murder to have been committed, we decided that
Spotted Wolf must be acquitted of the charge.

In consequence of what had occurred, a double watch was set, and all
sentinels were charged to keep wide awake, so that during the night we
might not be taken by surprise.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

DESERTERS--CARLOS'S OPINION OF SPOTTED WOLF--THE MARCH CONTINUED--HALT--
THE HUNTING PARTY--DECOYING DEER--RUNAWAY HORSES--A CAPTURE--PROOFS OF
AN INDIAN BATTLE--SCENE OF A MASSACRE--OUR PLANS ALTERED--SCOUTING--THE
SURVIVORS--DETAILS OF THE TRAGEDY--FORWARD--THE ABANDONED FORT--WE
GARRISON THE BLOCK-HOUSE--STRENGTHENING OUR POSITION--REPORTS OF THE
SCOUTS--SCARCITY OF PROVISIONS--AN EXPEDITION TO OBTAIN RELIEF--A
DISAPPOINTMENT--THE STRANGE HUNTER--A SURPRI