Hector took their guns to
shoot some ducks which were seen on the other side of the lakelet.
Having knocked over several birds, before returning they took a
refreshing plunge in the water, which was sufficiently deep for the
purpose.

The twilight had faded away into darkness before the whole party were
seated round the camp-fires, discussing their suppers with such
appetites as few fail to obtain while travelling in that region. Supper
was over; and "early to bed, and early to rise" being a standing order,
those of the party who enjoyed the luxury of tents retired within, while
the rest lay down, wrapped in their blankets, beneath the carts
arranged, as usual, in a circle to serve as a defence against any
attacks of hostile Indians. Although Burnett did not expect any
annoyance of the sort, he considered it his duty to take the precautions
which no traveller at that period omitted to make. Two or three men
were also stationed as sentries to keep watch, especially on the horses.

Loraine had seen Hector, who shared his tent, fall fast asleep; but not
being inclined to close his own eyes, he stepped out of his tent to take
a look at the stars which shone from the heavens, undimmed by a single
cloud. Happening to turn his eyes towards the summit of the knoll, he
was somewhat surprised to see what he felt sure was a human figure, the
outline being distinctly marked against the sky. The man was evidently
taking a survey of the camp. Loraine, thinking it possible that he
might be a scout sent out by a party of Blackfeet, made his way to the
nearest sentry to tell him to be on the watch, and to ask his opinion on
the subject. By the time he had reached the sentry, however, the figure
had disappeared. The sentry thought he might have been mistaken; but
when Loraine made him understand what he had seen, he went round to the
other men on watch, and urged them to be on the alert and to keep the
horses well together. Loraine was just going back to his tent, when he
heard a shout. It was answered by the sentry on the south side of the
camp; and a conversation in a language he could not understand took
place. On going up to them, he could dimly distinguish an Indian of
somewhat diminutive size and of deformed figure.

"What does he want?" inquired Loraine.

"He says, as far as I can make out, that his chief, who will be here
directly, sent him to find out who we are; for he thought at first, when
he saw our camp-fire