little heart war a going to break and done with it.  I ’spect the varmints is hatching some orful plans to put us out o’ the way—­prehaps to hitch us to the stake and burn us all to cinder, like they did our housen, and them things.  Well, Heaven’s will be done!—­as Preacher Allprayer said, when they turned him out o’ meeting for gitting drunk and swearing—­the dear good man!—­but I do wish, for gracious sake, I could only jest change places with ’em—­ef jest for five minutes—­and I reckon as how they’d be glad to quit their gibberish, and talk like Christian folks, once in thar sneaking lives!  Thar, they’re done now, I do hope to all marcy’s sake! and I reckons as how we’ll soon have the gist on’t.”

The foregoing remarks of Mrs. Younker, were made in a low tone, and evidently not intended, like Dickens’ Notes, for general circulation—­the nearly fatal termination of a former speech of hers, having taught her to be a little cautious in the camp of the enemy.  The conclusion was succeeded by a stare of surprise, on being civilly informed by Girty, that she was now at liberty to join Ella as soon as she pleased.

“Well, now, that’s something like,” returned the dame, with a smile that was intended to be a complimentary one; “and shows, jest as clear as any thing, that thar is a few streaks o’ human nater in you arter all.”

Then, as if fearful the permission would be countermanded, the good lady at once set off in haste to join her adopted daughter.  Subsequent events, however, soon changed the favorable opinion Mrs. Younker had began to entertain of Girty—­particularly when she discovered, as she imagined, that the liberty allowed her, had only been as a ruse to withdraw her from her husband—­who, as she departed, had been immediately hurried away, without so much as a parting farewell.

Orders now being rapidly given by Girty and Wild-cat, were quickly and silently executed by their swarthy subordinates; and in a few minutes, the latter chief was on his way, with four warriors, the two male prisoners, and the little girl—­Oshasqua, to whom the latter had been consigned by Girty, as the reader will remember, and who still continued to accompany Wild-cat, refusing to leave her behind.

When informed by Girty, in an authoritative tone, that he must join the detachment of Wild-cat, Algernon turned toward Ella, and in a trembling voice said: 

“Farewell, dear Ella!  If God wills that we never meet again on earth, let us hope we may in the Land of Spirits;” and ere she, overcome by her emotion, had power to reply, he had passed on beyond the reach of her silvery voice.

Immediately on the departure of Peshewa, Girty ordered the canoes to be drawn ashore and concealed in a thicket near by, where they would be ready in case they should be wanted for another expedition; and then leading the way himself, the party proceeded slowly up the Miami, for about a mile, and encamped for the night, within a hundred yards of the river.