n
who brought our horses.

I mention the circumstance as it afforded us much amusement; and though
it will not appear a very important one, it showed Robin's determination
not to be defeated in anything he undertook. After that we used
frequently to observe, "Stick to it as Robin did to the badger's tail,
and you'll get it out of the hole at last."

It is what I would advise others to do when they have difficulties to
contend with, whether great or small.

The horses overtook us in the afternoon, when we rode on and camped by
ourselves for the night, intending to join our Indian friends the next
day. We had brought with us a small supply of provisions, in addition
to the game which we had shot on our way, expecting that the Indians
would be able to furnish us with buffalo meat, on which we had no
objection to live for a few days.

Next morning, having breakfasted and caught our horses, we rode on; but
it was not till nearly evening that we reached the Cree camp. We slept
in a skin-covered wigwam which they appropriated to our use, and the
following morning started for the southward in search of buffalo, which
were supposed to be in considerable numbers in that direction. We rode
on all day, stopping only to take a meal about noon, but not a buffalo
did we see. We had exhausted all our provisions, and regretted that we
had not brought more with us for our own private use.

Small fires only were formed, around which we lay down to sleep. It was
nearly dawn when the Cree chief, touching my arm, awoke me.

"Listen!" he said, putting his head close down to the ground.

I did so, and could hear a low, dull sound, as if numberless feet were
beating the soil.

"That is the tramp of buffaloes," he observed.

When, however, I sat up I could hear nothing. The chief told me to call
my brother and other friends, and proposed, as soon as we had had
something to eat, that we should set off in the direction from whence
the sounds we had heard proceeded.

I roused up my companions, and when they put their ears down to the
ground and listened, they also could hear the same tramping sound.

I was not yet perfectly convinced that the chief was right, but he
asserted that there was no mistake about the matter.

When we told the chief that we had no food, he looked rather blank, and
shortly returned with some dried venison, which we were fain to cook as
best we could before the fire. We had a small supply of biscuit, an