were playing, in a pretty little village in the State
of South Carolina. "Robert," said little Nina, to a dark-eyed boy of
twelve years, "I'm tired of staying in this unfurnished room; it isn't
pretty. Hasn't mother most done baking, Robert? Can't we go into the
kitchen? I'm afraid of the Indians, too, without mamma."

Robert took his little sister in his arms, and stroked her little black
head, and kissed her cheek, and then he drew himself proudly up,
saying, "Nina? Do you see that gun? Well, it is loaded, and I know how
to use it."

"Oh, Robert!" said Nina, "hush! Is not that mamma screaming? Oh,
Robert, hide me--the Indians--the Indians!"

Robert had just time to seize his gun, when a tall Indian opened the
door, and receiving the contents of it in his face, fell, quivering, to
the floor.

Bald Eagle, the chief of the party, heard the report of Robert's gun,
and rushed in with a dozen Indians. Robert, with his eye flashing, was
standing over the dead Indian, with one arm round his little sister,
who was clinging to his jacket.

Bald Eagle admired bravery; so, when the other Indians seized Robert by
the hair to tomahawk him, for killing their comrade, he said, "No;--the
pappoose is brave enough to make a chief. He shall go home with Bald
Eagle and be his son."

The Indians frowned, for they thirsted for somebody's blood. They
seized hold of Nina's long curls to kill _her_; but Robert clung to the
old chief's knees, and, though he didn't think much of girls or women,
Bald Eagle said, "She shall live--to please the boy."

The Indians lowered their tomahawks, for they didn't dare to disobey
Bald Eagle, and led Nina and Robert out of the house, which had been
set on fire and was beginning to burn.

As they passed the kitchen door, Nina gave a loud scream, for there lay
her mother, across the threshold, quite dead. The old chief lifted his
tomahawk, frowning at her fiercely from beneath his nodding plume, and
Robert whispered, "Hush, Nina, or they will kill you, too;" and Nina
stifled her sobs, and permitted the Indians to lead her away.

What a weary, weary march they had of it, through the forest; and how
Nina shrunk when the Indians lifted her up to carry her in their arms;
how she looked imploringly at Robert, and how he smiled and nodded, and
tried to make her feel as if he would protect her always. How
frightened she was when Bald Eagle tied a cord to Robert's hands every
night, and fastened the end of i