“I can’t hug thee, little Peter!” cried the master, as the little animal crawled to him, wagging his tail, and, throwing his paws upon Nathan’s knee, looked into his face with a most meaning stare of inquiry; “I can’t hug thee, Peter!  Thee sees how it is! the Injuns have ensnared me.  But where thee is, Peter, there is hope.  Quick, little Peter!” he cried, thrusting his arms out from his back; “thee has teeth, and thee knows how to use them—­thee has gnawed me free before—­Quick, little Peter, quick!  The teeth is thee knives; and with them thee can cut me free!”

The little animal, whose remarkable docility and sagacity have been instanced before, seemed actually to understand his master’s words, or, at least, to comprehend, from his gestures the strange duty that was now required of him; and, without more ado, he laid hold with his teeth upon the thong round Nathan’s wrists, tugging and gnawing at it with a zeal and perseverance that seemed to make his master’s deliverance, sooner or later, sure; and his industry was quickened by Nathan, who all the while encouraged him with whispers to continue his efforts.

“Thee gnawed me loose, when the four Shawnees had me bound by their fire, at night, on the banks of the Kenhawa. (Does thee remember that, Peter?) Ay, thee did, while the knaves slept; and from that sleep they never waked, the murdering villains—­no, not one of them!  Gnaw, little Peter, gnaw hard and fast; and care not if thee wounds me with thee teeth; for, truly, I will forgive thee, even if thee bites me to the bone.  Faster, Peter, faster!  Does thee boggle at the skin, because of its hardness?  Truly, I have seen thee a hungered, Peter, when thee would have cracked it like a marrow-bone!  Fast, Peter, fast; and thee shall see me again in freedom!”

With such expressions Nathan inflamed the zeal of his familiar, who continued to gnaw for the space of five minutes or more, and with such effect, that Nathan, who ever and anon tested the brute’s progress by a violent jerk at the rope, found, at the fourth or fifth effort, that it yielded a little, and cracked, as if its fibres were already giving way.

“Now, Peter! tug, if thee ever tugged!” he cried, his hopes rising almost to ecstacy:  “A little longer, one bite more, a little, but a little longer, Peter, if thee loves thee master!  Yea, Peter, and we will walk the woods again in freedom!  Now, Peter, now for the last bite!”

But the last bite Peter, on the sudden, betrayed a disinclination to make.  He ceased his toil, jostled against his master’s side, and uttered a whine, the lowest that could be made audible.

“Hah!” cried Nathan, as, at the same instant, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching the wigwam, “thee speaks the truth, and the accursed villains is upon us!  Away with thee, dog—­thee shall finish thee work by and by!”