, but, unwilling to see our noble and faithful dog put
to death, I turned aside, expecting to hear the report of the gun, when
Pat stepped up. "Shure, Misther Alick, you would not be afther killing
the poor baste!" he exclaimed. "Let us trust to Providence as
heretofore. We have not been deserted through all our throubles and
dangers. See now! what's that there?" he suddenly exclaimed. "After
it, Bouncer!" and he and the dog started off over the snow.

I turned on hearing his voice, and saw a small animal followed by a
larger, which I knew to be a fox. The cunning animal, catching sight of
us just before I fired, gave a sudden turn, and though my bullet knocked
off the top of his brush, he was far away, hidden by some low bushes,
before even Alick had seen him.

A "Hurrah!" from Pat at the same instant reached my ears, and he came
running back with Bouncer, who had caught the smaller animal.

The faithful dog at once surrendered his prize. It was a
ground-squirrel which the fox had chased out of its winter nest. We
should have been compelled to eat it raw had we not discovered a small
open spot among the trees where we could light a fire.

Skinning the squirrel, we cut it up and put it into the pot to boil,
while Bouncer had the head and skin for his share. He looked very
grateful at being first served, but licked his chaps, as if he would
have been obliged to us for a larger meal.

That squirrel, I believe, saved Martin's life, and perhaps the lives of
all of us. We were sufficiently recovered the next morning, and the
storm having abated we again set out; for all of us suffered more from
hunger than we had ever before done during our adventures.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

"TRIPE DE ROCHE"--DESOLATION--PAT'S ENDURANCE--LEATHER SOUP--"IT'S A
CARIOLE; THERE'S ANOTHER AND ANOTHER"--"ALICK MCCLELLAN! DAVID! CAN IT
BE YOU?"--A GOOD SQUARE MEAL--SANDY'S ESCAPE--HONEST BOUNCER'S "RIGHTFUL
POSITION"--THE CARIOLE--NIGHT ENCAMPMENT IN THE SNOW--BUFFALO-HUNTING--
WOLVES! WOLVES!--ROSE AND LETTY IN DANGER--I DEFEND THEM--THE FORT
REACHED AT LAST--OUR START FOR THE LOG CABIN--CAPTAIN GREY RECOVERS--I
ACCOMPANY ROBIN TO FORT GARRY--ELLEN AND OLIVER--CONCLUSION OF MY
HISTORY--DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT STATE OF THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT
(NOW CALLED MANITOBA) AND OF THE "FERTILE BELT" BEYOND IT REACHING TO
THE FOOT OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

A moderate walk on snow-shoes on a fine winter's day, with agreeable
companions,