aved the horror of witnessing the
spectacle, as also the trouble of burying the dead. The Indians would
probably also have killed all the wounded, in spite of the efforts we
should have made to save them.

At length, about noon the watchman in the tower shouted out that he saw
a party approaching from the south-west--the direction the Sioux had
probably taken. We were for some time in doubt whether they were
friends or foes. At length Martin, who was on the lookout with me,
exclaimed: "Hurrah! I'm sure that's old Sandy marching ahead, with an
Indian chief by his side; and there come the men. They have thrashed
the Sioux--no doubt about that--and it will be a long time before the
rascals venture to pay us another visit."

I was not quite certain that Martin was right, and feared that his
imagination had deceived him. While we were discussing the matter, we
were joined by Robin, whose eyes were sharper than either of ours. He
had at once declared that Martin was not mistaken. We accordingly
announced the fact to Alick and the few men who were awake. The
sleepers were quickly roused by the shout of satisfaction which was
uttered, and there being no longer any apprehension of danger, we
hurried out to meet our friends, accompanied by Bouncer and a whole
tribe of smaller dogs, which lived under his rule.

"We've given the Sioux a lesson they'll not forget in a hurry,"
exclaimed Sandy, as we met. "We came upon them while they were
encamped, not dreaming that we were near, and before they could stand to
their arms we had shot down a dozen or more, including all the fellows
who had muskets, which the others in their fright, as they jumped up to
fly, left behind them. We took possession of the muskets, and followed
up the enemy for an hour or more. How many were killed it would have
been hard to say, as we did not stop to count those we shot down; but
our redskin friends have got thirty scalps, which would be about the
tally, as they looked out for all who fell. I don't approve of the
custom, for they are not very particular in seeing whether a man's alive
or dead before they lift the hair from the crown of his head."

Alick would gladly have prevented the slaughter which had occurred. It
struck us that probably the Sioux in their flight had thrown down the
men who had been killed or wounded in the attack on the fort, and that
these were included in the number Sandy spoke of.

Our Indian allies, after enjoying