ke a well-bred gentleman, did not
further press the delicate subject. After a further conversation on
other subjects, I begged that he would excuse me, as I wished to go back
to my white friends who were waiting for me round their camp-fire, and
having once more carefully dressed the old man's wounds, I took my
departure. I made Obed and his brother laugh heartily when I narrated
to them the flattering offer I had received, and one or two of their
companions, backwoodsmen of the roughest sort, seemed rather inclined to
offer themselves in my stead, as candidates for the honour of possessing
the brown ladies' hands.

"Now, Obed," said I, "I should like to hear all about your proceedings;
but before you begin, I must ask you if you have placed sentries round
the camp, and sent out scouts to discover if our foes are lurking near?"

He had, I found, placed a couple of sentries, one on each side of the
camp, but had not thought it necessary to send out any scouts. I urged
him to do so, and he selected three of the most intelligent of the
Indians, and directed them to feel their way out on every side of the
camp, and to ascertain whether any enemies were lurking near. These
arrangements being made, I once more took my seat by the camp-fire. I
have always spoken of Obed as leader of the party. So in truth he was--
his elder brothers having joined him after he had formed the expedition,
and put themselves under his orders.

"Now, Obed, my dear fellow, do begin to tell me how it is you came to my
rescue so exactly at the nick of time," said I, lighting my pipe over
the fire and leaning back against a stone which served instead of an
arm-chair. I ought to have remarked that a screen had been put up,
composed of birch-bark, to serve as a shelter against the wind, so that
we were far warmer than might have been expected in that wintry night.
Our encampment had a very picturesque appearance. The white men were
collected round one fire; the Indians who had come with Obed had three
or four among them; while the tents of Waggum-winne-beg and his
followers were in the centre, with a fire burning in the middle of each
of them. The greater number of the Indians had thrown themselves down
to rest, wrapped up in their fur mantles, under the shelter of the rocks
and their birch-bark screens, with small fires at their feet. I could
see in the distance the tall figures of those appointed to do duty as
sentries walking up and down o