But his feats lay rather in doing than in speaking, and
the tide of popularity had in consequence set less strongly in his favor
than might have happened had the reverse been the case. The present,
however, was a moment when it was necessary to overcome his natural
reluctance to speak, and it was not long before he replied to the
inquiring glance of his commander's eye.
"The Captain knows the manner in which we scourged the savages at the
southern end of the valley," the sturdy yeoman began, "and it is not
necessary to deal with the particulars at length. There were
six-and-twenty red-skins slain in the meadows, besides as many more that
left the ground in the arms of their friends. As for the people, we got a
few hurts, but each man came back on his own limbs."
"This is much as the matter hath been reported."
"Then there was a party sent to brush the woods on the trail of the
Indians," resumed Reuben, without appearing to regard the interruption.
"The scouts broke off in pairs in the duty, and finally men got to
searching singly, of which number I was one.
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