em
up into two packages, he placed them on the backs of the two women, and
ordered them to march, promising soon to overtake them. Alick suggested
that it was imprudent to send them without protection. On this Mr Pipe
laughed, grimly observing "that they knew how to take care of
themselves, and that no one would venture to molest them."

He then returned into the fort, and after smoking another pipe, got up
and went round the place, carefully examining every portion, looking
into the stores and the huts and round the walls. We had at the time no
suspicion of his object, but thought that he was only prompted by
curiosity. At length, as evening was approaching, he bade us farewell,
saying that he should overtake his squaws by the time they had encamped
for the night.

The next morning Martin, Robin, and I had agreed to go out on a shooting
expedition! in order to obtain some wild-fowl, which had assembled in
great numbers on a lagoon, a short distance from the fort, near the
river. We had concealed ourselves in some bushes, hoping that the
wild-fowl would come in the course of their flight sufficiently near to
enable us to shoot them. We had remained in ambush for some time, and
were feeling somewhat disappointed at our want of success, when who
should we see but Opoihgun stealing by out of a wood. He had taken off
most of his clothes, and his black hair was streaming over his back. He
looked about cautiously, as if he expected some one to meet him.

Just at that moment up flew a covey of wild-fowl, when Martin,
forgetting that it might be of importance to ascertain what Mr Pipe was
about, fired at one of the birds, which, however, flew off uninjured.

The Indian looked round with a startled expression of countenance,
supposing apparently that the shot was fired at him, and ran off fleet
as a deer towards the narrow part of the lagoon, across which it was
evident he intended to make his way. We started up from our ambush; but
though he again looked round, and saw us, he only fled the faster.

"I say, David, I believe that fellow came here with no good intentions,"
observed Martin. "I vote we give chase and make him tell us what he was
about."

"You know more about the Indian customs than I do, Robin. What do you
say?" I asked.

"He was here for some bad purpose," answered Robin; "but I would advise
you not to follow him. He has friends in the neighbourhood. We may
depend on that, and they may set upo