mercy," said Mr Campbell; "at one time
yesterday evening I thought we were about to be rendered destitute
indeed, but it has pleased God that it should be otherwise."

"Yes, sir," observed Malachi; "what threatened your ruin has turned out
to your advantage. Next year you will see everything green and fresh as
before: and, as Martin says, you have to thank the fire for clearing
away more land for you than a whole regiment of soldiers could have done
in two or three years."

"But we must work hard and get in the corn next spring, for otherwise
the brushwood will grow up so fast as to become a forest again in a few
years."

"I never thought of inquiring," said Mary, "how it was that the forest
could have taken fire."

"Why, miss," replied Malachi, "in the autumn, when everything is as dry
as tinder, nothing is more easy. The Indians light their fire, and do
not take the trouble to put it out, and that is generally the cause of
it; but then it requires wind to help it."

The danger they had escaped made a serious impression on the whole
party, and the following day, being Sunday, Mr Campbell did not forget
to offer up a prayer of thankfulness for their preservation.

The roof of the cow-house was soon repaired by Alfred and Martin, and
the Indian summer passed away without any further adventure.

The day after the fire a despatch arrived from the fort to ascertain
their welfare, and the Colonel and officers were greatly rejoiced to
learn that comparatively so little damage had been done, for they
expected to find that the family had been burnt out, and had made
arrangements at the fort to receive them.

Gradually the weather became cold and the fires were lighted, and a
month after the evil we have described the winter again set in.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

JOHN SHOOTS AN INDIAN.

Once more was the ground covered with snow to the depth of three feet.
The cattle were littered down inside the enclosure of palisades round
the cow-house; the sheep were driven into the inclosed sheep-fold, and
the horses were put into a portion of the barn in the sheep-fold which
had been parted off for them. All was made secure, and every
preparation made for the long winter. Although there had been a fall of
snow, the severe frost had not yet come on. It did, however, in about a
fortnight afterwards, and then, according to the wishes of the Colonel,
six oxen were killed for the use of the fort, and taken there by the
hors