CHAPTER ELEVEN.
RESCUED.
THE ANIMAL PROVES TO BE ONE OF THE DOGS--WHO GOES OFF FOR RESCUE--HELPCOMES AT LAST--HOW THE DOG HAD FOUND THE PARTY--EFFECTS OF THEADVENTURE--THE PARTY REACH THE BLOCK-HOUSE AT LAST, TO FIND ARCHIE'SFAMILY ALL SAFE AND WELCOME REST.
I fully expected the next moment to see the huge claws of a monstrousgrizzly as he worked his way down to us, when, instead of a growl, Iheard the whine and sharp bark of a dog. It was the voice I felt sure,of our faithful Pilot, whom we had left at our last camp, as wesupposed, on the point of death. I called out his name, and he answeredwith a joyous bark. Presently we saw him looking down upon us, when,satisfied that we were really there, he gave another bark, and then RedSquirrel, who had clambered up to the surface, told me that he wasscampering away to the southward. I tried to get out to watch him, butwas utterly unable to accomplish the task, and Red Squirrel himself wastoo weak to help me. I felt sure, however, that the dog had gone tosummon our friends. I tried to cheer up poor Hugh with the news. Heseemed scarcely able to understand what had occurred, and I becamegreatly alarmed at his condition.
We waited and waited; it seemed as if several hours had elapsed. Atlast Red Squirrel, who had gone to the hole, exclaimed that he saw somedark objects moving over the snow. They came nearer and nearer. Icannot describe the joy I felt when I heard Uncle Donald's voice, andpresently I saw Red Squirrel's legs disappear as he was drawn up throughthe hole. Directly afterwards another person came slipping down.
"Arrah! we've found ye at last, sure!" exclaimed Corney, lifting me inhis arms.
"Take up Hugh," I said, "he is in a worse state than I am." He did as Irequested, but he was down again in a minute, and carrying me up,wrapped me in buffalo-robes and placed me in one of the sleighs whichUncle Donald, who was engaged in feeding Hugh from a can of broth, hadbrought to convey us. Some of the broth was immediately given to me. Icould have gobbled up the whole of it, for the moment I felt the freshair the keenness of my appetite returned.
"I feared, my dear lads, that you were lost!" exclaimed Uncle Donald, ashe ran backwards and forwards between Hugh and me, giving us eachalternately a mouthful of the food. "But through the mercy of Heaven,as I will tell you by-and-by, we were led to this spot, and now thesooner we get back to camp the better, for you require careful nursing,I suspect. It is a wonder that you have escaped."
Red Squirrel came in for a portion of the broth, and, not suffering somuch from hunger as we were, he was soon able, after he had swallowedthe food, to move about and assist Corney in digging out our snow-shoes.As soon as they had been recovered, we set out for the camp, which wefound under the shelter of a wood about two miles off.
How Pilot, who had been left, as we supposed, dying in the camp, hadfound us out, we were curious to know. It appeared that one of theIndians had left, as he confessed, a load of pemmican behind. This thedog must have scented out after we had gone, and having eaten it, hadremained sheltered during the storm under the snow. His provisionsexhausted, he had set out to rejoin his companions, and on his way hadprovidentially been led to the mouth of our burrow. Finding that hecould not get us out, he had gone on, and on coming up with the party,by his extraordinary behaviour attracted attention. The moment he hadhad some buffalo meat, he rushed back towards where he had left us, andthen pulled at Corney's and Uncle Donald's leggings, thus leading themto believe that he knew where we were to be found.
The cold was intense, but as it had hardened the snow, and the dogs hadgreatly recovered by having had plenty of buffalo meat to eat, we maderapid progress. Hugh was placed in Rose's sleigh, and I had one tomyself, with some of the cargo stowed at my back, for even after twoday's rest we were unable to walk; Red Squirrel, however, was soonhimself again, and was able to keep up with the rest of the men.
More than a week had passed, when, as evening was approaching, we caughtsight of a flagstaff, above a block-house, and a circle of palisadesrising out of the snow on the banks of a stream backed by a lofty rangeof mountains, spurs of the Rockies.
Though there were no trees in the immediate neighbourhood, a thickforest was seen on either side, extending backwards, and rising up thesteep slopes.
It was the station to reach which we had travelled many hundred miles.Descending to the river, which was frozen over, we dashed across it, andwere met on the other side by a party who issued from the stockade as weapproached. At first we could only make out a number of Indians, butpresently a lady and five young people appeared among them. To my joy,I recognised the lady as my mother, the others were my two sisters andthree younger brothers, but they had all grown so much that I should nothave known them; and certainly they did not know me, for they lookedgreatly surprised at the affectionate greeting my mother gave me.
"I am grateful, most grateful to you, Uncle Donald, for having come toour assistance," she said, as she kissed his weather-beaten cheek."Your appearance will revive my poor husband, who is still sufferingfrom sickness. He has not got over the fearful scenes we witnessed, andis still anxious about our safety, as the savage Indians have vowed thatthey will return in the spring and put us and those of their tribe whohave become Christians to death, should the pest again break out amongthem, and I much fear, in consequence of their careless and dirtyhabits, that it will do so."
"Cheer up, my good niece, we will now go into the house, and thenarrange what is best to be done," answered Uncle Donald.
I, in the meantime, was receiving the embraces of my brothers andsisters, the latter of whom immediately rushed towards Rose, andconducted her to the house. My brothers also gave a warm greeting toHugh. My poor father had risen to receive us. He looked fearfully thinand careworn, though our arrival, it was evident, cheered him. Verysoon we were all assembled round a roaring fire in the sitting-room,thankful for our preservation from the clangers of our journey, and nota little pleased to be able to throw off our heavy clothing. TheIndians took good care of Madge, Corney, and Pierre, and the rest of theparty, not neglecting the poor dogs, honest Pilot especially, when theservice he had rendered us was told, coming in for a large share oftheir favour.
Among the Red-skins; Or, Over the Rocky Mountains Page 11