"I shall
have no fear of going among them, whoever they may be, and I fully
believe they are likely to prove friends."

"Should such be the case, tell them that we shall be able to assist each
other. If they have no firearms they can track out the game for us, and
we can shoot it and share the meat; and say that we will reward them
liberally for any aid they may render us," said Alick.

Our plan of proceeding was soon arranged. Leaving Bouncer with Alick
and Martin, Pat, Robin, and I set out towards the spot where the former
had seen the Indian. We then crept forward in single file, carefully
concealing ourselves among the bushes, and before long saw a wreath of
smoke such as Pat had described curling up amid the trees at no great
distance off.

Though Alick had advised us to wait till sundown, as we saw no one
moving about and the nature of the ground afforded us sufficient
concealment, we advanced farther, when what was our surprise, as we got
round a thickly wooded point, to see, not an Indian wigwam, but a
substantially built log cabin, with a stone chimney, from which the
smoke was ascending.

"The inhabitants, whoever they are, are not likely to be unfriendly,"
exclaimed Robin. "Let us go across the river at once and announce
ourselves."

"The Indians may possibly have taken possession of the log hut, and we
should follow Alick's directions," I observed.

"Then, as it seems doubtful, let me go alone," said Robin. "That will
be doing as Alick desired me, and I have no fear about the matter."

While Robin was speaking, an Indian appeared at the door, whom we at
once knew from his appearance to be an Ojibbeway, and therefore a friend
to the English. He retired again into the hut.

This settled all our doubts as to the reception we were likely to meet
with. Crossing the river, which was here strongly frozen over, we made
our way towards the hut. As we advanced we observed the remains of
other buildings, and I now felt sure that it was a deserted missionary
station of which I had heard but had never visited, as it lay out of the
direct route between the forts.

Who the inhabitants of the hut could be we could not surmise. Probably
they were weatherbound travellers like ourselves.

"If Sandy and the other men hadn't been drowned, bedad, I should be
afther thinking it was themselves," observed Pat.

I greatly hoped that our friend Sandy had escaped, and that we should
find him occupying the hut.