MR. HARDISTy's story THE CREE IN TRAINING. 189 



day a solitary and adventurous Cree made liis ap- 

 pearance at the Fort on foot. Shortly after his 

 arrival, a body of mounted Blackfeet arrived, and 

 discovering the presence of one of the hostile tribe, 

 clamorously demanded that he should be given up 

 to them to be tortured and scalped. The trader in 

 command of the Fort was anxious to save the life of 

 the Cree, yet afraid to refuse to surrender him, for 

 the Blackfeet were numerous and well armed, and 

 had been admitted within the stockade. After much 

 discussion, a compromise was agreed to, the white 

 man engaging to keep the Cree in safe custody for a 

 month, at the end of which time the Blackfeet were 

 to return to the Fort, and the prisoner was to be 

 turned loose, with a hundred yards' start of his 

 pursuers, who were bound to chase him only on foot, 

 and with .no other arms but their knives. 



The Blackfeet took their departure, and the Cree 

 was immediately put into hard training. He was 

 fed on fresh buffalo -meat, as much as he could eat, 

 and made to run round the Fort enclosure, at full 

 speed, for an hour twice every day. 



At the expiration of the ^stipulated month, the 

 Blackfeet came to the Fort, accordino^ to their asfree- 

 ment. Their horses were secured within the walls, 

 all their arms except their knives taken from them, 

 and then the expected victim was escorted to the 

 starting-place by the whole staff of the establish- 

 ment, who turned out on horseback to see fair play. 

 The Cree was placed at his post, 100 jards ahead of 

 his bloodthirsty enemies, who were eager as wolves 



