yelling and waving their arms, and followed the savage. It appears
that after the chief left me, he went to the people of our town and
proposed the same terms; for an hour later, to my horror, I saw the
chief factor of the Hudson Bay Company, his wife and daughters, and
several others following the Indian to his wigwams. Had these people
put themselves under our protection, and the men aided us in defence,
we might have laughed defiance at the five score of the enemy who
threaten."

"But," returned Stephens, "I fear that you do not count at its full
the force preparing itself to attack. From all I can gather a hundred
or so of Plain Crees will come here to-day under Tall Elk; while the
total strength of the Stonies, who will rise at Big Bear's call,
cannot be less than five hundred."

Inspector Dicken looked grave; but he was a brave man and busied
himself in making preparations. The total number of his force,
including mounted police and civilians was 24; and each man had a
Winchester and about twenty rounds of ammunition.

"Two of my scouts are abroad," he said, "reconnoitering; they should
be here by this time." While he was yet speaking a storm of yelling
came from the wigwams of Big Bear, and three or four score of braves
were seen pouring from their tents, like bees bundling out of a hive.
Each one had a gun in his hand, and a hatchet in his belt. The cause
of this sudden commotion was soon apparent: about half a mile
distant, two police scouts were riding leisurely along the plain
towards the Fort, and evidently not suspecting the danger which
menaced them. They advanced to a point about two hundred yards from
the stockades; then a yell went up from a body of prostrate savages,