but promptly offered their services
for the front. Their loyalty was cheered to the echo,
and thousands assembled at every railway station to see
them depart and say "God speed."

CHAPTER XII.

While General Middleton, Colonel Otter, and others of
our military officers, were hastening to the scene of
tumult, tidings of the most startling kind were received
from Frog Lake. Frog Lake is a small settlement, about
forty miles north of Fort Pitt, and here a number of
thrifty settlers had established themselves, tilling the
soil. Latterly, however, some enterprising persons came
there to erect a saw and grist mill, for much lumber
fringes the lake, and a considerable quantity of grain
is produced upon the prairie round about. There were only
a few white settlers here, all the rest being half-breeds.
Not far away lived detachments of various tribes of
Indians, who frequently came into the little settlement,
and smoked their pipes among the inhabitants. Here, as
elsewhere, the most bitter feelings were entertained by
the half-breeds and Indians against the Government, and
chief of all against Governor Dewdney. Every one with
white skin, and all those who in any way were in the
service of the Government, soon came to be regarded as
enemies to the common cause. Therefore, when night came
down upon the settlement, Indians, smeared in hideous,
raw, earthy-smelling paint, would creep about among
dwellings, and peer, with eyes gleaming with hate, through
the window-frames at the innocent and unsuspecting inmates.
At last one chief, with a diabolical face, said,

"Brothers, we must be avenged upon every white man and
woman here. We will shoot them like dogs. No harm can
come to us; for the great man has said so." (Alluding to
Riel.) "When they are all shot the Government will get
a big fright, and give the Indians and half-breeds what
they ask for." The answer to this harangue was the clanking
of barbaric instruments of music, the brandishing of
tomahawks, and the gleam of hunting-knives. Secretly the
Indians went among the half-breeds squatting about, and
revealed their plans; but some of these people shrank
with fear from the proposal. Others, however, said,

"We shall join you. Let us with one blow wipe out the
injustices done to us, and teach the Government that if
they deny us our rights, we will fight for them; and
murder those who are the agents of its will." So the plan
was arranged, and it was not very long