of his services; and as the parties understood each other
perfectly well, the former saw the improbability of the latter's daring
to trifle with him.

"Where is this land of yours, Nick," he inquired, after studying the
Indian's countenance for a moment. "Where does it lie, what is it like,
how much is there of it, and how came you to own it?"

"Ask him just so, ag'in," said Nick, taking up four twigs, to note down
the questions, _seriatim_.

The captain repeated his inquiries, the Tuscarora laying down a stick
at each separate interrogatory.

"Where he be?" answered Nick, taking up a twig, as a memorandum. "He
out dere--where he want him--where he say.--One day's march from
Susquehanna."

"Well; proceed."

"What he like?--Like land, to be sure. T'ink he like water! Got
_some_ water--no too much--got some land--got no tree--got some tree.
Got good sugar-bush--got place for wheat and corn."

"Proceed."

"How much of him?" continued Nick, taking up another twig; "much as he
want--want little, got him--want more, got him. Want none at all, got
none at all--got what he want."

"Go on."

"To be sure. How came to own him?--How a pale face come to own America?
_Discover_ him--ha!--Well, Nick discover land down yonder, up
dere, over here."

"Nick, what the devil do you mean by all this?"

"No mean devil, at all--mean land--_good_ land. _Discover_
him--know where he is--catch beaver dere, three, two year. All Nick
say, true as word of honour; much more too."

"Do you mean it is an old beaver-dam destroyed?" asked the captain,
pricking up his ears; for he was too familiar with the woods, not to
understand the value of such a thing.

"No destroy--stand up yet--good as ever.--Nick dere, last season."

"Why, then, do you tell of it? Are not the beaver of more value to you,
than any price you may receive for the land?"

"Cotch him all, four, two year ago--rest run away. No find beaver to
stay long, when Indian once know, two time, where to set he trap.
Beaver cunninger 'an pale face--cunning as bear."

"I begin to comprehend you, Nick. How large do you suppose this pond to
be?"

"He 'm not as big as Lake Ontario. S'pose him smaller, what den? Big
enough for farm."

"Does it cover one or two hundred acres, think you?--Is it as large as
the clearing around the fort?"

"Big as two, six, four of him. Take forty skin, dere one season. Little
lake; all 'e tree gone."

"And the land around it--is it mountainous