nter for the Indians of many tribes. The Shawnees and Mingos
gathered here to receive payment of gifts, from their British father.
Simon was roundly welcomed, but was not made to run another gauntlet.
Only, for a fourth time a council, and this time a grand council, sat
to discuss him. He was wearied of councils; they usually condemned him.

The council had just opened, when a white man in the gay red uniform of
a British captain entered. He was Pierre Drouillard, a French-Canadian
in the British Indian department. Simon did not know, yet, but Chief
Logan's runners had been sent to this same Drouillard, to tell about
the prisoner. Chief Logan was smart.

The British captain looked at Simon sharply, and stood forward to make
a speech.

"It is true," he said, with Simon listening hard, trying to understand
the words, "that the Americans are a dangerous people. They are the
cause of this bloody war. There can be no peace until they are either
killed or driven out of the country."

"Good, good!" the council grunted.

"But we must meet them with cunning as well as bravery. To learn their
plans, so to defeat them, is worth twenty prisoners. I think that if
we take this man to Detroit, we might learn a great deal. The governor
would find out from him the secrets of the Americans. I should like to
take him. You would be rewarded, for your British father is good to
his red children. When I bring him back, you may do with him as you
choose. Have I spoken well?"

There were grunts and nods. It was a wise idea.

"As for you," said the captain, to the five Shawnees, "I can see that
you have been put to a great deal of trouble, to carry the prisoner
here. It is not right that you should have no pay. I will smooth your
path by giving you rum and tobacco, or anything else, to the amount of
one hundred dollars so that you may be happy while I am in Detroit."

That was indeed a pleasing as well as a crafty speech. The affair had
been settled. The man in the British uniform grasped Simon by the arm.

"You are reprieved. Now you will come with me."

Again reprieved? Thoroughly bewildered, Simon followed him out. They
mounted horses, and rode north, with one chief.

"I am Captain Drouillard," explained the officer. "This is what I said
to the council." And he repeated. "You appreciate that I took a great
risk by interfering. You were to have been burned at the stake in the
morning. The Indians do not l