at he could distinguish the plumed heads
and shoulders of Indian warriors.

"They shall not catch us napping, at all events," he said to himself;
"and I trust to Heaven to enable us to make good use of the means at our
disposal."

He was unwilling to leave his post, while there was sufficient daylight
to give him a chance of ascertaining whether the objects he saw were
mounted Indians or not: he knew that at such a distance men on foot
could not possibly be seen. He had much less to fear from men on
horseback than from the stealthy approach of savages on foot, who might
creep up almost unperceived close to the walls.

At length the increasing shadows of evening shrouded the view, and he
made another round to warn the sentries, as before, to be on the alert,
telling them that they might expect to be attacked before morning.

Just as he reached the river side of the platform, he heard a shout. It
was Norman's voice, asking for a boat to be sent over.

He immediately, therefore, ordered two of the men usually employed in
the service to pull across, and in a short time his sons and Loraine
entered the fort. It need not be said that they were welcomed by those
who had been so long looking for them. Jules Buffet had fulfilled his
promise by pushing forward at full speed, and had overtaken them just as
his horse fell utterly exhausted, while they were making their noon-day
halt. They had galloped back on fresh horses, which at the end of the
ride seemed scarcely able to stand.

"But we have managed it," cried Hector, "and now I hope the Redskins
won't disappoint us. I wish, however, that we could have brought Allan
Keith; but we met with no signs of him or his party, and he may be still
a hundred miles away or more."

The addition of five persons in whom he could trust, made Captain
Mackintosh hope more than ever that he should be able successfully to
resist the expected attack of the Blackfeet. That they would come that
night he felt almost certain, as also that the great object of their
young chief Mysticoose was to carry off Sybil. He had, however,
probably induced his people to undertake the expedition by promising
them the pillage of the fort. They had a few years before this
surprised Bow Fort, which afforded them a rich booty, and they might
naturally expect to succeed in capturing Fort Duncan, which was not
better provided with the means of defence. Never, however, before the
recent attempt of Mystico