THE SIGNAL. 241 



nothing else. Taymouth was ordered to be led close in 

 the rear of my ambulance, and my Prince's carbine with 

 its cartridges lay ready to my hand ; whenever my curi 

 osity was attracted to any suspicious-looking objects 

 among the russet undulations or hills on the prairies, for 

 a moment all lassitude seemed to leave me, and I felt in 

 my accustomed strength and elasticity. For some time 

 the solitary monotony of the wild landscape lay in its 

 enormous and unbroken extent around our cavalcade, 

 and there was not a semblance of other life than that 

 which we brought with us to be seen. All at once Major 

 Martin and Mr Bayard, who were riding at a consider 

 able distance ahead, halted abruptly, and while the Major 

 and Master Willie stared intently in one direction, Mr 

 Bayard looked towards my ambulance and held high 

 aloft his hat, conveying to me a spirit-stirring informa 

 tion, the purport of which I felt there was no misunder 

 standing he had sighted the great bison on his native 

 wilds ! 



1C 



