s with man and 'arth is settled; nothing remains now but to meet
the white man's God, accordin' to a white man's duties and gifts."

A murmur of approbation escaped even the women at this address, and, for
an instant there was a strong and pretty general desire to adopt into
the tribe one who owned so brave a spirit. Still there were dissenters
from this wish, among the principal of whom might be classed the
Panther, and his sister, Ie Sumach, so called from the number of her
children, who was the widow of le Loup Cervier, now known to have fallen
by the hand of the captive. Native ferocity held one in subjection,
while the corroding passion of revenge prevented the other from
admitting any gentler feeling at the moment. Not so with Rivenoak. This
chief arose, stretched his arm before him in a gesture of courtesy, and
paid his compliments with an ease and dignity that a prince might have
envied. As, in that band, his wisdom and eloquence were confessedly
without rivals, he knew that on himself would properly fall the duty of
first replying to the speech of the pale-face.

"Pale-face, you are honest," said the Huron orator. "My people are happy
in having captured a man, and not a skulking fox. We now know you; we
shall treat you like a brave. If you have slain one of our warriors, and
helped to kill others, you have a life of your own ready to give away in
return. Some of my young men thought that the blood of a pale-face was
too thin; that it would refuse to run under the Huron knife. You will
show them it is not so; your heart is stout, as well as your body. It
is a pleasure to make such a prisoner; should my warriors say that the
death of Ie Loup Cervier ought not to be forgotten, and that he cannot
travel towards the land of spirits alone, that his enemy must be sent
to overtake him, they will remember that he fell by the hand of a brave,
and send you after him with such signs of our friendship as shall not
make him ashamed to keep your company. I have spoken; you know what I
have said."

"True enough, Mingo, all true as the gospel," returned the simple minded
hunter, "you have spoken, and I do know not only what you have said,
but, what is still more important, what you mean. I dare to say
your warrior the Lynx was a stout-hearted brave, and worthy of your
fri'ndship and respect, but I do not feel unworthy to keep his company,
without any passport from your hands. Nevertheless, here I am, ready
to receive judgment