iked in search of it.

We agreed that, in order to keep a proper lookout, two of us should
remain on the watch at a time, one in the camp, and the other in the
direction the animals had taken.

Sandy had Pierre for his mate; I, Pat. Sandy and Pierre took the first
watch. The latter went off with his rifle and a brace of pistols in his
belt, to walk backwards and forwards near where the horses were feeding.
Pat and I then lay down with our feet to the fire.

"We'll sleep as fast as we can, Mister David, to make up for the
shortness of time we've got to do it in," observed Pat, as he rolled
himself up in his buffalo-robe.

I endeavoured to follow his advice, but somehow or other the
presentiment that danger threatened us kept me awake longer than was
usual. It seemed that I had scarcely closed my eyes when Sandy aroused
me, and springing to my feet I examined the priming of my rifle and
pistols, and prepared to relieve Pierre, who was to wait near the horses
till I arrived. I had to walk nearly a quarter of a mile before I found
him in a grassy valley, between two slight hills running in the
direction of the river. Had there been any trees thereabouts it would
have been a better place than the one we had chosen for our encampment.
Pierre reported all right, and went back to camp.

By walking to the top of one of the hills I could get a view all round,
and watch the horses feeding below me. I counted them and found that
all were there, and then went down again to find some shelter from the
wind behind a small clump of low bushes. I could watch from this most
of the horses, but some of them would wander up the valley out of my
sight.

At last I saw by the movements of those near me that they were becoming
somewhat uneasy, and presently two which had got to a distance came up
as fast as their hobbles would allow them, the whole heading towards the
camp. I rushed forward to cut the hobbles as fast as I could get up to
the animals, when they all set off in the direction they had before been
going.

I had just set the last free when, looking up, I saw two dark figures
which I knew were those of Indians, who had been endeavouring to get up
to the horses before I could set them at liberty. The moment they found
that they were discovered they stopped short. I pointed my gun, they
hesitated, and then once more began to move towards me, their scalping
knives gleaming in the moonlight. Anxious not to shed blood, I