"It is surprising," the general murmured to himself, "that although that man's conduct may be in appearance loyal, and however impossible it may be to approach him with the least thing,--in spite of all that, I cannot divest myself of the presentiment that he is deceiving us, and that he is contriving some diabolical project against us." The general was an old soldier of considerable experience, who would never leave anything to chance, that _deus ex machinâ_, which in a second destroys the best contrived plans. Notwithstanding the fatigue of his people, he would not lose a moment; aided by the captain, he had an enormous number of trees cut down, to form a solid intrenchment, protected by _chevaux de frise_. Behind this intrenchment the lancers dug a wide ditch, of which they threw out the earth on the side of the camp; and then, behind this second intrenchment, the baggage was piled up, to make a third and last enclosure. The tent was pitched in the centre of the camp, the sentinels were posted, and everyone else went to seek that repose of which they stood so much in need. The general, who intended sojourning on this spot for some time, wished, as far as it could be possible, to assure the safety of his companions, and, thanks to his minute precautions, he believed he had succeeded. For two days the travellers had been marching along execrable roads, almost without sleep, only stopping to snatch a morsel of food; as we have said, they were quite worn out with fatigue. Notwithstanding, then, their desire to keep awake, the sentinels could not resist the sleep which overpowered them and they were not long in sinking into as complete a forgetfulness as their companions. Towards midnight, at the moment when everyone in the camp was plunged in sleep, a man rose softly, and creeping along in the shade, with the quickness of a reptile, but with extreme precaution, he glided out of the barricades and intrenchments. He then went down upon the ground, and by degrees, in a manner almost insensibly, directed his course, upon his hands and knees, through the high grass towards a forest which covered the first ascent of the hill, and extended some way into the prairie. When he had gone a certain distance, and was safe from discovery, he rose up. A moonbeam, passing between two clouds, threw a light upon his countenance. That man was the Babbler. He looked round anxiously, listened attentively, and then with incredible perfection imitated the cry of the prairie dog. Almost instantly the same cry was repeated, and a man rose up, within at most ten paces of the Babbler. This man was the guide who, three days before, had escaped from the camp on the first appearance of the conflagration. CHAPTER XI. THE BARGAIN. Indians and wood rangers have two languages, of which they make use by turns, according to circumstances--spoken language, and the language of gestures.