“You tired—­you lie down in daytime, like sick squaw, eh?” asked the Indian, in a slightly satirical manner.  “Bess be up, sich fine day, and go wid me to see some more chief.”

“Most gladly, Peter,” returned the missionary, springing to his feet with alacrity—­“and I shall have one more opportunity to show your friends the truth of what I have told them.”

“Yes, Injin love to hear trut’—­hate to hear lie.  Can tell ’em all you want to say.  He go too, eh?” pointing to the corporal, who rather hung back, as if he saw that in the invitation which was not agreeable to him.

“I will answer for my friend,” returned the confiding missionary, cheerfully.  “Lead on, Peter, and we will follow.”

Thus pledged, the corporal no longer hesitated; but he accompanied Parson Amen, as the latter fell into the tracks of the chief, and proceeded rapidly in the direction of the spring in the piece of bottom-land, where the council first described had been held.  This spot was about two miles from the palisaded house, and quite out of view, as well as out of reach of sound.  As they walked side by side, taking the footsteps of the great chief for their guides, the corporal, however, expressed to his companion his dislike of the whole movement.

“We ought to stand by our garrison in times like these, Mr. Amen,” said the well-meaning soldier.  “A garrison is a garrison; and Injins seldom do much on a well-built and boldly-defended spot of that natur’.  They want artillery, without which their assaults are never very formidable.”

“Why talk you of warlike means, corporal, when we are in the midst of friends?  Is not Peter our known and well-tried associate, one with whom you and I have travelled far; and do we not know that we have friends among these chiefs, whom we are now going to visit?  The Lord has led me into these distant and savage regions, to carry his word, and to proclaim his name; and a most unworthy and unprofitable servant should I prove, were I to hesitate about approaching them I am appointed to teach.  No, no; fear nothing.  I will not say that you carry Caesar and his fortunes, as I have heard was once said of old, but I will say you follow one who is led of God, and who marches with the certainty of being divinely commanded.”

The corporal was ashamed to oppose so confident an enthusiasm, and he offered no further resistance.  Together the two followed their leader, who, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left, soon had them out of sight of the castle, and well on their way toward the spring.  When about half the distance was made, the direction took the party through a little thicket, or rather along its margin, and the missionary, a good deal to his surprise, saw Pigeonswing within the cover, seemingly preparing for another hunt.  This young warrior had so lately returned from one excursion of this nature, that he was not expected to go forth so soon on another.  Nor was he accustomed