upposed. He insisted on his turning into
a hut which old Folkard and Pierre immediately set to work to construct.

Our guests begged that he might be conveyed to their wigwams, saying
that their squaws would doctor him and soon restore his strength.

"They may be honest--those Shianees--but they may be rogues like many
other Redskins," observed old Ben. "Better not trust them."

We therefore thanked our guests, but declined their offer for the
present, saying that our young companion was unfit to be moved, though
we hoped to pay them a visit on the following day.

They, nothing abashed, continued to squat round the fire, smoking
tobacco and quaffing with evident pleasure the small glasses of
usquebaugh which Dick bestowed upon them. Armitage objected, however,
to the captain's giving them liquor.

"Let them take as much as they've a fancy to," said Ben. "It won't do
them any harm once in a way, and it will let us know what they are
thinking about."

Our guests having drunk the whisky, showed the same friendly disposition
as at first, nor did they complain when Dick refused to give them any
more.

"A little do good, too much do harm," observed Dick, at which they
nodded as if perfectly agreeing with him.

As the shades of evening approached, they got up, and shaking hands all
round, took their departure.

"They're all right, we may trust them," said Ben.

We nevertheless kept a strict watch over our cattle, for the temptation
to steal a fine stud might have been too great for our Indian neighbours
to resist. No attempt was made on the camp however, and the next
morning the animals were found feeding as quietly as usual.

CHAPTER FIVE.

A tremendous storm, such as we had not yet experienced, kept us in camp
the next morning. The lightning flashed, the thunder roared, and the
rain came down in torrents, compelling us to make trenches round our
huts. Even when doing this, we were nearly wet to the skin. Our fires
also were almost extinguished, though we contrived to keep them in by
heaping up fresh fuel every few minutes. It was truly a battle between
the flames and the rain, but the former would have been beaten without
our assistance. The same cause probably kept the Indians inside their
wigwams, for we saw nothing of them. We managed to cover up poor
Charley so that he did not suffer. In the afternoon, the rain cleared
off, and trusting to the professions of the Indians, Dick and I set off