Why did you not go?"
"Bress your soul, Massa Canfield, I'll bet dar's ten fousand million
Injines in de wood, atween us and de settlement. I tried to butt my
way trough dem, but dar was a few too many, and I had to gub it up."
"How came you to wander so far out of your way as to get here?"
"Dunno; t'ought I'd take a near cut home, and s'pose I got here widout
knowing anyt'ing about it.".
"Well, Oonomoo, what's to be done with him?"
"Take him 'long--kill him if don't do what want to."
"You understand, Cato? We don't want you with us, but, there seems no
help for it now; so we shall have to take you. You must follow in our
steps, and in no case make any outcry."
The negro promised obedience, and, taking his position behind, they
continued their journey, the Huron leading the way. He proceeded some
distance until he reached a dense portion of the wood, when he halted
and turned around.
"Plenty time--sleep some."
These were pleasant words to the Lieutenant, who, in spite of his
impatience, felt the need of sleep and rest before proceeding further.
All stretched themselves upon the ground, where, in a few minutes, they
were wrapped in slumber. The negro, Cato, lay some distance from the
other two, and was the first to awake. Carefully raising his head and
discovering that the dreaded Huron was still unconscious, he silently
arose to his feet, and, retreating some distance with great care and
caution, he suddenly turned and ran at the top of his speed.
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