r visitors. Vaughan and Roger leading the way, the men
scrambled over the rocks after them, keeping as close as they could
above the river, that, should the canoe return with Oliver, they might
not fail to see her.

Having at length surmounted the ridge, they found themselves looking
down into a broad and pleasant valley, watered by another small rivulet,
by the side of which appeared an Indian village and a considerable
number of people moving about, while a group, in the midst of which they
distinguished Oliver and the young girl, was collected in front of the
largest wigwam. The principal figure was an old Indian, who by his
dress, and the ornaments on his head, they knew must be a chief. The
girl was apparently endeavouring to explain to the old chief how she had
found the young paleface.

"They see us," cried Roger, as he and Vaughan with their men appeared on
the top of the ridge; "keep your weapons lowered, lads, we must do
nothing to alarm them. Stay here, and I will go down and make friends
with the old chief--that fair damsel will, I doubt not, be on our side--
they will be less likely to be alarmed by seeing one person approach
alone."

As he was speaking, many of the Indians ran into their wigwams, and
brought forth their bows and arrows, and other weapons. Those about the
chief, however, remained perfectly quiet, merely turning their eyes in
the direction of the strangers. Roger therefore advanced without any
anxiety towards the chief, who stood waiting his arrival. Going up to
the old man he took him by the hand, and explained in the choicest
language he could command the object of his, and his companions' visit
to that part of the country. The chief replied that he had gathered as
much from what the girl had told him, and that he had heard some days
before of the appearance of the white-faces on their shore. Roger
expressed his surprise at this, when the Indian remarked that they had
been seen on landing, and that their progress had been watched day after
day, but as they had done no harm they had been allowed to proceed.
"Our people are not fools," observed the old chief, "and we knew well
that the further you proceeded into the country the more easily we could
destroy you if we deemed it necessary."

Roger knew by this that the precautions he had taken had not been
useless. His object being to win over the chief, he did not boast of
his power to resist the attack; the well-armed party on t