My father did not reply, but I am very sure that, had he been left to act by himself, he would have earned out his intentions, and would most probably have perished. From Pierre"s report we fully expected every minute to see the Blackfeet appear. To each man under Uncle Donald"s directions a post was a.s.signed, which he was charged to defend with his life. Orders were, however, given that no one was to fire until the word of command was received.
Hugh, Alec, and I were stationed together, and highly proud we were at the confidence placed in us, as the post we had to maintain was one of the most important.
The day wore on, but we were still unmolested, and at last darkness came down upon us.
The winter, it will be remembered, was not yet over. To defend ourselves from the intense cold we all put on as many buffalo-robes and bear-skins as we could wear, and Hugh declared that we looked like a garrison of grizzlies.
It was cold enough during the day, but it was still colder at night; notwithstanding this, as Alec and I had had no sleep for many hours, we found it difficult to keep awake. We, therefore, rolling ourselves up in our wraps, lay down, while Hugh stood ready to call us at a moment"s notice. There were, however, sentries enough to keep a look-out, and Uncle Donald continued going round and round the fort, seeing that they were watchful.
The dawn was approaching; it was the time the Red-skins often make their attacks, as they expect to find their enemies buried in sleep.
When morning at last came, and no enemy had appeared, we began to hope that no Blackfeet had as yet reached the neighbourhood.
Another day was drawing on. Except a few men who remained on guard, the rest of the garrison lay down to sleep, that they might be more watchful the following night.
I spent a short time with my mother and sisters and Rose, and did my best to encourage them, but I could not help feeling that possibly it might be the last time we should be together on earth. By Red Squirrel"s report, the Blackfeet were very numerous, and they are noted for being the most savage and warlike of all the northern tribes.
The next night was almost a repet.i.tion of the former, except that Alec and I kept watch, while Hugh lay down to sleep. Uncle Donald, as before, went his rounds, and there seemed but little risk of our being taken by surprise. He had just left us, when Hugh, who had got up and was standing near me, whispered--
"I see something moving over the snow. There! there are others. Yes, they must be Indians."
"Wait until we are certain," I answered, in the same low voice; "and then, Alec, run round and tell Uncle Donald."
We were not left long in doubt before we all three were certain that the objects we saw were Indians, and that they were trying to keep themselves concealed.
Alec set off to find Uncle Donald. He had not been gone many seconds, when fearful yells rent the air. Before us up started hundreds of dark forms, and a shower of bullets and arrows came flying above our heads.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
AN OLD FRIEND.
THE BLACKFEET MEET A WARM RECEPTION--AND RETREAT--A WOUNDED INDIAN-- PROVES TO BE PONOKO, WHO TELLS OF A WHITE MAN IN THE INDIAN CAMP--A FRIENDLY CONFERENCE.
The moment the war-whoop of the Blackfeet had ceased Uncle Donald"s voice was heard, ordering us to fire.
We obeyed with right good will, and must have greatly astonished the savages, who, not aware of the increased number of our garrison, had probably expected to gain quite an easy victory. Many of them had muskets, but the larger number could only have been armed with bows and arrows. After they had shot five or six showers of arrows and fired their guns--fortunately, without hitting any of us, though we could hear their missiles pinging against the thick palisades--they suddenly ceased, and began to retreat, when Uncle Donald shouted to them in their own language, inquiring why they had attacked people who had done them no harm, but were anxious to benefit them.
No reply came. Our men uttered a shout of triumph. Uncle Donald stopped them.
"The Blackfeet have retired, but I know their cunning ways, and I deem it more than likely that they will be down upon us again when they think to catch us off our guard or maybe they have devised some treacherous plot to entrap us."
We waited, but, as far as we could judge by the sounds which reached our ears, the savages had really retreated, and did not intend to attack us again that night. That they would give up their object was not to be expected, and my father proposed, should we find they had gone to a distance, that, rather than cause more bloodshed, we should abandon the station and retreat to one of the company"s forts to the northward, "We have sleighs sufficient to convey the women and children," he added; "and when the anger of the misguided people has subsided, I will return by myself, and endeavour to win them over by gentle means, for such only should be employed to spread the Gospel among the heathen."
"You are very right in that respect, but though we may get to some distance, when the Blackfeet find that we have gone, they will to a certainty follow on our trail and quickly overtake us," answered Uncle Donald. "I cannot consent to such a plan; we must show them that we are able to defend ourselves, and let their blood be upon their own heads if they persist in attacking us. We will, however, try how negotiation will succeed. I used to be well-known among them, and I propose to-morrow, should they not again attack the fort, to go singly into their camp and invite them to smoke the calumet of peace. Should I be detained, you must promise to hold out to the last, and not any account trust to what they may say. We will, in the meantime, send a messenger to Rocky Mountain House, entreating for a.s.sistance. I feel sure that the officer in charge will send as many men and horses as he can spare to enable you to escape, or defend the fort, if necessary."
My father and mother entreated Uncle Donald not thus to risk his life; but he was firm in his resolution. My father then proposed going with him, but to this Uncle Donald would not consent.
A considerable portion of the night was consumed in these discussions.
A vigilant watch was of course kept, but no one could be seen stirring outside the fort. Having taken a brief nap, just before dawn I returned to my post on the ramparts. As daylight increased I fancied that I saw the body of a man lying under a bush some distance from the fort. Yes, I was certain of it. I pointed him out to Hugh, and we both fancied that we saw an arm move.
"He is one of the savages who was shot in the attack last night, and, unperceived by his companions, he must have fallen where we see him,"
observed Hugh.
While we were speaking, some of the Indians we had brought with us--who, though faithful servants, were still heathens--caught sight of the body.
Lowering themselves down without asking leave, they were rushing, with their scalping knives in their hands, towards the hapless being.
Uncle Donald at that instant coming up on the ramparts saw them, and guessed their object. "Come back, you rascals!" he shouted. "Whether that man be alive or dead, don"t touch a hair of his head!"
As they did not stop he fired his rifle, the bullet pa.s.sing just in front of the leading Indian, who now thought it time to come to a standstill.
"Archie and Hugh, you go and look after that poor fellow, and make our people bring him in," continued Uncle Donald.
We instantly obeyed, for although the height was considerable we could manage to drop to the bottom without injuring ourselves. We then ran as fast as our legs could carry us to overtake our Indians. Having delivered Uncle Donald"s orders, we then hurried on to where the Indian lay. At a glance I saw that he was desperately wounded from the blood which flowed from both his legs, while another shot had rendered his right arm powerless. His eyes still wore a defiant expression, and he appeared to fancy that we were about to kill him. By signs and such words of his language as we could speak, we endeavoured to make him understand that we had come to carry him into the fort to try and save his life.
As there was not a moment to be lost, we first bound up his wounds, and then ordering our people to a.s.sist us we lifted him from the ground and hurried towards the fort, meeting on our way Uncle Donald, who had the gate open to admit us. Without stopping we carried the wounded man into the house, where my father, who had risen, was ready with bandages and salves to attend to him. My mother, meantime, was preparing some strong broth, which our prisoner eagerly swallowed. It had an almost instantaneous effect in reviving him. Uncle Donald, who had in the meantime been going round the fort to ascertain if more wounded had been left in its neighbourhood, now entered the room, and as his eye fell on the countenance of our captive, he exclaimed, "Ponoko! Do you remember your white friend?"
The Indian made a sign that he was the person supposed, though he was too weak to speak.
Uncle Donald then told him that although he had come as an enemy he should be well cared for.
In a short time the judicious treatment he was receiving enabled him to utter a few words. He seemed grateful for the care taken of him, and his eyes brightened when my young sisters and Rose brought him the soup, which he received almost every hour. He especially noticed Rose, and when Uncle Donald came to see him, inquired, in a tone of evident interest, who she was.
"You are right if you think you remember her, for she is the little girl you saved when your people attacked the village in the territory of the Long-knives some years ago," answered Uncle Donald.
"Will you now let me take her back?" asked Ponoko.
"Do you think it likely that I should consent?" said Uncle Donald. "Her ways are not the ways of your people. She would pine and die were she to be treated as your women are treated."
"But there is one who has long lived with us whose heart would be rejoiced to see her," said Ponoko. "You may remember when I parted from you I promised to try and save the lives of any of our pale-faced prisoners. I succeeded in saving that of one man just as he was about to be tortured and killed, but it was on condition that he would swear to remain with us, and never betray us to our enemies. He was a great hunter, and brave as the bravest among us. He also, we found, was not one of the Long-knives, but was a subject of the Queen of the Pale-faces. He has kept his promise, though he might often have made his escape. He had been many months with us, before I found how sorely his heart yearned to get away, and I would have set him free, but the other chiefs would not consent. He looked upon me as his friend. He told me that his child and all his household had died by the hands of our people, except his wife, who was away in one of the big cities in the east at the time we attacked the place. I was thus led to tell him of the little girl I had saved and given over to you, and he has ever since been hoping that she might prove to be one of his children. He has hoped and hoped until he has persuaded himself that such she is.
Thus I know how it would rejoice his heart to see her."
"I have strong doubts about that," answered Uncle Donald. "He would rejoice to see her, but not to have her among your people, from whom she differs so greatly. The only way truly to benefit him would be to set him at liberty and allow him to return among the Pale-faces to whom he belongs."
"But how can that be while I am sick and a prisoner with you?" asked Ponoko.
"You"ll recover, I hope, ere long, and as you have fulfilled your promise on one occasion, I feel confident that you will not disappoint us if we set you at liberty on your undertaking to restore this white stranger to his people."
"Ponoko always keeps his word," answered the Indian in a proud tone.
"But should the Blackfeet, in the meantime, attack us, we may be destroyed, and they may take you away with them," observed Uncle Donald.
"If my people come, you shall carry me out on a litter; I will tell them how well the Pale-faces have treated me, and will urge them, instead of fighting, to make a lasting peace with my white father and his friends,"
said Ponoko.
"I will trust you, my brother," said Uncle Donald, pressing Ponoko"s hand. "I pray that you may soon be restored to health, and that you will teach your people that it is to their true interests to be at peace with the white men, and to trade honestly with them."