No one, save those who have experienced it, can form any conception of
the cheering effect of a fire in the heart of a dark wood at night. Roy
and Nelly quite forgot their lost condition for a short time, in the
enjoyment of the comforting heat and the bright gladsome blaze. The
brother cut firewood until he was rendered almost breathless, the sister
heaped on the wood until the fire roared and leaped high above their
heads. Strange though it may appear to some, the snow did not melt.
The weather was too cold for that; only a little of that which was
nearest the fire melted--the snow walls remained hard frozen all round.
Roy soon sat down to rest, as close to the fire as he could without
getting scorched; then Nelly seated herself by his side and nestled her
head in his breast. There they sat, telling stories and gazing at the
fire, and waiting for "father to come."

Meanwhile Robin and his comrade ranged the forest far and near in
desperate anxiety. But it was a wide and wild country. The children
had wandered far away; a high ridge of land hid their fire from view.
Moreover, Robin, knowing the children's usual haunts, had chanced to go
off in the wrong direction. When night set in the hunters returned to
Fort Enterprise to procure ammunition and provisions, in order to
commence a more thorough and prolonged search. Poor Mrs Gore still sat
beside the cold and untasted feast, and there the hunters left her,
while they once more plunged into the pathless wilderness to search for
the lost ones on that luckless New Year's Day.

CHAPTER FIVE.

CARRIED OFF.

While Robin Gore and his companions were anxiously searching the woods
around Fort Enterprise for the lost children, a war-party of savages was
making its way swiftly towards the Fort.

A chief of the Indians, named Hawk, who was a shrewd as well as a bad
man, had suspected Wapaw's intentions in quitting the camp of his people
alone and in such unnecessary haste. This man had great influence over
his fellows, and easily prevailed on them to set off on their murderous
expedition against the Fort of the "pale-faces" without delay.

Being well supplied with food, they travelled faster than their starving
comrade, and almost overtook him. They finally encamped within a short
distance of the Fort the day after Wapaw's arrival, and prepared to
assault it early next morning.

"If the wicked skunk has got there before us," said Hawk to his fellows,
as the