n.

Meanwhile Peleg was awaiting the return of Sam Oliver. He was well aware
of the excellent qualities which the hunter possessed, and he was
familiar also with the intense bitterness with which Sam looked upon the
Indians. For him they possessed no good qualities. They were simply
enemies of the whites and to be exterminated like the rattlesnake and
the panther. He recognized no feeling of patriotism on their part, and,
because the method of their warfare was cruel, he judged their motives
accordingly.

"Me no wan' go where canoe is," said the young brave earnestly. "Me love
Shawnee fader. Me no betray him. Him good man. Me fader kind to me. No
wan' him lose scalp."

"It is too bad," acknowledged Peleg. He was distressed by the fear that
Sam Oliver and his companions would have little mercy upon the Indian
father to whom they were compelling the young man to conduct them. In
his heart there was a desire to help the young stranger who had felt the
call of his own people so strongly that he had even deserted the family
which had cared for him since his early childhood.

Peleg's thoughts were interrupted by the return of the hunter and four
of his comrades. It was evident that all five were suspicious of
treachery, and also that they were determined to put the strange
visitor's words to the test.

"Now, then!" ordered Sam, as he turned sharply upon the white Shawnee.
"You take us straight to that place where you say your canoe was hid."

Apparently unmoved by the brutal demand, the young visitor answered, "Me
no wan' you hurt me fader. Him good fader. Him take care me."

"Why didn't you stay with him then?" laughed Sam.

"Me wan' see white fader's people, too. Me wan' find white moder's
people," said the visitor simply.

"You will have time enough to look them up after we have found out
whether you are telling us the truth or not," declared Sam. "I have my
suspicions that you are trying to get us into some trap, and as I told
you before, if you are I shall fill you full of lead the first thing. If
I find you are trying to trap us, you cannot complain if I do just what
I tell you I shall do."

"Me no wan' go," repeated the young man.

"You are going whether you want to go or not," retorted Sam Oliver
brutally. "Are you coming with us, Peleg?" he inquired, turning to the
young scout.

"I am," said Peleg quietly. He had made his decision instantly in his
desire to protect or help the young visitor, whose suff