Such is the account given by Captain Bonneville of these rangers of the wilderness, and their appearance at the camp was strikingly characteristic.
Captain Bonneville, who was delighted with the game look of these cavaliers of the mountains, welcomed them heartily to his camp, and ordered a free allowance of grog to regale them, which soon put them in the most braggart spirits.
The next morning, to their surprise, Rose made his appearance at the camp, accompanied by some of his Crow associates.
Here he remained all the succeeding day, as well to give time for the Crows to get in the advance, as for the stragglers, who had wandered away in quest of water two days previously, to rejoin the camp.
Daylight did the camp work of both, harnessed the dogs, and, when ready for the start, rolled the helpless Indian in all three sleeping robes and lashed him on top of the sled.
It was a 'cold' camp, far above the timber-line, and he had not burdened his sled with firewood.
Hanson assured her that the
camp was but a few miles further on.
Immediately the Belgian sought the Arab who had been left in charge of the
camp during Achmet Zek's absence, and again his boldness disarmed suspicion and won the acceptance of his false explanation of his return.
Some day there would come a moment when Kai Shang, Momulla, and three or four of the others would be absent from
camp, exploring or hunting.
The leaders sat amongst the box-wood, and took counsel together as to what they should do; while from below there surged up the buzz of voices, the shouting, the neighing of horses, and all the uproar of a great
camp.
One desperate, frightened yell from the first French soldier who saw the Cossacks, and all who were in the
camp, undressed and only just waking up, ran off in all directions, abandoning cannons, muskets, and horses.
At the
camp Virginia found that a neat clearing had been made upon a little tableland, a palisade built about it, and divided into three parts; the most northerly of which contained a small house for herself and her father, another for von Horn, and a common cooking and eating house over which Sing was to preside.
