heavy guns may be seen
protruding.

The trees and bushes have been cleared away from around this fort, and
the strips of forest-land, which run along both sides of the river, are
not so thickly wooded, as the country through which the reader has
hitherto been travelling. In front of the fort rolls the river.
Immediately behind it lies the boundless prairie, which extends like a
sea of grass, with scarcely a tree or bush upon it, as far as the eye
can reach. This is Fort Erie.

You might ride for many days over that prairie without seeing anything
of the forest, except a clump of trees and bushes here and there, and
now and then a little pond. The whole region is extremely beautiful.
One that ought to fill the hearts of men with admiration and love of the
bountiful God who formed it. But men in those regions, at the time I
write of, thought of little beauties of nature, and cared nothing for
the goodness of God. At least this may be truly said of the red-skinned
owners of the soil. It was otherwise with _some_ of the white people
who dwelt there.

Three weeks had passed away since the night spent by our friends with
the brigade. It was now a beautiful evening, a little after sunset.
The day's work at the fort had been finished, and the men were amusing
themselves by racing their horses, of which fine animals there were
great numbers at Fort Erie.

Just a little after the sun had gone down, three horsemen appeared on
the distant prairie and came bounding at full gallop towards the fort.
They were our friends Jasper, Heywood, and Arrowhead. These adventurous
travellers had reached a fort farther down the river two days before,
and, having been supplied with horses, had pushed forward by way of the
plains.

On entering the belt of woods close to the fort, the horsemen reined in,
and rode among the trees more cautiously.

"Here's the end of our journey at last," cried Jasper, on whose bronzed
countenance there was a deep flush of excitement and a look of anxiety.

Just as he said this, Jasper's heart appeared to leap into his throat
and almost choked him. Pulling up suddenly, he swallowed his heart,
with some difficulty, and said--

"Hold on, lads. I'll ride round to the fort by way of the river, for
reasons of my own. Push on, Heywood, with the Indian, and let Mr
Pemberton know I'm coming. See, I will give you the packet of letters
we were asked to carry from the fort below. Now, make haste."

Heyw