loss of the canoe would prevent
escape by the lake. But here are the girls; let us consult them.

"It is the Indian burning," said Indiana; "that is the reason there are
so few big trees on that hill; they burn it to make the grass better for
the deer."

Hector had often pointed out to Louis the appearance of fire having
scorched the bark of the trees, where they were at work, but it seemed
to have been many years back; and when they were digging for the site
of the root-house _[FN: Root-houses are built over deep excavations
below the reach of the frost, or the roots stored would be spoiled.]_
below the bank, which they had just finished, they had met with charred
wood, at the depth of six feet below the soil, which must have lain
there till the earth had accumulated over it; a period of many years
must necessarily have passed since the wood had been burned, as it was
so much decomposed as to crumble beneath the wooden shovel which they
were digging with.

All day they watched the progress of that, fiery sea whose waves were
flame--red, rolling flame. Onward it came, with resistless speed,
overpowering every obstacle, widening its sphere of action, till it
formed a perfect semicircle about them. As the night drew on, the
splendour of the scene became more apparent, and the path of the fire
better defined; but there was no fear of the conflagration spreading as
it had done in the daytime. The wind had sunk, and the copious dews of
evening effectually put a stop to the progress of the fire. The children
could now gaze in security upon the magnificent spectacle before them,
without the excitement produced by its rapid spread during the daytime.
They lay down to sleep in perfect security that night, but with the
consciousness that, as the breeze sprung up in the morning, they must be
on the alert to secure their little dwelling and its contents from the
devastation that threatened it. They knew that they had no power to stop
its onward course, as they possessed no implement better than a rough
wood shovel, which would be found very ineffectual in opening a trench
or turning the ground up, so as to cut off the communication with the
dry grass, leaves, and branches, which are the fuel for supplying the
fires on the Plains. The little clearing on one side the house they
thought would be its safeguard, but the fire was advancing on three
sides of them.

"Let us hold a council, as the Indians do, to consider what is to be