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Rh threw a shadow on the ground, a knot of men might be seen, muffled in their leathern coats and fur caps, hurrying to and fro with bundles on their backs and snow-shoes under their arms, packing and tying them firmly on trains of dog-sledges, which stood, with the dogs ready harnessed, in the shadow of the bushes. The men whispered eagerly and hurriedly to each other as they packed their goods, while others held the dogs and patted them to keep them quiet—evidently showing that whatever was their object, expedition and secrecy were necessary. Soon all was in readiness: the bells which usually tinkled on the dogs' necks were unhooked and packed in the sledges; an active looking man sprang forwards and set off at a round trot over the snow, and a single crack of the whip sent four sledges, each with a train of four or five dogs, after him, while two other men brought up the rear. For a time the muffled sound of the sledges was heard as they slid over the snow, while now and then the whine of a dog broke upon the ear, as the impatient drivers urged them along. Gradually these sounds died away, and nothing was heard but the faint echoes of music and mirth, which floated on the frosty night- wind, giving token that the revellers still kept up the dance, and were ignorant of the departure of the trains. Late on the following day the North-West scouts reported the party of Indians, and soon a set of sleighs departed from the fort with loudly-ringing bells. After a long day's march of forty miles, they reached the encampment, where they found all the Indians intoxicated, and not a skin left to repay them for their trouble. Then it was that they discovered the ruse of the ball, and vowed to have their revenge.