"
"And _your_ mind, Wyandotte, is not wild with war, now," answered
Mrs. Willoughby, earnestly. "You will help a mother, then, to get her
son out of the hands of merciless enemies?"
"Why you t'ink merciless? Because pale-face dress like Injin, and try
to cheat?"
"That may be one reason; but I fear there are many others. Tell me,
Wyandotte, how came you to discover that Robert was a prisoner, and by
what means did he contrive to give you his letter?"
The Indian assumed a look of pride, a little blended with hauteur; for
he felt that he was manifesting the superiority of a red-man over the
pale-face, as he related the means through which he had made his
discoveries.
"Read book on ground," Nick answered gravely. "Two book alway open
before chief; one in sky, t'other on ground. Book in sky, tell
weather--snow, rain, wind, thunder, lightning, war--book on ground,
tell what happen."
"And what had this book on the ground to do with my son, Wyandotte?"
"Tell all about him. Major's trail first seen at mill. No moccasin--
much boot. Soldier boot like letter--say great deal, in few word. First
t'ink it cap'in; but it too short. Den _know_ it Major."
"This sounds very well, Nick," interrupted the captain, "though you
will excuse me if I say it is going a little too far. It seems
impossible that you should know that the print of the foot was that of
my son.
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