people. Don't let us contemplate misfortunes, before
we know that they have happened."

Not a human being was seen in the neighbourhood of the fort; neither
cattle nor horses were anywhere visible. The whole scene was one of
perfect desolation. Without entering the ruins, we at once made our way
down the bank to the spot where we hoped to find the canoes.

The door of the shed was open. One canoe only out of three remained.

"So far that is satisfactory," observed Alick. "I trust that the rest
of the men had time to get down and embark before they were discovered
by the Sioux. I wonder the rascals didn't search for them. Had they
done so, they would have found this canoe and destroyed it."

"It shows, however, that only a few could have escaped--eight or ten at
the utmost. If more had got off they would have taken all the canoes,"
said Robin.

Martin and I agreed with the conclusions at which Alick and Robin had
arrived. We examined the canoe, and found it in good condition, only
requiring to have the seams gummed. There was not time to do that and
to make any progress on our way down the river, so we agreed to spend
the night in the shed, and to commence our voyage the next morning.

We had food remaining for only two scanty meals for ourselves and
Bouncer, who had been almost starved during the journey, and it was
settled that we should start the first thing in the morning and go in
search of wild-fowl. As we had no fear of any enemies being in the
neighbourhood, we lighted a good fire outside the hut, at which we
cooked the remainder of our bear's flesh and ate it for supper.

Martin, while hunting about in the shed, discovered a lump of the gum
used for paying over the seams of canoes. This we melted in one of our
tin pots, and very soon had the canoe in a fit state to launch. There
were several pairs of paddles, and some cloth which could be used as a
sail.

"Perhaps we may find something else which may prove useful," observed
Martin, and he twisted up a torch from the dry reeds which grew on the
bank.

With this we thoroughly examined the cave, and our search was rewarded
by the discovery of a flask of powder, apparently dropped by one of the
men who had escaped from the fort. We also found an axe and a long
sheath-knife. Both were likely to prove very useful.

Altogether we were very thankful that we had decided on returning to the
fort. After our long and rapid journey we were all ver