inted out to them where to conceal themselves, they returned to
the house, Alfred having made arrangements when and where he and Martin
would meet Captain Sinclair on the day appointed.

The next day passed, and Malachi, as the sun sank behind the lake,
walked out to the end of the prairie. He had not been there ten minutes
when the young Indian stood before him. He was armed, as before, with
his tomahawk and bows and arrows, but Malachi had come out expressly
without his rifle.

Malachi, as soon as he perceived the Indian, sat down, as is the usual
custom among them when they hold a talk, and the Young Otter followed
his example.

"Has my father talked to the white man?" said the Indian after a short
silence.

"The white man grieves for the loss of his boy, and his squaw weeps,"
replied Malachi. "The Angry Snake must bring the boy to the lodge of the
white man, and receive presents."

"Will the white man be generous?" continued the Indian.

"He has powder, and lead, and rifles, and tobacco; will such presents
please the Angry Snake?"

"The Angry Snake had a dream," replied the Indian, "and he told me his
dream. He dreamed that the white boy was put into his mother's arms, who
wept for joy, and the white man opened his store, and gave to the Angry
Snake ten rifles, and two kegs of powder, and as much lead as four men
could carry away."

"'Twas a good dream," replied Malachi, "and it will come true when the
white boy comes back to his mother."

"The Angry Snake had another dream. He dreamed that the white man
received his child, and pushed the Angry Snake out from the door of his
lodge."

"That was bad," replied Malachi. "Look at me, my son; say, did you ever
hear that the Gray Badger said a lie?" and Malachi laid hold of the
Indian's arm as he spoke.

This was the signal agreed upon between Malachi and the party concealed,
who rushed forward and seized the Indian. The Young Otter sprang up in
spite of their endeavors to keep him, and would certainly have escaped,
for he had got his tomahawk clear, and was about to wield it around his
head, had not Martin already passed one of the deer thongs round his
ankle, by which the Indian was thrown again to the ground. His arms were
then secured behind his back with other deer-skin thongs, and another
passed round his ankle and given to Alfred.

"You were right, Malachi," said Captain Sinclair, "how he contrived to
twist himself out of our grasp I can not imagine;