e suddenly felt
his gun seized, and several strong arms thrown round his person. He
cried out for assistance, and struggled, but in vain. The gun was torn
away, a hand placed over his mouth, and a tomahawk brandished at him,
as if to intimate his doom, should he continue his outcries. In this
state of things nothing was left but to yield himself to his captors,
and, resigning himself to his fate, he waited for what should follow;
nor was he kept long in suspense, for presently an Indian came gliding
up to the group in whose midst he stood, and spoke a few words,
whereupon he was led to the cave, and directed by signs to enter it.
Here he found Sir Christopher lying quietly on the ground, without
apparently having received any injury, and his piece in the possession
of some Indians by whom he was surrounded. Arundel was permitted to
sit down by his side, admiring, as he did so, the wonderful composure
of the Knight.

CHAPTER XX.

"There have been holy men who hid themselves
Deep in the woody wilderness."

BRYANT.

Arundel had now an opportunity to look round and observe the state of
things. Besides the Knight and himself, there were seven or eight
Indians in the little cavern, armed with bows and arrows; and he
remarked with pleasure that these persons were not stained with
war-paint, indicating that they were on no hostile expedition, but
engaged in hunting. So far from offering violence, or even rudeness,
the savages treated them with marked deference, keeping at a
respectful distance, and yielding to them the piles of hemlock
branches which they had arranged for couches. Arundel listened to the
conversation between the Knight and the Indians with that strained
attention with which one unacquainted with a language will sometimes
hang upon its sounds, as if by a concentration of the faculties to
wring a sense out of it; and if he was unable to make out the meaning
of the words, he at least satisfied himself, both from the intonation
of the voices and expression of the faces, that no immediate injury
was designed. To the appealing looks which Arundel from time to time
directed to him, the Knight at length replied:

"I know not, Master Arundel, whether we should consider ourselves more
fortunate or the contrary, in falling into the hands of these
copper-colored cavaliers. We are their prisoners, and, as such, bound
to obey their motions; but their presence will guard us from attack,
and in that way b