a wife of the werowance,
turned child by pride, unfolded a doeskin and showed Nantauquas a silver
cup carved all over and set with colored stones."

"Humph!"

"The cup was a heavy price to pay," continued the Indian. "I do not know
what great thing it bought."

"Humph!" I said again. "Did you happen to meet Master Edward Sharpless
in the forest?"

He shook his head. "The forest is wide, and there are many trails
through it. Nantauquas looked for that of the werowance of the
Paspaheghs, but found it not. He had no time to waste upon a white man."

He gathered his otterskin mantle about him and prepared to depart. I
rose and gave him my hand, for I thoroughly liked him, and in the past
he had made me his debtor. "Tell Rolfe he will find me alone," I said,
"and take my thanks for your pains, Nantauquas. If ever we hunt together
again, may I have the chance to serve you! I bear the scars of the
wolf's teeth yet; you came in the nick of time, that day."

The Indian smiled. "It was a fierce old wolf. I wish Captain Percy free
with all my heart, and then we will hunt more wolves, he and I."

When he was gone, and the gaoler and Diccon with him, I returned to
the window. The runaway in the pillory was released, and went away
homewards, staggering beside his master's stirrup. Passers-by grew more
and more infrequent, and up the street came faint sounds of laughter
and hurrahing,--the bear must be making good sport. I could see the
half-moon, and the guns, and the flag that streamed in the wind, and on
the river a sail or two, white in the sunlight as the gulls that swooped
past. Beyond rose the bare masts of the George. The Santa Teresa rode
no more forever in the James. The King's ship was gone home to the King
without the freight he looked for. Three days, and the George would
spread her white wings and go down the wide river, and I with her, and
the King's ward, and the King's sometime favorite. I looked down the
wind-ruffled stream, and saw the great bay into which it emptied, and
beyond the bay the heaving ocean, dark and light, league on league,
league on league; then green England, and London, and the Tower. The
vision disturbed me less than once it would have done. Men that I knew
and trusted were to be passengers on that ship, as well as one I knew
and did not trust. And if, at the journey's end, I saw the Tower, I
saw also his Grace of Buckingham. Where I hated he hated, and was now
powerful enough to strike.