My
brother is a man of his hands, and valour is dear to the heart of
Onotawah. If he casts in his lot with the Children of the West Wind a
wigwam shall be his, and a daughter of our race to wife, and six of our
young men shall follow his commands. Will my brother march with us
against those whom God has delivered to us for our prey?"
"Does the eagle make terms with the kite?" I asked, "and fly with them
to raid his own eyrie? Yes, I will join with you, and march with you
till I have delivered you to, perhaps, a score of the warriors of my
own people. Then I will aid them in making carrion of you."
Heaven knows what wrought on me to speak like this, I, a poor, broken
fellow, face to face with a hundred men-at-arms. I think my mind had
forsaken me altogether, and I spoke like a drunken man with a tongue
not my own. I had only the one idea in my foolish head--to be true to
Ringan, and to meet the death of which I was assured with an
unflinching face. Yet perhaps my very madness was the course of
discretion. You cannot move an Indian by pity, and he will show mercy
only to one who, like a gamecock, asks nothing less.
The chief heard me gravely, and spoke to the others. One cried out
something in a savage voice, and for a moment a fierce argument was
raised, which the chief settled with uplifted hand.
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