ti-pu! Ti-ti-pu!'

Hector, for a moment, was somewhat startled, but he did not betray it.
Dour and Dandy, however, did not quite like the proceedings, and
growled menacingly through their glistening teeth. The fact of the
matter was the Indian had never seen such a poll of golden curly locks
before, and, accustomed as he was to the straight, black, limp tresses
of his own people, they seemed to him something almost supernatural.
Thenceforward he would call Hector nothing but 'Ti-ti-pu,' and the
nickname stuck like a burr, until only the gravest members of his own
party hardly ever thought of calling him anything else.

In sore perplexity the Scots took counsel together as to what they
should do. Their stock of provisions was nearly exhausted, and
although they had amongst them all a good deal of money, of what use
was it if the hostile residents would not sell them anything?

'It wad seem as though we maun go ewa' doon south for the winter at any
rate,' said Mr. Macrae, in a tone of profound despondency. 'The ways
of Providence are beyond our ken. We maun just trust that the Lord
will guide us, and provide for our necessities.'

The Indian leader was then informed that, if they were allowed to
obtain a supply of provisions, and such other things as would be
necessary for the journey, they would obey their orders and go down to
the United States.

This was assented to, and, after some further parley, most of the
Indians went away, leaving the rest of their number on guard. The
settlers, with heavy hearts, made preparations for the night.

Among the older members of the little band of pilgrims, to whom the
promised land seemed about to prove so bitter a disappointment, there
was not much sleep that night, and the morning found them haggard,
weary and depressed. But after they had all, like one great family,
united in prayer and the singing of the Psalms, they became more
composed. They were in God's hands, and dark as everything now looked,
He would send light in the end.

Soon after sunrise, the Indians reappeared in force, this time in quite
good humour, the settlers having already agreed to obey their orders,
and Mr. Macrae had little difficulty in making arrangements with them
to conduct the party to Pembina.

Under other circumstances, the settlement of the terms would have been
very amusing, for on the one side the language employed was a mixture
of Gaelic and English, and on the other of Indian jar