"The will of the Paleface chief is the wish of Okematan. Let him speak."
"Well, then, I vote for encamping on the small island over there, in the middle o" the lake--for it"s far more like a lake than a river hereabouts--that one over which the hawk is hovering."
"I vote for it too," said Archie.
"So do I," chimed in Little Bill.
"I will be sayin" ditto to that," put in Fergus.
"Moreover," suggested Dan, "I vote for roasting the goose at once."
"Ay, and eating him right away," said Archie. As the invalid followed this up with a feeble cheer, the proposal was carried into effect without delay.
The islet was low and flat, and so thickly covered with bush that it afforded a most enticing spot for a night-encampment. There was also plenty of dead wood on it, with which to replenish the fire, and various peeps through sundry openings afforded exquisite views of woodland and river with which to charm the eyes. Over all, the sun was pouring his noontide rays in a glorious flood.
We need not waste time in going into the details of the feast that followed: how the goose was delightfully plump and tender--especially tender to teeth that would have scarcely observed the difference if it had been tough--how, in addition to the goose, they had wild-ducks enough--shot earlier in the day--to afford each one a duck to himself, leaving a brace over, of which Okematan ate one, as well as his share of the goose, and seemed to wish that he might eat the other, but he didn"t, for he restrained himself; how they drank tea with as much gusto and intemperance as if it had been a modern "afternoon"; and how, after all was over, the Red-man filled the pipe-head on the back of his iron tomahawk and began to smoke with the air of a man who meant business and regarded all that had gone before as mere child"s-play.
The afternoon was well advanced when the feast was concluded, for appet.i.tes in the wilderness are not easily or soon satisfied.
"I feel tight," said Billie with a sigh and something of pathos in his tone, when he at last laid down his knife--we cannot add fork, for they scorned such implements at that time.
"That"s right, Little Bill," said Archie, "try another leg or wing--now, don"t shake your head. We"ve come on this trip a-purpose to make you fat an" strong. So you must--here, try this drum-stick. It"s only a little one, like yourself, Billie."
"True, Archie, but I"m too little to hold it. I feel like an egg now."
"Hallo! Oke, are you overcome already?" asked Archie.
"The sun sinks to rest at night and the birds go to sleep. If we intend to hunt we must begin now."
"It"s always the way," returned the boy with an air of discontent; "whenever a fellow gets into a state of extreme jollity there"s sure to be something bothersome to come and interrupt us. Obfusticate your faculties with some more smoke, Oke, till Billie and I finish our tea.
We can"t shoot with half-empty stomachs, you know."
"They must be three-quarters full by this time--whatever," remarked Fergus, wiping his clasp-knife on the gra.s.s.
Just then, Dan Davidson, who had gone to explore the islet, returned with the information that some hunters must have recently visited the same place, for he had discovered the remains of an encampment at the extreme eastern side, which looked as if it had been recently occupied, for bones of wild-fowl were scattered about, the meat on which was neither dried nor decayed.
On hearing this, Okematan rose quickly, put out his pipe, and stuck the tomahawk in his belt. The sluggish good-natured air of contentment with which he had been smoking vanished; the half-sleepy eyes opened, and a frown rested on his brow as he said, shortly--
"Okematan goes to look."
"May I go with you?" asked Dan.
"No. Okematan goes alone. It is known that a band of Saulteaux have been seen. They are roused just now by the actions of the great white chief and the words of my Nation. Rest here till I come. Go on eating.
If they are here they may be watching us now."
"D"ee hear that, Little Bill? You"ve got to go on eating," said Archie.
"Our guide commands it. If you disobey, the rascally Saulteaux will come down upon us somehow."
But Archie"s light-heartedness was not shared by his older companions.
They knew too well that the disturbed state of the country at the time, and especially the ill-will engendered between the Crees and Saulteaux by the ill-advised action of Lord Selkirk"s agents, rendered an explosion not improbable at any time, and a certain feeling of disappointment came over them when they reflected that the hunting expedition, which they had entered on with so much enthusiastic hope, might perhaps be brought to an abrupt close.
"If there"s to be any fighting I shall only be in your way," said the invalid in a tone in which there was much of sadness, though none of fear.
"Not a bit of it, Little Bill," returned Dan, quickly. "You"ll be in n.o.body"s way in the canoes. You"re as light as a feather. If we had even to take to the bush, Archie could run with you; an" when he gets tired, Fergus and I would think no more o" you than a gra.s.shopper."
"Iss it carryin" him you will be taalkin" of?" said Fergus. "Ay, ay! I would be forgettin" that he wa.s.s on my back if I had him there."
As he spoke, the Indian returned to the camp with the cat-like tread so characteristic of the Red-man.
"A big band has been here," he said. "They slept on the island last night, and the signs show that they do not come as friends."
"Are you sure of that?" asked Dan.
"Okematan is sure of nothing. Even the sun may not rise to-morrow."
"Had we not better, then, return at once to the Settlement, and tell what we have seen?" said Dan.
"If we did, the Saulteaux would see us and give chase. Their canoes are big and have strong men in them. They would overtake us soon and our scalps would be swinging at their belts to-morrow."
"Not pleesant to think of--whatever," said Fergus.
"What, then, do you advise?" asked Dan. "You understand the ways of the wilderness, and we will follow your lead."
The chief appeared to think for a few moments.
"We will remain where we are," he said; "only we will send the boys off in one of the canoes, as if to shoot some ducks for us. The Saulteaux will think that we are lazy, idle men, who like to lie in camp and sleep or smoke while the boys hunt for us. When night comes we will escape in the dark and go down the river to warn the settlers."
"But what if they attack us before night comes on?" asked Dan.
"They will not do that," answered the Indian, gravely. "They know that we are well supplied with powder and shot. They know that some one must lead in every attack, and that such leaders would be doomed to death.
Saulteaux do not love death. They prefer life. They will not come till it is dark."
"Ha! ha!" laughed Fergus, who seemed greatly tickled with the latter part of the chief"s observation, "fery goot! ho! fery goot!--they do not love death, an" it iss life they will be preferrin". Ay, ay! It iss the Heelandman that will be of much the same opeenion, only, when fightin" hes got to be done, he"s not afraid to do it in daylight."
"He may not be afraid, Fergus," said Dan, "yet I suspect that the Red-man"s tactics are often the wisest, for what would be the use of making an attack in daylight, at the cost of several lives, when the attack might be made quite as well, if not better, at night, without the loss, perhaps, of any life at all?"
"I will not be sayin"," returned Fergus, who was of an argumentative disposition, "anything at all about attackin" by day or by night. I will only be remarkin" that the Heelandman iss like the savitch in that he prefers life to death."
"Come along to the fire, Fergus," said Dan, laughing; "I will argue that out with you."
"It will be difficult to argue, then, for there iss no argument in it at all. It is only a statement of opeenion."
"Well, but surely it is possible to controvert your opinion! Besides, we are somewhat exposed where we stand. Even an arrow might reach us from the near bank."
"Never you fear, Tan. They will not be so foolish as to fire now, instead of attack at night. They are sly--whatever."
While the two friends were thus conversing, the Cree chief was arranging the smaller of the canoes for the use of the young hunters--that is, he took out all the lading, making it so light that it would skim over the water like an egg-sh.e.l.l with the slightest impulse of the paddle.
"You"ll have to put a big stone in the stern, Oke," said Archie, "to make up for Little Bill"s lightness--"