He hallooed loudly, with the Indian salutation of friendship: the
whole party sprang upon their feet; the salutation was returned, and
the straggler was invited to join them at the fire.
On approaching, he found, to his consolation, that the party was
composed of white men as well as Indians. One, who was evidently the
principal personage, or commander, was seated on the trunk of a tree
before the fire. He was a large, stout man, somewhat advanced in life,
but hale and hearty. His face was bronzed almost to the colour of an
Indian's; he had strong but rather jovial features, an aquiline nose,
and a mouth shaped like a mastiff's. His face was half thrown in shade
by a broad hat, with a buck's-tail in it. His gray hair hung short in
his neck. He wore a hunting-frock, with Indian leggings, and
moccasons, and a tomahawk in the broad wampum belt round his waist. As
Dolph caught a distinct view of his person and features, he was struck
with something that reminded him of the old man of the haunted house.
The man before him, however, was different in his dress and age; he
was more cheery, too, in his aspect, and it was hard to define where
the vague resemblance lay--but a resemblance there certainly was.
Pages:
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522