Adventure and adventurers > Away in the wilderness, or, Life among the red Indians and fur-traders of North America

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AWAY IN THE WILDERNESS.
Arrowhead next lighted a roaring fire at one
end of this cleared space, the others strewed the
branches over the space in front of it, and spread
their blankets on the top, after which the kettle
was put on to boil, buffalo steaks were stuck up
before the fire to roast, and the men then lay¬
down to rest and smoke, while supper was pre¬
paring. The intense cold prevented the fire from
melting the snowy walls of this encampment, which
shone and sparkled in the red blaze like pink
marble studded all over with diamonds, while the
spreading branches formed a ruddy-looking ceiling.
When they had finished supper, the heat of the fire
and the heat of their food made the travellers feel
quite warm and comfortable, in spite of John Frost;
and when they at last wrapped their blankets
round them and laid their heads together on the
branches, they fell into a sleep more sound and
refreshing than they would have enjoyed had they
gone to rest in a warm house upon the best bed in
England.
But when the fire went out, about the middle of
the night, the cold became so intense that they were
awakened by it, so Jasper rose and blew up the
fire, and the other two sat up and filled their pipes,
while their teeth chattered in their heads. Soon
the blaze and the smoke warmed them, and again
they lay down to sleep comfortably till morning.
Before daybreak, however, Arrowhead—who