The efficiency of our discipline consisted in the absence of that pretty order, which some French and English martinets would have striven to establish; and which would have been ill-suited for a march over the sterile plains, and through the dense forests encountered in the line of our route. This absence of strict discipline did not prevent us from doing a good day's march; and yet enabled us to have plenty of game to cook over our camp-fires by night. We had no duty to trouble ourselves with, but what the common sense of each taught him to be necessary to our safety and welfare; and we were more like a hunting party seeking amusement, than like soldiers on a toilsome march. For all this, we were proceeding towards our destination, with as much speed as could reasonably be required. We had one man in the company, known by the name of "Runaway Dick"--a name given to him after he had one evening, by the camp-fire, entertained us with a narration of some of the experiences of his life. He had run away from home, and gone to sea. He had run away from every ship in which he had sailed. He had started in business several times, and had run away each time in debt. He had married two wives, and had run away from both; and, before joining our corps, he had run away from the landlord of a tavern--leaving Boniface an empty trunk as payment for a large bill. "Runaway Dick" was one of the best marksman with a rifle we had in the company; and it was the knowledge of this, that on one occasion caused me perhaps the greatest fright I ever experienced. I had risen at an early hour one morning, which being very cold, I had lighted a fire. I was squatted, and shivering over the half kindled faggots, with a buffalo robe wrapped around my shoulders, when I saw "Runaway Dick" steal out from his sleeping place under a waggon. On seeing me, he turned suddenly round, and laid hold of his rifle. I had just time to throw off the hairy covering, and spring to my feet, as the rifle was brought to his shoulder. Three seconds more, and I should have had a bullet through my body! "Darn it! I thought you was a bar," said Dick coolly, putting down his rifle, as I fancied, with a show of some chagrin at having been undeceived, and "choused" out of his shot. I afterwards heard that he was only trying to frighten me. If so, the experiment proved entirely successful. After reaching the post we were to occupy, I was not so well satisfied with my situation, as when on the march. The discipline became more strict, and we had a good deal of fatigue-work to do--in building huts, stables, and fortifications. Besides this unsoldierly duty by day, we had at night to take our turn as sentinels around the station. Emigrants on the way to California passed us daily. How I envied them their freedom of action, and the bright hopes that were luring them on! ------------------------------------------------------------------------