The Sioux only required to be shown where the enemy lay; but in his
enthusiasm he did not lose sight of the fat cattle grazing upon the
prairies.

But we return for a time to Captain Stephens and his party. When
their deliverer, the Indian boy, departed, they rode along the bank
of the Saskatchewan, according to the lad's instructions, and in half
an hour were in sight of Pitt. Inspector Dicken was glad enough to
receive this addition to his little assistance; and informed Captain
Stephens that he had resolved to fight it out against the forces
menacing him.

"What is the number of the enemy?" enquired Stephens.

"About a hundred armed braves I should judge," Inspector Dicken
replied. "Big Bear accompanied by a dozen wives came under the
stockade this morning, and invited me to have a talk. With the
coolest effrontery he informed me that if I would leave the fort,
surrender my arms, and accompany him, with my men, into his wigwams,
that he would give me a guarantee against all harm. If I refused
these terms, he said he would first let his young men amuse
themselves by a couple of days' firing at our forces; and that
afterwards he would burn the Fort and put the inmates to death.

"I expostulated with the greasy, swaggering ruffian, but he only
swore, and reiterated his threats. Then I told him to be gone for an
insolent savage, and that if I found him prowling about the Fort
again, I should send my men to take charge of him. Thereat his squaws
began to jeer, and cut capers; and squatting upon the sod in a row
they made mouths, and poked their fingers at me. Then they arose