pulling up sharply, one of the strangers leaped to the ground, flung his reins to the other, and entered the council tent where he was received with looks of surprise, and with the ejaculation from big otter of the single word “muxbee!”
yes, good reader, that stranger was none other than myself, and my companion was salamander. to account for our sudden appearance i must explain.
on returning to fort wichikagan four days after big otter had left, and hearing what had occurred, i told lumley i would follow in pursuit and fetch waboose back. he remonstrated, of course, but in vain.
“you know that a sacred trust has been imposed upon me,” said i, earnestly, “and i have resolved to fulfil it. the manner in which i should set about it has perplexed me sorely, i confess, but this sudden departure relieves me, at all events, from uncertainty as to my present course of duty. if waboose goes off with the tribe to no one knows where, she may never be found again. you are aware that she is still ignorant of the contents of the packet, and the value of the found treasure. i have kept her so, temporarily, by your advice. if i had told her and her kindred, she would not probably have gone away, but it is too late to regret that, now. by going off at once i may overtake the tribe. three days’ journey on foot will bring me to indians who are rich in horses. once well mounted i can push on, and will easily overtake them if you will lend me salamander to aid in following up the trail.”
“but what of the service?” asked lumley, with a sad smile, for he saw i was resolved. “you are not yet free.”
“true, but you know that spooner is already on his way here to replace me, my resignation having been accepted. in a week, or two at farthest, he will arrive, when i shall be absolutely free to go where i please. meanwhile, to prevent even a shadow of impropriety, i ask your majesty for a fortnight’s leave of absence to go a-hunting. surely you won’t refuse so small a favour? i will be sure to find waboose, and bring her back by that time.”
“well, max, my boy, i won’t refuse. go, and god go with you. i shall expect to see you again in two weeks, if not sooner.”
“unless, of course, circumstances render my return so soon impossible.”
“of course, of course,” said lumley.
thus we parted, and thus it was that salamander and i found ourselves at last in the indian camp. the pursuit, however, had been much longer than i had expected. more than the stipulated fortnight had already passed.
but to return from this digression. after we had looked at each other silently for a few seconds in the council tent, as already described, i advanced to big otter and held out my hand. i then shook hands with the old chief, sat down beside him, and expressed a hope that i did not intrude.
“we palaver about the disappearance of waboose,” said the old chief.
“disappearance! waboose!” i exclaimed, turning abruptly to big otter.
“attick has fled,” said the indian, sternly, “carrying waboose and her mother along with him.”
“and you sit here idly talking,” i exclaimed, almost fiercely, as i sprang up.
before i could take action of any kind, the young indian, mozwa, entered the tent abruptly, and said a few words to muskrat. at the same moment the councillors rose.
“we go in pursuit,” whispered big otter in my ear. “mount, and join us.”
almost bewildered, but feeling perfect confidence in my indian friend, i ran out, and vaulted into the saddle. eager and quick though i was, the redskins were mounted as soon as myself. no one seemed to give orders, but with one accord they put their horses to the gallop, and swept out of the camp. the last words of the old chief as we darted off, were—
“bring her back, my braves, and don’t forget the scalps of attick and his men!”
