The Lone Chief

"The Lone Chief; or, The Trappers of the Saskatchewan, A Tale of the Long Trail" by Jos. E. Badger Jr. concerns four American trappers—Old Kit Duncan, Yankee Sam Grimes, Fred Mitchell, and Alfred Hall—veterans of the 7th Kansas Cavalry now trapping in British territory along the Saskatchewan River. Witnessing a lone Indian fleeing seven Cree pursuers, they ambush the attackers from a riverbank hide, killing five. During pursuit of the survivors, Yankee Sam becomes trapped in a snow-filled gully with a Cree warrior and engages him in hand-to-hand combat. The rescued Indian, initially suspicious, intervenes with a knife. The trappers and the Indian establish tentative alliance, though tensions simmer among the exhausted men. The narrative emphasizes frontier survival, combat action, and the uneasy cooperation between the trappers and their rescued Indian ally.