possession of the fort, but its details he was unable to make out. He
had gone round the camp, and while returning on the side opposite to
that from which he had set off, had fallen in with Norman.

"We must take care to be doubly vigilant, then," said Captain
Mackintosh.

He at once cautioned the men to be on the watch; but before the ladies
he made light of the matter, not wishing to cause them unnecessary
anxiety. He felt pretty certain, indeed, that the Blackfeet would not
openly attempt to take the fort, even though their numbers had, as Le
Brun supposed, been much increased.

Night passed away without the slightest alarm. The next day matters
remained to all appearance as on the preceding one. The tents were
there, and a few Indians only--some on horseback, others on foot--were
seen moving about in the neighbourhood, but none came near the fort. Le
Brun suggested that if they had any treacherous design in view, they
were probably waiting until the hunters, who made excursions to bring in
game two or three times a week, had been seen to leave the fort, and
that they would then, when fewer people were within, try and carry out
their plan, whatever that might be. He suggested that a party should
leave the fort after mid-day with several pack horses, as if they
intended to make a long excursion. That they should go away to the
south-east, and, as soon as they were out of sight, cross the river and
come back again after dark, on the north side. If the Indians really
intended treachery, they would certainly take the opportunity of
attempting to carry it out.

Captain Mackintosh approved of the plan, and Norman thought it an
excellent one. "I should so like to disappoint those rascals, and catch
them in their own trap," he said.

The horses (or the guard, as the stud belonging to a fort is called)
were kept in a meadow on the opposite side of the river, where they were
tolerably safe from any attempts which the marauding bands on the south
might make to carry them off. Some time passed before those required
could be brought across. As soon as they arrived, Le Brun, with eight
well-armed men, with as many spare horses, set off on their pretended
hunting expedition. They took care to pass sufficiently near the Indian
camp to be easily seen.

"Le Brun was right in his suspicions!" exclaimed Norman from the
ramparts, addressing his father, who was walking below. "Here comes
Mysticoose with a dozen follo