se, are at liberty to go, Mr Loraine; and, as young
Mackintosh was committed to your care, to take him with you," answered
Burnett, somewhat stiffly. "But duty is duty. I must obey my orders,
and those are, to conduct this train to Edmonton with as little delay as
possible. I have no discretionary power to go out of the way, under any
excuse whatever."

"But, surely, you would not object to one of the clerks, and some few of
the men who could be spared, accompanying me!" exclaimed Loraine. "Even
a small addition to the number would be of consequence in the defence of
the fort, should it be attacked; and that it will be so, our friend here
seems to think there is every probability."

"I have explained how I am situated in the matter, Mr Loraine," said
Mr Burnett, in the same tone as before; "and I think it right to say,
that, without a guide and a body of men well-armed, you and young
Mackintosh will be unable to accomplish the journey. You will either
lose yourselves and be starved, or be attacked and cut off by the
Blackfeet. The Crees are not to be trusted either; for though they are
civil enough to us, knowing that we have the power to punish them, yet
they would steal our horses if they could; and, looking upon you as
strangers, they would not only take your horses, but your scalps into
the bargain."

"I shall not be afraid of meeting either them or the Blackfeet,"
answered Loraine. "What do you say, friend?" he added, turning to Isaac
Sass. "Can I, or can I not, get to Fort Duncan, and warn the garrison
of the danger which threatens them?"

The old hunter looked up at the countenance of the young Englishman,
without speaking for a few seconds. He then said, "If pluck and courage
would enable a man to do it, you would; but I cannot say how much you
know about the country and the ways of the Redskins. It would not be an
easy matter for any man, as there are several war parties out--of that I
have certain knowledge; and I had no small difficulty in keeping clear
of them. I wish that I could go with you, but I cannot get along as
fast as I used to do, and my beasts are pretty well knocked up. But
this is what I'll do: I'll send my lad Greensnake with you; whatever I
tell him to do, he'll do, and prove as true as steel. People call him
an idiot; but he's no more an idiot than I am, if a person knows how to
get the sense out of him, and that's what I do."

Greensnake, on hearing his name mentioned, glan