CHAPTER VII.
We call them savage--oh, be just! Their outraged feelings scan; A voice comes forth, 'tis from the dust-- The savage was a man! SPRAGUE.
As soon as le Bourdon reached the commencement of that which might becalled his path across the marsh, he stopped and looked backward. He wasnow sufficiently removed from the low acclivity to see objects on itssummit, and had no difficulty in discerning all that the waning fireilluminated. There stood the Chippewa erect against the tree as if stillbound with thongs, while the sentinel was slowly approaching him. Thedogs were on their feet, and gave two or three sharp barks, which hadthe effect to cause five or six of the savages to lift their heads intheir lairs. One arose even and threw an armful of dried branches on thefire, producing a bright blaze, that brought everything around the hut,and which the light could touch, into full view.
The bee-hunter was astonished at the immovable calmness with whichPigeonswing still stood to his tree, awaiting the approach of thesentinel. In a few moments the latter was at his side. At first thePottawattamie did not perceive that the prisoner was unbound. He threwhim into shadow by his own person, and it required a close look to notethe circumstance. Boden was too far from the spot to see all the minormovements of the parties, but there was soon a struggle that couldnot be mistaken. As the Pottawattamie was examining the prisoner, anexclamation that escaped him betrayed the sudden consciousness that theChippewa was unbound. The sound was no sooner uttered than Pigeonswingmade a grasp at the sentinel's knife, which however he did not obtain,when the two closed and fell, rolling down the declivity into thedarkness. When the Pottawattamie seized the Chippewa, he uttered ayell, which instantly brought every man of his party to his feet. As thesavages now united in the whoops, and the dogs began to bark wildly, aninfernal clamor was made.
At first, le Bourdon did not know how to act. He greatly feared thedogs, and could not but think of Margery, and the probable consequences,should those sagacious animals follow him across the marsh. But he didnot like the idea of abandoning Pigeonswing, when a single blow of hisarm, or a kick of his foot, might be the cause of his escape. Whiledeliberating in painful uncertainty, the sounds of the struggle ceased,and he saw the sentinel rising again into the light, limping like onewho had suffered by a fall. Presently he heard a footstep near him, and,calling in a low voice, he was immediately joined by Pigeonswing. Beforethe bee-hunter was aware of his intention, the Chippewa seized hisrifle, and levelling at the sentinel, who still stood on the brow of thehill, drawn in all his savage outlines distinctly in the light ofthe flames, he fired. The cry, the leap into the air, and the fall,announced the unerring character of the aim. In coming to the earth,the wounded man fell over the brow of the sharp acclivity, and was heardrolling toward its base.
Le Bourdon felt the importance of now improving the precious moments,and was in the act of urging his companion to follow, when the latterpassed an arm around his body, whipped his knife from the girdle andsheath, and dropping the rifle into his friend's arms, bounded away inthe darkness, taking the direction of his fallen enemy. There was nomistaking all this; Chippewa, led by his own peculiar sense of honor,risking everything to obtain the usual trophy of victory. By this time,a dozen of the savages stood on the brow of the hill, seemingly at aloss to understand what had become of the combatants. Perceivingthis, the bee-hunter profited by the delay and reloaded his rifle. Aseverything passed almost as swiftly as the electric spark is knownto travel, it was but a moment after the Pottawattamie fell ere hisconqueror was through with his bloody task. Just as le Bourdon threw hisrifle up into the hollow of his arm, he was rejoined by his redfriend, who bore the reeking scalp of the sentinel at his belt; thoughfortunately the bee-hunter did not see it on account of the obscurity,else might he not have been so willing to continue to act with soruthless an ally.
Further stay was out of the question; for the Indians were now collectedin a body on the brow of the hill, where the chief was rapidly issuinghis orders. In a minute the band dispersed, every man bounding into thedarkness, as if aware of the danger of remaining within the influence ofthe bright light thrown from the fire. Then came such a clamor fromthe dogs, as left no doubt in the mind of the bee-hunter that they hadscented and found the remains of the fallen man. A fierce yell came fromthe same spot, the proof that some of the savages had already discoveredthe body; and le Bourdon told his companion to follow, taking his wayacross the marsh as fast as he could overcome the difficulties of thepath.
It has already been intimated that it was not easy, if indeed it werepossible, to cross that piece of low wet land in a direct line. Therewas tolerably firm ground on it, but it lay in an irregular form, itspresence being generally to be noted by the growth of trees. LeBourdon had been very careful in taking his landmarks, foreseeing theprobability of a hasty retreat, and he had no difficulty for some timein keeping in the right direction. But the dogs soon left the deadbody, and came bounding across the marsh, disregarding its difficulties;though their plunges and yells soon made it apparent that even they didnot escape altogether with dry feet. As for the savages, they poureddown the declivity in a stream, taking the dogs as their guides;and safe ones they might well be accounted, so far as the SCENT wasconcerned, though they did not happen to be particularly well acquaintedwith all the difficulties of the path.
At length le Bourdon paused, causing his companion to stop also. In thehurry and confusion of the flight, the former had lost his landmarks,finding himself amidst a copse of small trees, or large bushes, butnot in the particular copse he sought. Every effort to get out of thisthicket, except by the way he had entered it, proved abortive, and thedogs were barking at no great distance in his rear. It is true thatthese animals no longer approached: for they were floundering in the mudand water; but their throats answered every purpose to lead the pursuerson, and the low calls that passed from mouth to mouth, let thepursued understand that the Pottawattamies were at their heels, if notabsolutely on their trail.
The crisis demanded both discretion and decision; qualities in which thebee-hunter, with his forest training, was not likely to be deficient. Helooked out for the path by which he had reached the unfortunate thicket,and having found it, commenced a retreat by the way he had come. Nervewas needed to move almost in a line toward the dogs and their masters;but the nerve was forthcoming, and the two advanced like veteransexpecting the fire of some concealed but well-armed battery. Presently,le Bourdon stopped, and examined the ground on which he stood.
"HERE we must turn, Chippewa," he said, in a guarded voice. "This is thespot where I must have missed my way."
"Good place to turn 'bout," answered the Indian--"dog too near."
"We must shoot the dogs if they press us too hard," returned thebee-hunter, leading off rapidly, now secure in the right direction."They seem to be in trouble, just at this time; but animals like themwill soon find their way across this marsh."
"Bess shoot Pottawattamie," coolly returned Pigeonswing. "Pottawattamiegot capital scalp--dog's ears no good for nutting any more."
"Yonder, I believe, is the tree I am in search of!" exclaimed leBourdon. "If we can reach that tree, I think all will go well with us."
The tree was reached, and the bee-hunter proceeded to make sure ofhis course from that point. Removing from his pouch a small piece ofmoistened powder that he had prepared ere he liberated the Chippewa, hestuck it on a low branch of the tree he was under, and on the side nextthe spot where he had stationed Margery. When this was done, he made hiscompanion stand aside, and lighting some spunk with his flint and steel,he fired his powder. Of course, this little preparation burned like thefireworks of a boy, making sufficient light, however, to be seen in adark night for a mile or more. No sooner was the wetted powder hissingand throwing off its sparks, than the bee-hunter gazed intently into thenow seemingly tangible obscurity of the marsh. A bright light appearedand vanished. It was enough; the bee-hunter threw down his own signaland
extinguished it with his foot; and, as he wished, the lantern ofMargery appeared no more. Assured now of the accuracy of his position,as well as of the course he was to pursue, le Bourdon bade his companionfollow, and pressed anew across the marsh. A tree was soon visible, andtoward that particular object the fugitives steadily pressed, until itwas reached. At the next instant Margery was joined; and the bee-huntercould not refrain from kissing her, in the excess of his pleasure.
"There is a dreadful howling of dogs," said Margery, feeling no offenceat the liberty taken, in a moment like that, "and it seems to me that awhole tribe is following at their heels. For Heaven's sake, Bourdon, letus hasten to the canoes; brother and sister must think us lost!"
The circumstances pressed, and the bee-hunter took Margery's arm,passing it through one of his own, with a decided and protecting manner,that caused the girl's heart to beat with emotions not in the leastconnected with fear, leaving an impression of pleasure even at thatperilous moment. As the distance was not great, the three were soonon the beach and near to the canoes. Here they met Dorothy, alone, andpacing to and fro like a person distressed. She had doubtless heard theclamor, and was aware that the savages were out looking for their party.As Margery met her sister, she saw that something more than commonhad gone wrong, and in the eagerness of her apprehensions she did notscruple about putting her questions.
"What has become of brother? Where is Gershom?" demanded the sensitivegirl, at once.
The answer was given in a low voice, and in that sort of manner withwhich woman struggles to the last to conceal the delinquencies of himshe loves.
"Gershom is not himself, just now," half whispered the wife--"he hasfallen into one of his old ways, ag'in."
"Old ways?" slowly repeated the sister, dropping her own voice totones similar to those in which the unpleasant news had just beencommunicated. "How is that possible, now that all the whiskey isemptied?"
"It seems that Bourdon had a jug of brandy among his stores, and Gershomfound it out. I blame no one; for Bourdon, who never abuses the gifts ofProvidence, had a right to his comforts at least; but it IS a pity thatthere was anything of the sort in the canoes!"
The bee-hunter was greatly concerned at this unwelcome intelligence,feeling all its importance far more vividly than either of hiscompanions. They regretted as women; but he foresaw the danger, as a manaccustomed to exertion in trying scenes. If Whiskey Centre had reallyfallen into his old ways, so as to render himself an incumbrance,instead of being an assistant at such a moment, the fact was to bedeplored, but it could only be remedied by time. Luckily they hadthe Indian with them, and he could manage one of the canoes, while hehimself took charge of the other. As no time was to be lost--the barkingof the dogs and the cries of the savages too plainly letting it be knownthat the enemy was getting through the marsh by some means or other--hehurried the party down to the canoes, entering that of Whiskey Centre atonce.
Le Bourdon found Gershom asleep, but with the heavy slumbers of thedrunkard. Dolly had removed the jug and concealed it, as soon asthe state of her husband enabled her to do so without incurring hisviolence. Else might the unfortunate man have destroyed himself, byindulging in a liquor so much more palatable than that he was accustomedto use, after so long and compelled an abstinence. The jug was nowproduced, however, and le Bourdon emptied it in the river, to the greatjoy of the two females, though not without a sharp remonstrance from theChippewa. The bee-hunter was steady, and the last drop of the liquor ofGascony was soon mingling with the waters of the Kalamazoo. This done,the bee-hunter desired the women to embark, and called to the Chippewato do the same. By quitting the spot in the canoes, it was evident thepursuers would be balked, temporarily at least, since they must recrossthe marsh in order to get into their own boats, without which furtherpursuit would be fruitless.
It might have been by means of a secret sympathy, or it was possibly theresult of accident, but certain it is, that the Chippewa was placedin that of le Bourdon. As for Whiskey Centre, he lay like a log in thebottom of his own light bark, cared for only by his affectionate wife,who had made a pillow for his head; but, fortunately, if no assistancejust then, not any material hindrance to the movements of his friends.By the time le Bourdon and the Chippewa had got their stations, and thecanoes were free of the bottom, it was evident by the sounds, that notonly the dogs, but divers of their masters, had floundered through theswamp, and were already on the firm ground east of it. As the dogs ranby scent, little doubt remained of their soon leading the savages tothe place of embarkation. Aware of this, the bee-hunter directedthe Chippewa to follow, and urged his own canoe away from the shore,following one of three of the natural channels that united just at thatpoint.
The clamor now sensibly increased, and the approach of the pursuerswas much faster than it had previously been, in consequence of there nolonger being wet land beneath their feet. At the distance of fiftyyards from the shore, however, the channel, or open avenue amongthe rice-plants that the canoes had taken, made a short turn to thenorthward; for all the events we have just been recording occurred onthe northern, or leeward side of the river. Once around this bend in thechannel, the canoes would have been effectually concealed from those onthe beach, had it even been broad daylight, and, of course, were somuch more hidden from view under the obscurity of a very dark night.Perceiving this, and fearful that the dip of the paddles might be heard,le Bourdon ceased to urge his canoe through the water, telling theChippewa to imitate his example, and let the boats drift. In consequenceof this precaution the fugitives were still quite near the shore when,first, the dogs, then a party of their masters, came rushing down to thevery spot whence the canoes had departed scarcely two minutes before.As no precautions were taken to conceal the advance of the pursuers, thepursued, or the individuals among them who alone understood the commonlanguage of the great Ojebway nation well, had an opportunity of hearingand understanding all that was said. Le Bourdon had brought the twocanoes together; and the Chippewa, at his request, now translatedsuch parts of the discourse of their enemies as he deemed worthy ofcommunicating to the females.
"Say, now, nobody dere!" commenced the Indian, coolly. "T'ink he nogreat way off--mean to look for him--t'ink dog uneasy--won'er why dog souneasy."
"Them dogs are very likely to scent us here in the canoes, we are sonear them," whispered le Bourdon.
"S'pose he do, can't catch us," coolly answered the Chippewa--"beside,shoot him, don't take care--bad for dog to chase warrior too much."
"There is one speaking now, who seems to have authority."
"Yes--he chief--know he voice--hear him too often--he mean to putPigeonswing to torture. Well, let him catch Pigeonswing fust--swift birddo that, eh?"
"But what says he?--it may be of importance to learn what the chiefsays, just now."
"Who care what he say--can't do nuttin'--if get good chance, take HISscalp, too."
"Aye, that I dare say--but he is speaking earnestly and in a low voice;listen, and let us know what he says. I do not well understand at thisdistance."
The Chippewa complied, and maintained an attentive silence until thechief ceased to speak. Then he rendered what had been said into suchEnglish as he could command, accompanying the translation by theexplanations that naturally suggested themselves to one like himself.
"Chief talk to young men," said the Chippewa--"all chief talk to youngmen--tell him dat Pigeonswing must get off in canoe--don't see canoe,nudder--but, muss be canoe, else he swim. T'ink more than one Injinhere--don't know, dough--maybe, maybe not--can't tell, till see trail,morrow morning--"
"Well, well; but what does he tell his young men to DO?" demanded thebee-hunter, impatiently.
"Don't be squaw, Bourdon--tell all by'em bye. Tell young men s'pose heget canoe, den he may get OUR canoe, and carry 'em off--s'pose he swim;dat Chippewa devil swim down stream and get OUR canoe dat fashion--bessgo back, some of you, and see arter OUR canoe--dat what he tell youngmen most."
"That is a lucky thought!" exclaimed
le Bourdon--"let us paddle down, atonce, and seize all their canoes before they can get there. The distanceby water, owing to this bend in the river, is not half as great as thatby land, and the marsh will double the distance to them."
"Dat good counsel," said Pigeonswing--"you go--I follow."
This was no sooner said, than the canoes again got in motion. Thedarkness might now have been a sufficient protection had there been norice, but the plant would have concealed the movement, even at noon-day.The fire in the hut served as a beacon, and enabled le Bourdon to findthe canoes. When he reached the landing, he could still hear the dogsbarking on the marsh, and the voices of those with them, calling in loudtones to two of the savages who had remained at the chiente, as a sortof camp-guard.
"What do them chaps say?" asked le Bourdon of the Chippewa. "They yellas if striving to make the two men at the door of the hut hear them. Canyou make out what they are bawling so loud?"
"Tell two warrior to come down and take care of canoe--dat all--let 'emcome--find two here to take care of DEM--got good scalp, them two rascalPottawattamie!"
"No--no--Pigeonswing--we must have no more of that work to-night, butmust set about towing these four canoes off the shore as fast as we can.Have you got hitches on your two?"
"Fast 'nough--so fast, he follow," answered the Indian, who,notwithstanding his preparations to help to remove the canoes, wasmanifestly reluctant to depart without striking another blow at hisenemies. "Now good time for dem rascal to lose scalp!"
"Them rascals, as you call them, begin to understand their friends inthe marsh, and are looking to the priming of their rifles. We must bemoving, or they may see us, and give us a shot. Shove off, Chippewa, andpaddle at once for the middle of the bay."
As le Bourdon was much in earnest, Pigeonswing was fain to comply. Hadthe last possessed a rifle of his own, or even a knife, it is highlyprobable he would have leaped ashore, and found the means of stealing onsome of his enemies unawares, and thus secured another trophy. But thebee-hunter was determined, and the Chippewa, however reluctant, wascompelled to obey; for not only had le Bourdon kept his rifle at hisside, but he had used the precaution of securing his knife and tomahawk,both of which he carried habitually, the same as a red man.
The canoes had now a somewhat difficult task. The wind still blew fresh,and it was necessary for one of these light craft, pretty well loadedwith its proper freight, and paddled by only a single person, to tow twoother craft of equal size dead to the windward. The weight in the towingcraft, and the lightness of those that were towed, rendered this task,however, easier than it might otherwise have proved. In the course ofa couple of minutes all the canoes were far enough from the shore to beout of sight of the two Indians, who, by that time, had got down to thebeach to look after their own craft. The yell these savages raised onfinding themselves too late, not only announced their disappointment,but communicated the extent of the disaster to their friends, who werestill floundering through the marsh.
The great advantage that the party of the bee-hunter had now obtainedmust be very apparent to all. In possession of ALL the canoes, theirenemies were, or would be for some time at least, confined to thenorthern side of the river, which was so wide near its mouth as topresent an effectual barrier between them and those who occupied theopposite bank. The canoes, also, enabled the weaker party to changetheir position at will, carrying with them as many effects as were onboard, and which included the whole of the property of le Bourdon; whiletheir loss deprived their enemies of all extra means of motion, andwould be very likely to induce them to proceed on their expedition byland. The objects of that expedition could only be conjectured by thebee-hunter, until he had questioned the Chippewa; a thing he did notfail to do, so soon as he believed the party quite safe under the southshore. Here the fugitives landed, proceeding up a natural channel in thewild rice in order to do so, and selecting a bit of dry beach fortheir purpose. Margery set about lighting a fire, in order to keep themosquitos at a distance, selecting a spot to kindle it, behind a swellon the land, that concealed the light from all on the other shore. Inthe morning, it would be necessary to extinguish that fire, lest itssmoke should betray their position. It was while these things were inprogress, and after le Bourdon had himself procured the fuel necessaryto feed pretty Margery's fire, that he questioned the Chippewa touchinghis captivity.
"Yes, tell all 'bout him," answered the Indian, as soon asinterrogated--"no good to hide trail from friend. 'Member when saygood-by up in openin' to Bourdon?"
"Certainly--I remember the very instant when you left me. ThePottawattamie went on one path, and you went on another. I was glad ofthat, as you seemed to think he was not your friend."
"Yes; good not to travel on same path as inimy, 'cause he quarrelsometime," coolly returned the Indian. "Dis time, path come together,somehow; and Pottawattamie lose he scalp."
"I am aware of all that, Pigeonswing, and wish it had not been so. Ifound the body of Elksfoot sitting up against a tree soon after you leftme, and knew by whose hands he had fallen."
"Didn't find scalp, eh?"
"No, the scalp had been taken; though I accounted that but for little,since the man's life was gone. There is little gained by carrying on warin this manner, making the woods, and the openings, and the prairies,alike unsafe. You see, to what distress this family is reduced by yourInjin manner of making war."
"How you make him, den--want, to hear. Go kiss, and give venison toinimy, or go get his scalp, eh? Which bess fashion to make him afeard,and own you master?"
"All that may be done without killing single travellers, or murderingwomen and children. The peace will be made none the sooner betweenEngland and America, because you have got the scalp of Elksfoot."
"No haben't got him any longer; wish had--Pottawattamie take him away,and say he bury him. Well, let him hide him in a hole deep as whiteman's well, can't hide Pigeonswing honor dere, too. Dat is safe as notchcut on stick can make him!"
This notch on a stick was the Indian mode of gazetting a warrior; and acertain number of these notches was pretty certain to procure for him asort of savage brevet, which answered his purpose quite as well as themodern mode of brevetting at Washington answers our purpose. Neitherbrings any pay, we believe, nor any command, except in such cases asrarely occur, and then only to the advantage of government. There arevarieties in honor, as in any other human interest: so are there manymoral degrees in warfare. Thus, the very individual who admires theoccupation of Algiers, or that of Tahiti, or the attack on Canton,together with the long train of Indian events which have dyed thepeninsulas of the East in the blood of their people, sees an alarmingenormity in the knocking down of the walls of Vera Cruz, though thebreach opened a direct road into San Juan de Ulloa. In the eyes ofthe same profound moralists, the garitas of Mexico ought to have beenrespected, as so many doors opening into the boudoirs of the beautifuldames of that fine capital; it being a monstrous thing to fire a shotinto the streets of a town, no matter how many came out of them. Weare happy, therefore, to have it in our power to add these touches ofphilosophy that came from Pigeonswing to those of the sages of theold world, by way of completing a code of international morals on thisinteresting subject, in which the student shall be at a loss to saywhich he most admires--that which comes from the schools, or that whichcomes direct from the wilderness.
"So best," answered the bee-hunter. "I wish I could persuade you tothrow away that disgusting thing at your belt. Remember, Chippewa, youare now among Christians, and ought to do as Christians wish."
"What Christians DO, eh?" returned the Indian, with a sneer, "get drunklike Whiskey Centre, dere? Cheat poor red man; den get down on knee andlook up at Manitou? DAT what Christian do, eh?"
"They who do such things are Christian but in name--you must thinkbetter of such as are Christians in fact."
"Ebberybody call himself Christian, tell you--all pale-faceChristian, dey say. Now, listen to Chippewa. Once talk long talk wit'missionary--tell all about Christian-
-what Christian do--what Christiansay--how he eat, how he sleep, HOW he drink!--all good--wish PigeonwingChristian--den 'member so'ger at garrison--no eat, no sleep, no drinkChristian fashion--do ebbery t'ing so'ger fashion--swear, fight, cheat,get drunk--wuss dan Injin--dat Christian, eh?"
"No, that is not acting like a Christian; and I fear very few of us whocall ourselves by that name, act as if we were Christians, in truth,"said le Bourdon, conscious of the justice of the Chippewa's accusation.
"Just dat--now, I get him--ask missionary, one day, where all Christiango to, so dat Injin can't find him--none in woods--none on prairie--nonein garrison--none in Mack'naw--none at Detroit--where all go to, den, soInjin can't find him, on'y in missionary talk?"
"I am curious to know what answer your missionary made to thatquestion."
"Well, tell you--say, on'y one in ten t'ousant RAAL Christians 'mongpale-face, dough all call himself Christian! DAT what Injin t'ink queer,eh?"
"It is not easy to make a red man understand all the ways of thepale-faces, Pigeonswing; but we will talk of these things another time,when we are more at our ease. Just now, I wish to learn all I can of themanner in which you fell into the hands of the Pottawattamies."
"Dat plain 'nough--wish Christian talk half as plain. You see, Bourdon,dat Elksfoot on scout, when we meet in openin', up river. I know'd hisar'nd, and so took scalp. Dem Pottawattamie his friend--when dey come tomeet ole chief, no find him; but find Pigeonwing; got me when tiredand 'sleep; got Elkfoot scalp wid me--sorry for dat--know scalp byscalp-lock, which had gray hair, and some mark. So put me in canoe, andmeant to take Chippewa to Chicago to torture him--but too much wind. So,when meet friend in t'odder canoe, come back here to wait little while."
This was the simple explanation of the manner in which Pigeonswing hadfallen into the hands of his enemies. It would seem that Elksfoot hadcome in a canoe from the mouth of the St. Joseph's to a point abouthalf-way between that river and the mouth of the Kalamazoo, and therelanded. What the object of the party was, does not exactly appear,though it is far from being certain that it was not to seize thebee-hunter, and confiscate his effects. Although le Bourdon waspersonally a stranger to Elksfoot, news flies through the wilderness inan extraordinary manner; and it was not at all unlikely that the fact ofa white American's being in the openings should soon spread, along withthe tidings that the hatchet was dug up, and that a party should go outin quest of his scalp and the plunder. It would seem that the savagetact of the Chippewa detected that in the manner of the Pottawattamiechief, which assured him the intentions of the old warrior were notamicable; and that he took the very summary process which has beenrelated, not only to secure HIS scalp, but effectually to put it outof his power to do any mischief to one who was an ally, and by means ofrecent confidence, now a friend. All this the Indian explained to hiscompanion, in his usual clipped English, but with a clearness sufficientto make it perfectly intelligible to his listener. The bee-hunterlistened with the most profound attention, for he was fully aware of theimportance of comprehending all the hazards of his own situation.
While this dialogue was going on, Margery had succeeded in lighting herfire, and was busy in preparing some warm compound, which she knew wouldbe required by her unhappy brother after his debauch, Dorothy passedoften between the fire and the canoe, feeling a wife's anxiety in thefate of her husband. As for the Chippewa, intoxication was a very venialoffence in his eyes; though he had a contempt for a man who would thusindulge while on a warpath. The American Indian does possess this meritof adapting his deportment to his circumstances. When engaged in war heusually prepares himself, in the coolest and wisest manner, to meetits struggles, indulging only in moments of leisure, and of comparativesecurity. It is true that the march of what is called civilization isfast changing the red man's character, and he is very apt now to do thatwhich he sees done by the "Christians" around him.
Le Bourdon, when his dialogue with the Chippewa was over, and after afew words of explanation with Margery, took his own canoe, andpaddled through the rice-plants into the open water of the river, toreconnoitre. The breadth of the stream induced him to float down beforethe wind, until he reached a point where he could again command a viewof the hut. What he there saw, and what he next did, must be reservedfor a succeeding chapter.