ed about Obed. He ought to
have been back by this time, I thought. I was afraid some accident
might have befallen him, for I was very certain that he would not have
deserted me. By degrees I recovered my composure, and took my exercise
with my rifle in my hand as usual. My tent also, by being almost
covered up with snow, had become a very warm and comparatively
comfortable habitation, as I could always keep up a good fire within it.
When I returned from my walks I had a cup of warm tea ready, which
tended to keep up the circulation which the exercise had established.
Thus I soon got into very good health again.

My chief occupation when out was looking for game. What was my delight
one morning to see a flight of prairie-hens sitting on some boughs not
far from my tent. I stopped like a pointer. I knew that the slightest
movement might scare them away; and lifting my rifle to my shoulder, I
selected a fine cock. I fired, and over he tumbled. I ran forward, and
securing him to my belt, I marked where the others settled, and followed
them up. Thus I went on. I had killed three, I think, which would
prove a most satisfactory addition to my larder. When I looked about me
I found that I had got a long way from my tent. I walked briskly back.
When I got to the top of the bank near the river, what was my dismay, on
looking northward, to see several persons approaching my tent! They
could not have failed to have discovered me. I watched them with
intense interest. They were red-skins--Dacotahs probably; I could not
possibly avoid encountering them. I felt that my only prospect of
safety was to put a bold face on the matter, and go and meet them
frankly.

Hurrying to my tent, I loaded myself with all my fire-arms, resolving to
sell my life dearly, and then walked forward towards them. I counted
the strangers. There were ten of them, all painted and dressed for war;
and a very ferocious set they looked. They seemed very much astonished
and puzzled at seeing me. In an instant they all had their arrows fixed
in their bows, and, forming a line, they thus advanced slowly and
cautiously, keeping an eye on the tent, and evidently expecting to see a
number of people emerge from it. Their demonstrations were so hostile
that I now began to repent that I had not made an attempt to defend
myself; at the same time I felt that a contest with ten cunning savages
would have been a very hopeless one. Flight, too, over the