"Let the boy depart," she said. "I will be his hostage; and should he
prove false, there can be less to fear in his absence than in his
presence."
The obvious truth of the latter assertion probably weighed more with the
stranger than the unmeaning pledge of the woman.
"There is reason in this," he resumed. "Go, then, into the fields, and say
to thy people that they have mistaken the path; that, they are on, hath
led them to the dwelling of a friend--Here are no Pequots. nor any of the
men of the Manhattoes; but Christian Yengeese, who have long dealt with
the Indian as one just man dealeth with another. Go, and when thy signal
shall be heard at the gate, it shall be open to thee, for readmission."
Thus saying, the stranger motioned to the boy to follow, taking care, as
they left the room together, to instruct him in all such minor matters as
might assist in effecting the pacific object of the mission on which he
was employed.
A few minutes of doubt and of fearful suspense succeeded this experiment.
The stranger, after seeing that egress was permitted to his messenger, had
returned to the dwelling, and rejoined his companions.
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