k-house as if they'd niver ate meat before, and didn't
hope to eat again for a twelvemonth--"

"Ay, what o' them?" interrupted Mrs. Varley; "I've bin wonderin' what
was their errand."

"Of coorse ye wos, Dame Varley, and I've comed here a purpis to tell
ye. They want me to go to the Redskins to make peace between them
and us; and they've brought a lot o' goods to make them presents
withal--beads, an' knives, an' lookin'-glasses, an' vermilion paint,
an' sich like, jist as much as'll be a light load for one horse--for,
ye see, nothin' can be done wi' the Redskins without gifts."

"'Tis a blessed mission," said the widow; "I wish it may succeed. D'ye
think ye'll go?"

"Go? ay, that will I."

"I only wish they'd made the offer to me," said Dick with a sigh.

"An' so they do make the offer, lad. They've gin me leave to choose
the two men I'm to take with me, and I've corned straight to ask
_you_. Ay or no, for we must up an' away by break o' day to-morrow."

Mrs. Varley started. "So soon?" she said, with a look of anxiety.

"Ay; the Pawnees are at the Yellow Creek jist at this time, but I've
heerd they're 'bout to break up camp an' away west; so we'll need to
use haste."

"May I go, mother?" asked Dick, with a look of anxiety.

There was evidently a conflict in the widow's breast, but it quickly
ceased.

"Yes, my boy," she said in her own low, quiet voice; "and God go with
ye. I knew the time must come soon, an' I thank him that your first
visit to the Redskins will be on an errand o' peace. 'Blessed are the
peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God.'"

Dick grasped his mother's hand and pressed it to his cheek in silence.
At the same moment Crusoe, seeing that the deeper feelings of his
master were touched, and deeming it his duty to sympathize, rose up
and thrust his nose against him.

"Ah, pup," cried the young man hastily, "you must go too.--Of course
Crusoe goes, Joe Blunt?"

"Hum! I don't know that. There's no dependin' on a dog to keep his
tongue quiet in times o' danger."

"Believe me," exclaimed Dick, flashing with enthusiasm, "Crusoe's more
trustworthy than I am myself. If ye can trust the master, ye're safe
to trust the pup."

"Well, lad, ye may be right. We'll take him."

"Thanks, Joe. And who else goes with us?"

"I've' bin castin' that in my mind for some time, an' I've fixed
to take Henri. He's not the safest man in the valley, but he's the
truest, that's a fact. And n