ave gone suddenly mad, for the
glare of despair turned to a grin of wild amusement, accompanied by a
strange laugh, as he pointed straight before him, and became, as it
were, transfixed.

Turning to look in the direction indicated, they beheld a small Indian
boy, absolutely naked, remarkably brown, and gazing at them with a look
of wonder that was never equalled by the most astonished owl known to
natural history.

Seeing that he was observed, the boy turned and fled like an antelope.
Rollin uttered a yell, and bounded away in pursuit. The half-breed
could easily have caught him, but he did not wish to do so. He merely
uttered an appalling shriek now and then to cause the urchin to increase
his speed. The result was that the boy led his pursuer straight to the
wigwam of his father, which was just what Rollin wanted. It stood but a
short distance from the scene of the wreck.

And now, when, to all appearance, they had reached the lowest turn in
the wheel of fortune, they were raised to the highest heights of joy,
for the Indian proved to be friendly, supplied them with provisions to
continue their journey, and gave them a good bow and quiver of arrows on
their simple promise to reward him if he should visit them at Red River
in the course of the summer. He had not a canoe to lend them, however.
They were therefore constrained to complete their journey over the
prairies on foot.

"You see, I said that things might be worse," said Ian, as they lay on
their backs beside each other that night after supper, each rolled in
his blanket and gazing complacently at the stars.

"Yes, but you did not say that they might also be better. Why did not
your prophetic soul enable you to see further and tell of our present
state of comparative good fortune, Mr Wiseman?" asked Victor with a
sigh of contentment.

"I did not prophesy, Vic; I only talked of what _might_ be."

"Vat is dat you say? vat _might_ be?" exclaimed Rollin. "Ah! vat _is_
is vorse. Here am me, go to bed vidout my smok. Dat is most shockable
state I has yet arrive to."

"Poor fellows!" said Ian, in a tone of commiseration.

"You indeed lose everything when you lose that on which your happiness
depends."

"Bah!" ejaculated Rollin, as he turned his back on his comrades and went
to sleep.

A feeling of sadness as well as drowsiness came over Victor as he lay
there blinking at the stars. The loss of their canoe and all its
contents was but a small mat