e same tongue.

"What does he say, Malachi?" said Alfred.

"He says he will sing his own death song; that he is the son of a
warrior, and he will die like a brave."

"Why, the boy is metamorphosed," said Captain Sinclair; "is it possible
that so short a time could have produced this?"

"Yes, sir," replied Malachi; "in young people a very short time will
change them thus, but it won't last long. If he were to meet again with
his mother at the settlement, he would by degrees forget his Injun life
and become reconciled; a woman has more effect than a man. Let the
Strawberry speak to him. You see, sir, he is bound, and considers
himself a captive, and let him loose we must not, until we have done our
work; after that, there will be no fear, and when he has been with us a
short time, he will come all right again."

Malachi called the Strawberry, and told her to speak to Percival about
his home and his mother, and everything connected with the farm.

The Strawberry sat down by Percival, and in her soft tones talked to him
in her own tongue of his father and mother, of his cousins, and how he
had been taken by the Indians when he was hunting, how his mother had
wept for him, and all had lamented his loss; running on in a low musical
key from one thing to another connected and associated with his former
life in the settlement, and it was evident that at last he now listened
with attention. The Strawberry continued to talk to him thus, for more
than an hour, when Alfred again addressed him and said, "Percival, don't
you know me?"

"Yes," replied Percival in English, "I do; you are my brother Alfred."

"All's right now, sir," said Malachi; "only he must be kept fast; but
the lad's coming to his senses again. The Strawberry will talk to him
again by-and-bye."

They then sat down to their meal; the two Indians were removed to a
distance under the guard of one of the soldiers, but Percival remained
with them. John sat by Percival, and, cutting off a tempting bit of
venison, held it to his mouth, saying to him, "Percival, when we go home
again, your hands shall be untied, and you shall have a rifle of your
own instead of a bow and arrows. Come, eat this."

This was a long speech for John, but it produced its effect, for
Percival opened his mouth for the venison, and, being fed by John, made
a very good dinner. As soon as their meal was over, they consulted as
to what steps should next be taken. The question discus