thing is possible, but not very likely," replied Louis.
"Nevertheless, Hector, I would not willingly put myself in their power.
The Indian has his own notion of things, and might think himself
quite justified in killing us, if he found us on his hunting-grounds.
_[FN: George Copway, an intelligent Rice Lake Indian, says the
Indian hunting-grounds are parcelled out, and secured by right of law
and custom among themselves, no one being allowed to hunt upon another's
grounds uninvited. If any one belonging to another family or tribe is
found trespassing, all his goods are taken from him; a handful of powder
and shot, as much as he would need to shoot game for his sustenance in
returning straight home, and his gun, knife, and tomahawk only are left,
but all his game and furs are taken from him: a message is sent to
his chief, and if he transgresses a third time, he is banished and
outlawed.--_Life of G. Copway, Missionary, written by himself._]_ I
have heard my father say,--and he knows a great deal about these
people,--that their chiefs are very strict in punishing any strangers
that they find killing game on their bounds uninvited. They are both
merciless and treacherous when angered, and we could not even speak to
them in their own language, to explain by what chance we came here."

This was very prudent of Louis, uncommonly so, for one who was naturally
rash and headstrong, but unfortunately Hector was inflexible and wilful:
when once he had made up his mind upon any point, he had too good an
opinion of his own judgment to give it up. At last, he declared his
intention, rather than remain a slave to such cowardly fears as he now
deemed them, to go forth boldly, and endeavour to ascertain what the
Indians were about, how many there were of them, and what real danger
was to be apprehended from facing them.

"Depend upon it," he added, "cowards are never safer than brave men.
The Indians despise cowards, and would be more likely to kill us if they
found us cowering here in this hole like a parcel of wolf-cubs, than if
we openly faced them and showed that we neither feared them, nor cared
for them."

"Hector, dear Hector, be not so rash!" cried his sister, passionately
weeping. "Ah! if we were to lose you, what would become of us?"

"Never fear, Kate; I will run into no needless danger. I know how to
take care of myself. I am of opinion, that the Indian camp is broken up;
they seldom stay long in one place. I will go ove