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 ■'.atlti'aii. .-.Jililk 
 

 PONTIAC 
 
 CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS 
 
 ^A/ 
 
 A TALE OF THE SIEGE OF 
 DETROIT 
 
 BY 
 COLONEL H. R. GORDON 
 
 NEW YORK 
 R. P. DIJTTON & COMPANY 
 
 31 West Twenty-third Street 
 
83.74 
 
 Copyright 
 E. P. BUTTON & CO. 
 
 1897 
 
 9^n^n 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTBK 
 
 I. NIGHT ON THE RIVER 
 
 I 
 
 II. OFF FIGHTING ISLAND 
 
 • • • . II 
 
 III. THROUGH THE SHADOWS 
 
 21 
 
 IV. THE LEFT SHORE 
 
 31 
 
 V. THE RIGHT SHORE 
 
 41 
 
 VI. •• BLOW HER UP, JACK ! " 
 
 ••••.. 51 
 VII. WAITING FOR DAYLIGHT 
 
 • • ♦ • . 61 
 
 VIII. THE ABSENT ONE 
 
 * 71 
 
 IX. MISSING 
 
 81 
 
 X. THE KNIGHT TO THE RESCUE 
 
 91 
 
 XI. FRIEND OR FOE ? 
 
 lOI 
 
 XIJ. ON THE river's MARGIN 
 
 ZIZ 
 
 Xm. CATHARINE . 
 
 . xaz 
 
 XIV. A CANOE AND ITS OCCUPANTS 
 
 * • • • • 131 
 
 XV. OUTWITTED 
 
 141 
 
 XVI. WALLED IN 
 
 151 
 
 XVII. WHO WAS SHE ? . 
 
 161 
 
 XVIII. PONTIAC 
 
 170 
 
 XIX. WHITHER? 
 
 • 180 
 
 XX. MADGE . , 
 
 xoo 
 
 iU 
 
*^ CONTENTS. 
 
 XXr. A PRAYER AND ITS ANSWER .... 300 
 
 XXII. FREE? 
 
 210 
 
 XXIII. "she'll DO IT" 
 
 320 
 
 XXIV. THE PLOTTERS . 
 
 • • • . - 4 . . .230 
 
 XXV. A surprise 
 
 240 
 
 XXVI. THE PLOT . 
 
 250 
 
 XXVII. OUT IN THE NIGHT . . t. 
 
 •••••• 200 
 
 XXVIII. THE CLEW 
 
 270 
 
 XXIX. THROUGH FOREST AND RIVER , . , . . 280 
 
 XXX. CONCLUSION 
 
 • •■ • • • • • 990 
 
A"'- 
 
 ,-/';■/' .•.•V 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 FAGS 
 
 PONTIAC AND HIS WARRIORS ^g 
 
 THE NIGHT ATTACK ON THE SCHOONER (Frontispiece) . , 57 
 
 "WHERE IS SHE NOW?" gQ 
 
 "GO back! go back!" 11^ 
 
 THE LAST OF PIERRE jjO 
 
 AN UNEXPECTED FRIEND 1 77 
 
 IN THE NICK OF TIME 2l8 
 
 CHECKED 204 
 
 ■SSSSSSSsrsf. 
 
 JI.| i „!fLHmig"-!LJiUM. - .%WM 
 
I;':'^ "v 
 
 'i-> ■,\.'' 
 
PONTIAC, 
 
 CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 NIGHT ON THE RIVER. 
 
 CAPTAIN HORST, in charge of the small 
 schooner Gladivyn from Niagara, v/as as- 
 cending the Detroit river, on his way to the 
 frontier post of Detroit, which had been besieged 
 for several months by the great Pontiac, chief of the 
 Ottawas. It was the dream of that leader, as it had 
 been of King Philip, nearly a century before, to 
 unite all of his race against the whites and to wage 
 a remorseless war which should not end until the 
 last pale face was driven from the hunting grounds 
 of the red men. 
 
 The reader of American history hardly needs to be 
 reminded that at the conclusion of the French and 
 Indian war, France gave up by treaty all her domain 
 in the new world. Previous to the breaking out of 
 that war, she established a chain of military posts in 
 
 I 
 
9 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 the west, her purpose being to found a great empire 
 in the Mississippi valley. The capture of Quebec in 
 1759 foreshadowed so clearly the decisive end, that 
 the famous ranger, Major Robert Rogers, was sent 
 with an escort in the following year to receive the 
 surrender of the French posts in the west. Detroit 
 made its submission in November, in the presence 
 of hundreds of Indians, who could not understand 
 why so large a force of Frenchmen surrendered to so 
 small a body of English soldiers. 
 
 But the sagacious Pontiac, \vho was among the spec- 
 tators, grasped the whole meaning of the strange scene. 
 " The Englishmen have conquered the French," he 
 said, " and now they will turn on us and make us 
 their slaves, but that shall never be." 
 
 And then the terrible leader of the Ottawas began 
 forming that far-reaching conspiracy, which forms 
 one of the most dramatic episodes in our history. 
 The American Indian possesses in perfection the art 
 of contenting his soul with patience, while await- 
 ing the favorable moment for action. The weeks 
 lengthened into months until full two years had 
 come and gone, before the arrival of the day for 
 striking the prodigious blow intended to wipe out 
 every one of the English posts in the west. » 
 
 Pontiac's messengers threaded their way through 
 the dismal wilderness to tribes hundreds of miles 
 distant, and in most cases secured their pledges to 
 
NIGHT ON THE RIVER, % 
 
 join in the plot, which was as simple as it was com- 
 prehensive. It was, in short, that on May 7, 1763, 
 the Indians should attack the post nearest them and 
 then join in assailing the settlements. The plan was 
 successful in a number of instances, but Major Glad- 
 wyn, the commandant at Detroit, received warning 
 from an Ojibwa maiden and took such precautions 
 that when Pontiac and his warriors were admitted 
 within the palisades, under the pretense of making a 
 friendly call, they withdrew without firing a gun or 
 raising a hostile hand. 
 
 Pontiac kept up the semblance of friendship for 
 a short time, when, seeing that it was useless, he 
 threw aside all disguise and began the siege of De- 
 troit. The tribes under his immediate control were 
 Ottawas, Ojibwas, Pottawatomies, and Wyandots, 
 afterward joined by others. 
 
 Detroit, at that time, was laid out in the form of 
 a square, inclosed by a high paUsade. At each cor- 
 ner of this palisade was a wooden bastion, mounting 
 several pieces of artillery, and there were block- 
 houses over the gateway. The seventy-five or 
 eighty dwellings were separated by narrow streets 
 and were all made of wood. The garrison included 
 one hundred and twenty men, while a third as many 
 more were capable of bearing arms should the neces- 
 sity arise. Two armed schooners lay near at hand 
 in the river. 
 
4 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 This is not the place to give a detailed history of 
 the siege of Detroit, which, beginning in May, had 
 continued about three months, when the incidents 
 we have set out to describe took place. In the 
 interval, the Indians had tried without success to 
 start a conflagration among the inflammable build- 
 ings of the post, and had failed to destroy by means 
 of fire rafts, the schooners lying in the river. They 
 had cut off supplies and reinforcements which tried 
 to reach Detroit by way of the lake, and had in- 
 flicted a frightful defeat, with the loss of sixty killed 
 and wounded, including the leader. Major Dalzell, 
 in his attempt to surprise the besiegers. ' 
 
 Ever since that fateful day, the scene of the mas- 
 sacre has been known as Bloody Ridge, and it was 
 during the following week that Captain Horst en- 
 tered the river with his small sloop and crew of ten 
 men, he being on his way with dispatches and pro- 
 visions from Niagara for Major Gladwyn. The post 
 had begun to feel the lack of supplies and could not 
 hope to hold out much longer without help. 
 
 The captain's wish and expectation was to reach 
 Detroit before night set in. The smart breeze car- 
 ried the craft forward at a good rate, and the hopes 
 of all were high, for every one comprehended the 
 importance of reaching Detroit while daylight 
 lasted. The wooded shores were the hiding-places 
 of hundreds of scowling warriors, intently watching 
 
 SB. 
 
N2GHT ON THE RIVER, 'i V | 
 
 from cover the progress of the boat, but afraid to 
 attack even with the smallness of the crew apparent, 
 without the darkness to aid them. They were as 
 anxious for the wind to die out as were the white 
 men that it should hold, and sad to say the hopes 
 of the warriors were gratified. 
 
 The breeze became fitful as the afternoon drew to 
 a close, and each revival was fainter and weaker, 
 until, just as twilight set in, the sails hung limp and 
 the surface of the river became as smooth as a sum- 
 mer millpond. 
 
 Captain Horst had navigated the lakes and inland 
 waters long enough to read unerringly all these 
 signs. He knew there would not be another breath 
 of air until the sun appeared above the horizon on 
 the morrow. 
 
 " It 's no use," he said, compressing his lips and 
 shaking his head, " we 're in for it, and are sure to 
 see high jinks before we see Detroit." - 
 
 " You 're right. Cap; the varmints are as thick 
 as bees round a honeycomb, on both sides of the 
 river. 
 
 " I have n't seen any." ; v' ' 
 
 "I hev," was the quiet response; " they don't 
 show themselves if they can help it at such times as 
 these, but I 've had more *n one glimpse of *em, 
 consarn 'em ! " 
 
 The Gladwyn was the smaller of the two schooners 
 
6 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 which lay at Detroit during most of the siege, and 
 which Pontiac had vainly attempted to destroy by 
 means of fire rafts. It had been sent to Niagara 
 with letters and dispatches, and was now returning 
 with a crew of ten men, besides Horst, the master, 
 and Jacobs, the mate. In addition there were six 
 friendly Iroquois Indians, that had been allowed to 
 go along as passengers. 
 
 When it was evident that the vessel could pass no 
 further that night and the anchor was dropped, the 
 Iroquois asked to be set ashore, saying they were in 
 a hurry to reach their destination, which was not 
 very definitely located. The master of the vessel 
 did not like this request, and the veteran ranger, Jo 
 Spain, shook his head. 
 
 * * It means mischief, * ' he said. 
 
 •• You don't think they '11 join Pontiac ? " 
 
 " Not exactly, but it is n't sartin; I 've had deal- 
 in 's with the varmints before and they 're all alike. 
 But they 're sure to make their way to Pontiac's 
 camp and let him know how weak we are. " • v; 
 
 ** Does n't he know that now ? " ^^ 
 
 " No; how could he ? He has seen our men on 
 deck, but he don't know that it is all of 'em ; he 
 may think we 're keeping a lot out of sight, so as to 
 give him and his warriors 'tickler thunder when they 
 come out to tackle us." 
 
 •* What shall I do, Jo?" 
 
I NIGHT ON THE RIVER, ^ 
 
 The half-dozen Iroquois, wrapped in their blan- 
 kets, despite the sultriness of the weather, were 
 standing sullenly apart near the bow, looking off to 
 the right in the direction of Fighting Island, oppo- 
 site which the schooner was becalmed. 
 
 ** You can't do anything but let 'em go." 
 
 The master of the craft showed his surprise at 
 this remark. 
 
 ** You tell me to do the very thing I should n't 
 do." 
 
 " 'Cause you can't help it. It won't do to tie 
 these consarned varmints up, for some of 'em would 
 get loose during the fight, and then we shall have 
 them to fight, and that '11 be too much of a good 
 thing." 
 
 " Then it 's best to let them go, for if we refuse 
 and don't bind them, they will take the chance to 
 slip overboard, and in revenge will join our ene- 
 
 mies." 
 
 The ranger nodded his head. 
 
 " You 've hit the idee 'zactly. I *m powerful 
 sorry that they want to leave us just at this time; 
 when I heerd 'em talkin' it over among themselves, 
 I tried to argufy 'em out of it, but when an Injin 
 has sot his mind on anything, you may as well give 
 up, so I told *em we 'd set 'em ashore." , r 
 
 " What did they say to that ? " 
 
 "grunted and nodded their heads. Red Feather, 
 
8 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 the leader, said he and the rest was our friends, and 
 if there was any trouble, they 'd come back and 
 fight for us. I tried to make 'em b'leve I swallered 
 that, but it was hard work. " . 
 
 " Shall we take them ashore in the boat or let 
 them swim ? ' * 
 
 " It would n't do to make 'em swim, for that 
 would hurt thc'r feelin's. They *d know why we 
 done it, and it would give 'em an excuse for helpin' 
 Pontiac." ^/- "-m^ 
 
 " Do they need an excuse ? " - »> • 
 
 " Mebbe, I *m wrong," said Jo, after a moment's 
 reflection, during which he glanced at the dusky 
 figures near the prow, rapidly growing indistinct in 
 the gathering crioom; " I may be mistook, but I 
 hev a hope that Fed Feather and the rest won't do 
 anything more 'n to tell Pontiac that there *s only a 
 dozen of us." ^ 
 
 ♦^ " What is your reason for hoping that ? " 
 
 " These Iroquois, you know, stood by us purty 
 well in the war that 's about come to an end ; them 
 six tribes that make up the Iroquoib people are 
 strong enough to clean out all the other varmints- 
 in the country. Consequently and aforesaid, they 
 would do as they danged please. Pontiac would be 
 tickled to death if he could get the Iroquois to jine 
 him in this bus'ness, but they 've got too much 
 sense. When these half a dozen go into his camp 
 
NIGHT ON THE RIVER, X . 9 
 
 he darsen't try to make 'em do what they don't 
 want to do, 'cause he knows the Iroquois at home 
 would n't stand it. When they larned of it they 'd 
 clean out all the Ottawas, Ojibwas, Pottawatomies, 
 and Wyandots in the country. That *s the kind 
 of folks the Iroquois are. But all the same, these 
 varmints nat'rally wish Pontiac well, and they '11 let 
 'em know how many men we have aboard. Pontiac 
 will feel mighty good over it. He 's been tryin' to 
 burn this schooner, and now he '11 know of a sar- 
 tinty that the Great Spirit has give it into his 
 hands. 
 
 " You speak as if Pontiac is with the Indians 
 along shore. We are nine miles below Detroit : is 
 it not more probable that he is near the fort ? " 
 
 " Wal, as to that, there 's no sayin'. Mebbe he 
 is n't on the bank over to the left or on Fightin' 
 Island, off there to the right. I don't know that it 
 makes much difference one way or t'other. We 're 
 bound to catch it sure to-night." 
 
 " It will be a risky thing to take these Iroquois 
 ashore." 
 
 ** I '11 take 'em," remarked Jo, as he might have 
 remarked that he would eat his dinner when it was 
 ready; " it 's 'bout dark 'nough." 
 
 The ranger sauntered to the bow of the schooner, 
 where the six dusky passengers stood apart from the 
 crew, talking together now and then in low tones. 
 
lO 
 
 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 Jo Spain had the peculiar gift of readily learning an 
 Indian tongue, and he could talk to these warriors 
 as well as to his own people. Not only that, but 
 he was familiar with the Ottawa and several other 
 Indian lingoes. ' 
 
 The Iroquois held their heads bent, their coarse 
 black hair dangling about their shoulders, and they 
 glanced sideways at the white man as he drew near. 
 They formed a picturesque group, with their stained 
 feathers in the crowns of their heads, but they 
 seemed to feel some pleasure at the approach of the 
 famous fighter of their race. 
 
 "Does my brothers wish to go ashore?" he 
 asked, addressing himself more directly to Red 
 Feather, who replied : 
 
 " It is our wish, but the Iroquois are the brothers 
 of the English." 
 
 " You have showed that more 'n once," was the 
 diplomatic comment of Jo; " it shall be as you 
 wish; we '11 step into the boat, and I '11 take you to 
 land. Come with me." 
 
 •\ *'-.: 
 
 ;■■"•.;■•' 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 OFF FIGHTING ISLAND. 
 
 THE ranger walked to the stern of the schooner, 
 where the small boat was fastened. Captain 
 Horst saluted the Indians as they passed, and 
 bade them good-by. They grunted in reply, and 
 stepped carefully into the boat, which they would 
 have liked better had it been a canoe, to which they 
 were accustomed, but they showed no hesitation, 
 for the craft was capable of carrying a greater num- 
 ber than they. They had seen such row-boats 
 before, and they took their seats with judgment. 
 
 Jo was the last one to enter, unfastening the rope 
 before he did so. Then, instead of using the two 
 oars, as is the custom, he employed one as a paddle, 
 following the fashion of the Indians, by dipping it 
 first on one side of the boat and then on the other. 
 He was seated at the stern, and by adopting this 
 method he faced all of his undesirable passengers. 
 
 There could be no question as to the extreme 
 danger of the task the ranger had undertaken. He 
 was not only in the power of these six Iroquois, 
 every one of whom carried a rifle and knife, but he 
 
 XI 
 
in PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 was approaching land where there was no doubt of 
 the intense hostility of the savages lurking along the 
 bank. It was questionable whether Red Feather 
 and his companions could save him from harm if the 
 Ottawas offered it, and equally questionable whether 
 they would do so if the opportunity was theirs. 
 
 To the astonishment of Captain Horst, Jo left his 
 rifle behind him upon enterng the smaller boat. But 
 there was reason in his action, because if danger 
 should come the single weapon could not save him, 
 and he would be handicapped by the necessity of 
 taking care of it. If anything would appeal to the 
 chivalry of the Iroquois (admitting that any of the 
 people possessed that virtue) this apparent trust in 
 their honor would do so. 
 
 In leaving the Gladwyn, Jo Spain headed toward 
 Fighting Island, on his right, but was hardly out of 
 sight of the schooner when Red Feather told him 
 that it was their desire to land upon the mainland, 
 
 to the left. "^ '^v, .,v., , ! . ,■ , -:•„,,,;, .-,;: , -,;,■;?., 
 
 " It shall be as my brother wishes," replied the 
 ranger, immediately turning the boat about, taking 
 care, however, to pass the schooner at such a dis- 
 tance that it could not be seen. 
 
 The critical question with Jo was whether there 
 was any understanding between the Iroquois in his 
 small boat and the Ottawas on the mainland. If 
 such were the fact, he knew his fate was sealed, but 
 
OFF FIGHTING ISLAND. 1 3 
 
 with all his acuteness and suspicion, he could not 
 believe that anything of the kind existed. The 
 schooner had been continually moving until the fail- 
 ure of the wind at nightfall, and no communication 
 could have passed between the parties during that 
 time. 
 
 It was impossible that an agreement was made 
 before the vessel left Fort Niagara, for no one could 
 have foreseen the present situation of affairs. On 
 the whole, therefore, the ranger believed that the 
 only peril to which he was likely to be exposed was 
 that which developed with the progress of incidents 
 themselves. 
 
 He carefully plied the oar, and in due time the 
 faint outline of the towering trees showed that he 
 was near shore. He held his course at right angles 
 until the branches were almost over his head, when, 
 by a dextrous flirt of the paddle, he shot the boat 
 fully fifty feet further up stream. 
 
 * ' Why does my brother do that ? * * angrily asked 
 Red Feather, turning his scowling face toward him. 
 
 " The place is not good for my brother's feet," 
 was the calm reply, though Jo was influenced by a 
 far different reason. ifi > ■ 
 
 " All places are good for the feet of the Iro- 
 quois." '^ ■■ '••■ ' ■ '■ ■•■'■• ■ ^ '", J J. ,. 
 
 " Very well, then, we '11 land here." 
 
 And as he spoke the words, he drove the bow of 
 
14 FONT! AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 the craft so hard against the bank that It stopped 
 with a bump so sudden that every one was jarred. 
 
 It was a trying moment, and the ranger was lis- 
 tening for some signal or the rush of the Ottawas. 
 The Iroquois rose slowly and left the boat. Jo bade 
 them good-by again, and, hardly able to repress his 
 anxiety, instantly pushed out from shore, plying 
 the oar with the utmost vigor at his command. 
 
 And this was the most trying moment of all. 
 The sharp question of Red Feather was a betrayal 
 of his feelings, and Jo half expected that the whole 
 six would let fly at him, with the intervening space 
 so brief that a miss was impossible. His position 
 was much like that of an officer trying to preserve 
 his dignity while walking away from an enemy aim- 
 ing at him. In fact, when sure that the impetus of 
 the boat would take it beyond sight, Jo dropped 
 down in the bottom, where he was protected from 
 any bullets that might whistle about his ears. 
 
 But not a shot was fired, a fact which led him to 
 conclude that Red Feather and his companions were 
 indifferent as to what befell him and the rest. 
 
 " They don't care about my scalp, but they '11 let 
 the other varmints know there *s only a dozen of us 
 to defend the schooner, and maybe the Iroquois 
 will help in the attack, so as to keep their hands 
 
 in." 
 
 When about to resume the paddle, he heard a 
 
OFF FIGHTING ISLAND, 1 5 
 
 gentle plash in the water. All sounds were signifi- 
 cant at such times, and he suspected that an enemy 
 was swimming toward him. His keen sense of hear- 
 ing told him precisely the point whence came the 
 noise, and he cautiously peered over the side of the 
 boat, hoping to catch sight of his foe. 
 
 " One thing 's sartin," thought the ranger, " if 
 he 's got his gun with him he can't use it in the 
 water — so we stand the same as to that. " 
 
 Jo Spain did not carry a pistol, for that weapon 
 of those days was a clumsy and unhandy aflair. 
 The rangers depended upon their unerring rifles and 
 upon their knives when it came to a hand-to-hand 
 encounter. 
 
 He failed to detect anything suspicious, and, im- 
 prudent though it might seem, he settled into the 
 belief that the slight disturbance was caused by a 
 fish, which, a. they are fond of doing on still sum- 
 mer nights, had flung itself in sport out of the 
 water, 
 
 St?U, the keen eyes of the ranger continually 
 roamed over the water on every side, as he swung 
 the paddle. He had calculated the distance so 
 accurately that he was not obliged to swerve to the 
 right or left, after catching sight of the motionless 
 
 schooner. r .^:\;. .;•■■<;.■ ■;•. :«., •. „.-.■, . .'.; ^v^:- \ 
 
 " Is that you, Jo ?" called Captain Horst, in a 
 guarded undertone. ....,.■.,:-]:■-:.: ^■•..•■,}^-'.^%--^r^:.. .., . 
 
1 6 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 " It *s me/* was the reply, as the ranger ran the 
 little boat under the stern of the larger craft, 
 climbed out and made it fast. 
 
 • " I 'm greatly relieved to see you back," said the 
 master, " for it was a risky venture to make, but 
 you came from the direction of the mainland." 
 
 ' * After heading fur the island. Red Feather told 
 me he wanted to land on t'other shore, so I took 
 'em there. We had n't any fuss in partin'. What 's 
 to be the end I don't know, but I 'm glad we 're rid 
 of 'em." 
 
 Captain Horst had lost no time in making ready 
 for the attack of their enemies. Many of the prep- 
 arations were made immediately after dropping the 
 anchor, so as to impress the Indians with their 
 watchfulness. The single small cannon on board 
 was loaded to the muzzle with slugs and scrap iron 
 and would be a most effective weapon at short 
 range. Every man of the twelve owned a rifle. In 
 truth, there were three or four extra ones. Ammu- 
 nition was plentiful, most of the men possessed 
 knives, and there were several hatchets and axes. 
 It was certain that the assailants would receive a 
 fierce reception whenever they came. 
 
 Everything that could be done had been done 
 when Jo Spain walked to the stern of the schooner 
 with the captain, where they could converse a little 
 apart from the rest. 
 
OFF FIGHTING ISLAND, 1/ 
 
 "It can't do any good to speculate as to what 
 Red Feather and the others will do, and I don't 
 think six makes much difference where there 's so 
 many. I wonder that they did n't open fire on us 
 from the shore when we were in such plain sight, 
 after the wind died out and I had to drop anchor. 
 But they did not even show themselves, though 
 they could have picked off some of us." 
 
 " Thar 's nuthin' that a redskin likes so much as 
 to 'sprise an enemy; them varmints don't want us 
 to think they 've any idee of botherin' us; they 
 mean to come out here to-night, and hope we won't 
 be 'spectin' anything of the kind. If one of 'em 
 had let fly at us, it would have upset their whole 
 plan. You catch the idee, Cap ? " 
 
 The bronzed captain nodded his head, holding 
 his thin lips compressed, while his gray eyes glit- 
 tered. He had been an active partisan in the French 
 and Indian war, barely closed, and few understood 
 the treacherous nature of the redmen better than 
 he. He required no argument to convince him that 
 he would never see Detroit without a desperate 
 fight with the followers of Pontiac, who had been 
 told by the French settlers that the king of their 
 country was asleep, Hut would soon awake and come 
 to help thtAw drive all the English from the country. 
 
 It was noticeable that the crew of the schooner, 
 in making their dispositions for the night, almost 
 
l8 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 involuntarily, as may be said, protected themselves, 
 so far as they could, while moving about the craft. 
 As there was no telling from which shore the blow 
 would come, the slender masts were of little avail, 
 but the furtive glance, the haste from one point to 
 another, the ducking of the head, and the numerous 
 evidences of misgiving were so common that the 
 captain reproved the brave fellows more than once, 
 setting the example by standing as erect as if his 
 boat were in the middle of Lake Erie. 
 
 " When do you suppose they will attack us ?'* 
 was the captain's question. 
 
 The ranger shook his head. 
 
 " The fav'rite time with the varmints is just afore 
 daylight, when white folks sleep the soundest, but 
 they don't always wait that long. It depends on 
 sarcumstances ; they '11 wait till they think we 've 
 give up the idea of their comin', and then they '11 
 be down on us like a house afire." 
 ' " We must not let them come over the rail," said 
 Captain Horst, with another flash of his fine gray 
 eyes. - '^' ■''■^'■^■■-•' 
 
 ** No, sir; fur, if you do, we 're gone ! They 
 will attack in such a swarm that they won't need 
 mor'n half a chance; if they get that, it will be 
 good-by to us all ; they '11 scoop every scalp in the 
 crowd." 
 
 When I find hope gone, I *11 blow up the boat ! 
 
 «« 
 
OFF FIGHTING ISLAND. 1 9 
 
 . » 
 
 If we have got to go to kingdom come, wc *11 send 
 more of 'em in the other direction." 
 
 There was no braggadocio in these words. The 
 master would not hesitate to carry out his reso- 
 lution. 3, 
 
 " That hits me right," remarked the ranger, as if 
 communing with himself, as his restless eyes roved 
 from shore to shore; " when you find you 've got 
 to go, why do it in style ! As I take it, there *s 
 *nough powder aboard to blow this old vessel sky 
 high." 
 
 " Yes; we have several hundred pounds, intended 
 for Major Gladwyn ; it will be a good deal better to 
 go out with that than to have the Indians finish us, 
 by tomahawk or stake. " 
 
 ** Of course, not forgetting that it will make a 
 purty good-sized hole in Pontiac's people at the 
 same time — ^but, here *s Asher, who looks as if he 
 wanted to say something." 
 
 The faces of the two veterans lit up, as a young 
 man, not more than eighteen years of age, came 
 toward them, making a half-military salute to both 
 as if apologizing for his intrusion. He saw he was 
 welcome, for he was a favorite with the crew of the 
 sloop, and with none to a greater degree than to the 
 captain and the old ranger. 
 
 Asher Norris was the nephew of Jo Spain, and his 
 father, mother, and most intimate friends were in 
 
20 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAPVAS. 
 
 Detroit. He had left that post some months before 
 with his uncle, and made the long journey to Niagara 
 bearing an urgent request from Major Gladwyn for 
 supplies. The result of the trip was the attempt of 
 the schooner to deliver the much-needed stores, 
 which, when almost at the gate of the post, were 
 placed in a position of the gravest peril. 
 
 s¥[ 
 
 *^,';.'-'- 'i.- ',-''i.''" ''■ ;•■;■!' I':-" r -■.;.''",'\^j 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THROUGH THE SHADOWS. 
 
 WHAT a pity that the breeze did not last 
 an hour or two longer," said young 
 Asher Norris, with a sigh; " we are only eight or 
 nine miles from Detroit, and a little more wind 
 would have taken us there." 
 
 " There 's no use in crying for spilt milk," was 
 the philosophic remark of Captain Horst. " Jo and 
 I, and, I suppose, you, too, have made up our 
 minds that we 're to have the sharpest kind of a 
 fight to-night." 
 
 " I was sure of that as soon as the anchor was 
 dropped. But," added Asher, touching the matter 
 that had brought him to the stern of the schooner, 
 and that wrinkled the brow of his handsome face, 
 " why can't we lower the boat that Uncle Jo just 
 used, and with all of us that can get into it, tow the 
 vessel out of this dangerous spot ? " 
 
 The ranger shook his head. 
 
 " 'T won't never do." 
 
 "I had thought of the same thing," remarked 
 the skipper; " it would be hard work, but we might 
 get the schooner to the fort by daylight." 
 
 ax 
 
22 PONT! AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 Jo shook his head more decisively than before. 
 
 " What would be the end ? Both shores is lined 
 with the varmints; they can see like owls in the 
 night, and when they ain't able to see they can hear 
 a leaf as it falls from the tree. No matter how care- 
 fully we might handle the oars, they 'd catch the 
 first stroke we made ; they 'd know what it meant ; 
 they 'd be out in the stream by the hundred and 
 cut us off from the sloop by gettin' themselves 
 between; then we 'd be in a purty scrape, would n't 
 we ? If we should do just what the varmints want, 
 it would be the very thing aforesaid which my 
 young nephew has proposed, meaning no harm but 
 good to all consarned. ' * 
 
 The ranger looked meaningly at the youth, who 
 flushed at the good-natured but hardly the less cut- 
 ting reproof. There was so much sense in the words 
 of the veteran that neither Asher nor Captain Horst 
 presumed to argue the question. 
 
 ** Then I suppose," added the young man, after 
 a moment's silence, ** that the only thing we can do 
 is to lie low and wait for them to attack us. ' ' 
 
 " You hit it that time square, but I 've been 
 thinkin' that after all there is a little bit more we 
 can do — that is, mebbe." 
 
 His friends looked inquiringly at him. 
 
 " From the signs I obsarved to-day the redsKins 
 are on both sides of the river, but I 've an idee that 
 
THROUGH THE SHADOWS, 2% 
 
 a good deal the most of *em are over there on the 
 left on the mainland. Bime by I '11 swim ashore 
 and take a look 'round.** 
 
 " It will be very risky, and what good will you 
 accomplish ? ** 
 
 " When you an* me was fightin* under Colonel 
 Washington, Cap, you remember he allers tried to 
 find out what the French was goin* to do. When 
 he lamed that he knowed how to get ready for 'cm. 
 If I can find out how many of Pontiac's varmints 
 are in the woods, and can hear some of *em talkin*, 
 why I may pick up a little vallyble information." 
 
 Captain Horst could not look upon the proposal 
 as did he who offered it. He felt the need of every 
 one to repel the attack that was sure to be made 
 within a few hours, and the absence of Jo Spain 
 would be as serious as that of two or three of 
 his best men. And yet he was backward about 
 opposing this veteran of the woods. He held his 
 peace. 
 
 As if reading his thoughts, Jo said : 
 
 " I don't intend to desart you. Cap, and mean 
 to be back here afore the first gun is fired or the 
 first yawp made." 
 
 " I have no doubt that such is your intention, 
 Jo," was the significant response. 
 
 "And I '11 do it, too." 
 
 This was uttered with an emphasis that lifted a 
 
24 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 weight of apprehension from the shoulders of 
 the captain, as well as from those of Asher 
 N orris. 
 
 ** And yet if you go to the left bank you will 
 leave the island unvisited, and the real danger, after 
 all, may be from that side." 
 
 •' I '11 visit both." 
 
 " Before you return ? " 
 
 The ranger was silent a minute, as if this phase of 
 the question had not presented itself to him. 
 
 " No; I '11 go to the left bank of the stream, larn 
 what is to be larned, swim back to the sloop and 
 then swim across to t' other bank, lettin' you know, 
 of course, what I 've larned on my first visit. 
 P'raps I may run agin Red Feather once more." 
 
 Asher Norris had nothing to add. He was a 
 young man, less given to talk than his relative, but 
 had one who knew his nature studied him at this 
 moment, he would have come to the belief that the 
 words of the ranger had turned his thoughts in a 
 new direction, and he was forming some plan of his 
 own — one that he did not deem it best to explain 
 to the others. 
 
 Though there was a partial moon overhead, the 
 sultry sky was so overspread with clouds that not a 
 twinkling star was visible. Occasionally a few faint 
 rays stole through the ragged edges of vapor, but 
 the light was so weak that it was hardly visible, and 
 
\ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ THROUGH THE SHADOWS, 2$ 
 
 '\ . 
 \ 
 
 served rather to make the darkness more profound 
 and all-pervading. ^^ , w , / 
 
 While the three were conversing in low tones, and 
 the others were gathered here and there about the 
 deck, speaking in whispers, listening, and with all 
 their senses on the alert, the little schooner lay as if 
 becalmed in the middle of the Atlantic. 
 
 The stillness was profound. From the direction 
 of Detroit came the faint report of a gun, sounding 
 many miles away. It was probably fired by one of 
 the sentinels at some redskin whom he discovered 
 prowling around the palisades, and which was suffi- 
 cient to drive off the skulker, since the shot was not 
 repeated. Then was heard the bark of a fox, and 
 the long-drawn, dismal howl of a wolf echoed from 
 somewhere down the river. Were he and his com- 
 panions growing impatient over the delayed feast, 
 and were they slinking from the gloomy recesses 
 and licking their chops in anticipation of what was 
 coming? ■^..'■■■"-^m-' ^v;. :-'•■>■ -^ .■ .,':_ -:-.,, 
 
 Having decided upon his course of action, Jo 
 Spain did not wait a minute beyond the time he 
 thought necessary. He was attired in the usual 
 hunting shirt and leggings worn by the men who 
 spent most of their lives in the woods a hundred 
 years ago. History has related many of the exploits 
 of Major Rogers and his famous rangers, and among 
 them all was none braver and more skilled in wood- 
 
26 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 craft than this man, a native of New Hampshire, 
 who served with the daring leader down to the day 
 when the surrender of Detroit took place. 
 
 Jo fastened his long flint-lock rifle to his shoul- 
 der, muzzle downward, so that the stock protruded 
 above his shoulders and the crown of his head. 
 Thus, if he had only plain swimming to do and was 
 n<$>f compelled to sink below the surface, he would 
 be able to save the charge of his gun from becoming 
 wet. If, however, he should be forced to dive, the 
 chf rge would have to be withdrawn and a new one 
 rammed home. 
 
 " Wal, I 'm off," he quietly observed, when the 
 weapon was tied in place. 
 
 " Good luck to you ! " said the captain in a low 
 voice. 
 
 The ranger climbed over the gunwale at the stern, 
 where it was not far above the water, and making 
 use of the rudder, upon which he rested his large, 
 mocassin-covered foot, silently let himself down into 
 the Detroit river. The current was not strong, and 
 in the sultry hush of the summer night the cool em- 
 brace of the water was refreshing and grateful. 
 
 Captain Horst and Asher Norris had stepped to 
 the stern and were peering down at the veteran. 
 In the gloom they could see his sinewy figure, as he 
 set himself free from the schooner, with no more 
 noise than that m.ade by the gentle rippling at the 
 
THROUGH THE SHADOWS, 
 
 27 
 
 prow of the craft. They saw, too, the head covered 
 with the coon-skin cap, but only for a moment, 
 when it vanished and all was as it had been before. 
 
 " Confound it ! " muttered the captain, " I *m 
 sorry he has left; I don't believe it will do any 
 good, and he 's running into the worst sort if 
 danger." 
 
 " But he has done the same thing many tini s 
 before." 
 
 ** And is just the man to do it once too often. 
 He has had such good luck in the past that he 
 thinks it *11 stick by him to the end, when puff! one 
 of these days he '11 be wiped out by some Indian 
 boy of no more than half your years." 
 
 ** I don't think so," was the quiet reply of Asher 
 Norris; " at first his proposition did not strike me 
 favorably, but I now believe he did a wise thing." 
 
 " Well, we shall speedily know, for business will 
 be humming pretty soon. " 
 
 Meanwhile, Jo Spain was making the best of his 
 opportunity. He was swimming slowly, silently, 
 and with the utmost care. His eyes being so near 
 the surface of the water, he was at considerable 
 advantage in that respect. His naturally sharp 
 vision allowed nothing to escape him which it would 
 have been possible for any one to see. 
 
 He was unquestionably right when he declared 
 that the Indians lurking on the shore of the river 
 
Hfi PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 would wait until there was reason to believe the 
 crew of the sloop were partly, if not wholly, dis- 
 armed of suspicion. A surprise is the favorite 
 method of attack with the redmen. 
 
 Having shaken himself clear of the schooner, Jo 
 swam toward Detroit, still holding his place near 
 the middle of the stream. If the hostiles were look- 
 ing for some such reconnoissance, they would expect 
 the man making it to approach the shore on either 
 side when seeking to land. Therefore, the ranger 
 did not draw near the left bank until more than a 
 hundred yards from the schooner. 
 
 Even at that point, the Indians might be on the 
 watch, and no approach could have been more 
 guarded. Jo swam low in the water, aware that in 
 spite of it the projecting rifle stock would tell the 
 fatal story, if he happened to draw near to some 
 dusky sentinel. Accordingly, he held himself ready 
 to drop below the surface on the first appearance of 
 anything suspicious. 
 
 The bank was lined with trees and a species of 
 undergrowth which dipped over the current and 
 offered the best possible hiding-place for an enemy. 
 
 Neither eye nor ear could detect anything amiss, 
 and the white man had already increased his rate of 
 progress, having fixed in his mind the point where 
 he would emerge, when he caught the ripple as if 
 made by some person stepping stealthily into the 
 
THROUGH THE SHADOWS, 29 
 
 stream. On the instant and without the slightest 
 noise, Jo sank out of sight, just as if some monster 
 of the deep had seized his foot and drawn him 
 under. 
 
 The water was not deep so near shore, so that 
 while he was still descending his moccasins touched 
 the soft bottom. He held the points of the com- 
 pass in mind, and, without coming up to the air, 
 swam swiftly inward. He had planned where he 
 would emerge, and hit it to a hair. 
 
 Instead of rising from the surface some feet from 
 shore, he did so close to the bank, and directly 
 under the overhanging vegetation, thus shutting 
 himself from the sight of any suspicious eye that 
 might be peering out upon the stream. The danger 
 was that the slight but unavoidable rustling thus 
 created would be heard by an enemy; but, since 
 there was peril everywhere, no matter what he did, 
 the ranger did not hesitate. 
 
 Resting a minute with his head and shoulders 
 above the current, he listened, but heard nothing to 
 cause alarm. His vision could be of no help in his 
 situation, and he did not count upon it. A second 
 or two later, he had entirely emerged from the 
 river, and was seated in his dripping garments on 
 the bank, still listening and as vigilant as ever. 
 
 " It could n't have been one of the varmints, after 
 all," he muttered, alluding to the rippling which 
 
j0 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 sent him toward the bottom; "I might as well 
 have stayed whar I was, and come out of the river 
 without ruinin* the powder in old Bess, but, as the 
 captain obsarved, thar 's no use of cryin' fur spilt 
 milk. The varmints must be somewhar not very 
 fur off, and I don't go back to the vessel till I larn 
 something as is worth larnin', fur I feel it in my 
 bones that ugly times are powerful clus.** 
 
 It was the rule with men of his profession not to 
 stir from a spot after firing a gun, until it was 
 reloaded, so as to have it ready for instant use, but 
 Jo Spain decided to break that wholesome rule in 
 the present instance. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE LEFT SHORE. 
 
 JO SPAIN refrained from drawing the charge 
 from his rifle and ramming home a new one, 
 through fear of betraying his presence to some 
 of his enemies, who, he was satisfied, were in his 
 immediate neighborhood. It was no easy task to 
 un!oad and load one of the old-fashioned flint-lock 
 weapons in profound darkness, though he had done 
 it, and the necessity was not urrrent. 
 
 The course of the ranger was now down stream, 
 toward the schooner, as he supposed the main body 
 of hostiles would be found in that direction. That 
 he had placed himself in an exceedingly " ticklish " 
 position was manifest the next moment, when he 
 caught a faint, bird-like whistle, a short distance 
 ahead and to one side, which he knew was made by 
 a warrior stealing through the forest; but if this 
 discovery was startling, that which immediately 
 followed was more so. The reply, almost instantly 
 made, was of the same character, and came from a 
 point so directly close and behind him that he fairly 
 caught his breath, believing he had been discovered. 
 
 3» 
 
 IHMBilliliiiillMriilttUru 
 
 AbbX-a^^i^riiaBiaai 
 
Jl PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 But such was not the fact. In the deep vegeta- 
 tion of the woods and with the new moon veiled by 
 dense clouds, the darkness was absolutely impene- 
 trable. He could see no one and no one could see 
 him. He was in a crouching posture, feeling each 
 inch of the way. His hand had touched the shaggy 
 bark of a tree and he now straightened up, as near as 
 possible to the trunk, where he was less likely to be 
 bumped against by a dusky scout than if standing 
 alone. 
 
 That matters were becoming extraordinarily crit- 
 ical was proved the next instant, when, with his 
 sense of hearing trained to an incredibly fine point, 
 he distinctly heard his enemy on the other side of 
 the tree. Not only that, but his hand touched the 
 rough covering, and he, too, straightened up. Thus 
 the white and red man stood, with only the thick- 
 ness of a tree trunk separating them. One was 
 aware of the presence of the other, and the white 
 man began to doubt as to the knowledge of the 
 other regarding himself. 
 
 He laid his hand on his knife, which was not 
 fastened at his waist or hip, but over the left breast, 
 where it could be seized more handily than from 
 any other place. If the warrior groped around the 
 tree, he must of necessity come in collision with the 
 other, though Jo lessened the chance by taking a 
 single step backward. The advantage was with the 
 
• THE LEFT SHORE, 33 
 
 ranger, for he would know precisely where to strike 
 the instant the other touched him, while it began to 
 look as if the red man did not suspect the presence 
 of the other, for, with such knowledge, he would 
 not have dared to reply so promptly to the call of 
 his comrade. This was shown at the end of another 
 minute, when, instead of waiting for a second signal, 
 he himself repeated it, and was answered from a 
 point a few rods away. 
 
 The situation of Jo Spain was not made any more 
 comfortable by the discovery that the Indian, almost 
 within arm's reach, instead of going to his compan- 
 ion, was waiting for the latter to come to him. 
 Inasmuch as this would have made the situation 
 altogether too perilous, Jo took two more backward 
 steps. He did so with amazing skill, and yet with 
 the almost inaudible rustling of a twig caught the 
 attention of the keen-eared warrior in his front. 
 
 But there might have been any one of half a 
 dozen causes to explain the slight noise, without 
 the right one being suspected, and the warrior 
 seemed to give it no further thought. Almost im- 
 mediately he was joined by the other, and the 
 two began conversing in their gruff, guttural 
 fashion. 
 
 Jo Spain was delighted to discover that, instead 
 of using Iroquois, they spoke in the Ottawa tongue. 
 He was almost as familiar with that as with his own. 
 
34 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 Naturally their voices were low, but they were so 
 near that in the utter silence not a syllable escaped 
 the eavesdropper. The very opportunity he was 
 seeking had come to him. He expected to grope 
 for perhaps an hour through the wood with slight 
 chance of success, but he had hardly touched foot 
 upon land when success met him. 
 
 A liberal translation of the conversation might be 
 as follows : 
 
 ** My brother comes from the other shore of the 
 river ; where is the mighty Pontiac ? Is he with his 
 warriors ? ' ' 
 
 " He is with his warriors, and there are many 
 brave Ojibwas with him. " 
 
 " He has seen the canoe of the white man, the 
 great canoe which floats through the water when 
 the wind blows." 
 
 " Pontiac has seen the big canoe; he has watched 
 It as it came up the river ; he knew the Great Spirit 
 would give it into his hand, as he will all the white 
 people when our father wakes from his sleep on the 
 other side of the great water and drives the English 
 from the hunting grounds of the redmen." 
 
 " There are many warriors on this side of the 
 river, and they will go with Pontiac when his canoes 
 come out from the shore to slay the big canoe of the 
 white men." 
 
 ** But the warriors on this side are not so many as 
 
THE LEFT SHORE, |5 
 
 on the island. When the moon is off there then we 
 will slay the big canoe of the white men. " 
 
 Even so experienced a ranger as Jo Spain was 
 puzzled to understand the full meaning of this last 
 remark. The night was impenetrable, and how one 
 of the warriors could make clear to the other the 
 future location of the orb during that night was im- 
 possible to explain, unless he took hold of his com- 
 panion's hand and indicated it by the sense of feeling. 
 
 As it \yas the ranger could gain no idea of the 
 hour fixed for the attack upon the sloop, and the 
 knowledge of such date was not important. It was 
 liable to change by Pontiac, who often showed a 
 whimsicality of motive. It was enough to know 
 that the fierce assault was certain to be made by 
 parties of Indians coming from both sides of the 
 river, and moving as nearly as possible at the same 
 moment. It remained for Captain Horst and his 
 crew to be on the alert until the danger should come 
 and go. It was noticeable, too, that these Ottawas 
 made no reference to the Iroquois that had been 
 landed on their side of the river. 
 
 " Will the white men know of our coming ? " was 
 the query of the Ottawa who had last reached the 
 tree. 
 
 " No," replied his companion; " their eyes have 
 been closed. They know not that the woods are 
 full of brave Ottawas and Ojibwas; they will lie 
 
36 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 down to sleep, with only one left to keep his eyes 
 open, and he, too, will fall into slumber." 
 
 ** And just there," reflected the listening white 
 man, " is where you are making a mistake, my 
 copper-colored friend. ' ' 
 
 The scout would have chuckled over the fact but 
 for the terrible dread that, even if alert, the defend- 
 ers of the sloop were too few to repel the over- 
 whelming assault of the Ottawas and Ojibwas. The 
 reflection caused an intense, almost irrestrainable 
 hatred to flame up in his heart. It was intolerable 
 to hear these two miscreants exulting over the pros- 
 pect of massacring every person on board the be- 
 calmed vessel, a short distance away. Jo's rifle was 
 still fastened behind his shoulders, so as to leave 
 free play for his arms, and his iron-like fingers closed 
 around the handle of his knife, as he bent forward 
 to catch a few more words. 
 
 * ' The white men may have seen Pontiac and his 
 warriors," ventured the one that had evidently 
 spent most of his time on this side of the stream. 
 
 ** They have seen none of them," was the reassur- 
 ing response of the other, " for did not Pontiac 
 declare he would slay all who showed themselves to 
 the white men ? * * 
 
 " I wish he 'd do it," grimly reflected the eaves- 
 dropper, "for I seed nigh onto twenty, and there 
 would be that many less to fight." 
 
THE LEFT SHORE, , 
 
 ' Then we shall wait till the signal comes from 
 
 Pontiac." 
 
 The Ottawas abruptly ceased talking, and several 
 minutes of silence followed, while Jo Spain listened 
 for further information. • 
 
 Then it occurred to him that there was nothing 
 more to learn. He had found out of a verity that a 
 large force intended to attack the schooner in over- 
 whelming numbers, at an hour that night, when 
 they believed the defenders would be off their guard. 
 The warriors would come from both sides of the 
 river, and it was not impossible from up and down 
 stream, with a view of making the assault resist- 
 less. 
 
 There seemed to be no call for staying longer, 
 especially as the scout meant to reconnoitre the 
 other shore before taking his place on the sloop to 
 await the crisis ; but his anger against these two red- 
 men rose to a white heat. 
 
 " It 's my Christian dooty to make their numbers 
 as few as I can," he thought, as he drew his formi- 
 dable knife from its sheath, " and, by heavens, I '11 
 do it ! " 
 
 He was not the one to hesitate when forming such 
 a resolution. The sound of the voices had located 
 the two Ottawas, and he felt sure of striking them, 
 as sure, indeed, as if the sun were shining. 
 
 The powerful right arm was drawn back, he 
 
38 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 crouched low, and making a quick, light leap, 
 brought down his hand with all the vicious fierce- 
 ness at his command. It would have been a relief 
 had he dared to emit a triumphant yell at that 
 instant, but discretion restrained. 
 
 The terrible weapon, however, swished through 
 vacancy ; the Ottawas had departed. He was not 
 the only one that could move in absolute silence 
 through the woods at night. 
 
 '* That 's the time Jo Spain made a fool of him- 
 self ! " he muttered; " I *m glad no one seed me, 
 and I '11 hev to be powerful short of things to talk 
 about with my friends for me to introdooce the 
 same as a subject for remarks." 
 
 He decided not to enter the river where he had 
 left it, but considerably farther down stream. This 
 would bring him nearly opposite the schooner, 
 though it was impossible for him exactly to locate 
 it, since it was invisible and not so much as a point 
 of light was shown on the vessel. 
 
 Jo did not need the knowledge that the woods 
 were full of redmen to make him guarded in every 
 movement. He was but a short distance from the 
 river, but it was a long time before his wet mocca- 
 sins again touched its brink. He noticed that the 
 undergrowth was less abundant, and, in spite of his 
 care, he came within a hair of stepping into a large 
 canoe drawn up against the bank. Had there been 
 
THE LEFT SHORE. 39 
 
 any one in it, he must assuredly have detected the 
 approach of a stranger. 
 
 The ranger groped about to learn whether there 
 were any others near, but in the limited space exam- 
 ined he found none. 
 
 " There 's one thing mighty sartin," he thought, 
 " when these varmints come to get into their 
 blamed canoes, they '11 find one of 'em is n't of 
 much account." 
 
 With the aid of his knife he cut several gaping 
 seams in the frail structure. The gurgling water 
 told that the craft was likely to disappoint the 
 parties who intended to make their voyage to 
 the schooner in it. Even in committing this act of 
 mischief, Jo paused long enough to consider its pru- 
 dence. But, so far as he saw, there was no way in 
 which it could recoil upon him. The Indians were 
 not likely to suspect that it had been done by a 
 white man, and even if they did, it would lessen 
 their confidence in their own ability to destroy their 
 intended victims. Had there been any other canoes 
 within easy reach, he would have slitted them in 
 the same ruthless style. 
 
 With the utmost caution he made his way into 
 the river until the water reached his shoulders, 
 when he sank lower, and began swimming in the 
 direction, as he believed, of the schooner; but so 
 long as the outlines of the shore could be discerned 
 
40 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 in the gloom, he gave more attention to the rear 
 than to the front. There was no evidence that his 
 presence had been detected by his enemies, and he 
 soon swam with more freedom and with his eyes to 
 the front. 
 
 Near the middle of the stream, and when confident 
 he was close to his friends, he failed to see anything 
 of the craft, with its familiar single masts and short 
 dark hull. With all his woodcraft and a certain 
 remarkable skill in keeping his bearings in the 
 absence of landmarks, he had lost the boat. 
 
 " But it can't be far off," he thought, after mak- 
 ing sure that he had swam far enough out in the 
 stream; "it *s either farther up or farther down, 
 and I must find it after awhile." 
 
 Fifteen minutes later, he checked himself, and 
 supplemented his conclusion by the proviso, " I 
 don't know whether I will or not; either the con- 
 founded vessel or me is lost, and I don't know which 
 It is. 
 
 Facing about, he swam vigorously in the opposite 
 course, feeling that he was losing valuable time, for 
 it remained his intention to make a visit to Fighting 
 Island before the attack from the Indians, which 
 might take place earlier than he had first supposed. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE RIGHT SHORE. 
 
 /CAPTAIN HORST waited for several minutes 
 V^ at the stern of his schooner after the ranger 
 had swam away and vanished in the night. Then 
 he walked forward and talked in low tones with his 
 men. He found them determined and fully alive to 
 the perils that impended. 
 
 " Surrender, boys, you know, is not to be thought 
 of, for no mercy is to be expected from Pontiac or 
 any of his warriors. ' ' 
 
 " Nor from any redman," growled a stalwart 
 boatman from New York; " did n't I fall into their 
 hands three years ago, near Niagara ? And did n't 
 they tie me to a tree and start the fire about me, 
 when a French officer dashed the wood aside and 
 gave me a chance to run for my life ? I think I 
 know the breed. " 
 
 " That 's precisely the way they served Israel 
 Putnam when he was out with Rogers' rangers, and 
 he was saved in the same way." 
 
 " You don't need to tell us not to think of sur- 
 render, Cap," said Mate Jacobs; " all the same, it 
 
 4x 
 
- •' /■/■ 
 
 42 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 looks to me as if they '11 be too many for us. 
 What *s to be done when that minute comes ? " 
 
 " You *ve got the magazine ready ? " 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " When I sing out to you, * Blow her up ! ' why, 
 touch her off. * ' 
 
 ** I '11 do it as sure as my name is Jack Carson," 
 was the response. , 
 
 ** Very well; we understand each other," and the 
 captain walked back to the stern, where Asher Nor- 
 ris was standing near the cabin. 
 
 " What 's the meaning of that ? " 
 
 The question of Captain Horst was asked as he 
 stepped close to his young friend and noticed that 
 he had fastened his rifle to his back, precisely as Jo 
 Spain did before leaving the vessel. 
 
 " I 'm going ashore," was the quiet response. 
 
 " You forget that Jo has already done that." 
 
 ** No; he has taken the left shore; I 'm going to 
 Fighting Island." . ' 
 
 " But I do not commend the plan," said the cap- 
 tain, gravely; " that will leave only ten, and we 
 need double the number. " 
 
 " He expects to be back before an attack is made, 
 and I am just as confident as he that I shall be with 
 you." 
 
 "His intention is to find out how matters stand 
 on one shore, to report, and then to do the same on 
 
THE RIGHT SHORE, 43 
 
 the island. He can do ii more effectually than you,, 
 for he has ten times the experience." 
 
 " It would be presumptuous in me to dispute 
 with you, Captain, but Jo may be kept so long on 
 one side of the river that he will not have time to 
 examine the other. While he is busy on his ground, 
 I will be at work on mine. " 
 
 Despite the plausible argument of the young man, 
 the captain was far from being convinced. Had 
 Asher Norris been a member of his crew he would 
 not have permitted the venture. But Asher and 
 his uncle were really only a couple of passengers, 
 who had come on the schooner at Niagara. He 
 was glad to have their company, for they were valu- 
 able men, but from the first they had done as they 
 chose, without looking to him for orders. 
 
 The only one who was in a position to command 
 the youth was absent. Had he been present it is 
 safe to say the risk never would have been taken by 
 the nephew. As it was, no one could say him nay. 
 
 " Well, act as you please, Asher, but in my judg- 
 ment you are doing a thing not only unnecessary, 
 but dangerous." 
 
 " Perhaps you are right," replied the youth, im- 
 pressed by the gravity of his senior, ' ' but we will 
 leave that to the future." 
 
 And then, bidding the captain good-night, he 
 imitated the action of his relative, climbing over the 
 
44 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 bow, stepping on the rudder, and letting himself 
 softly down into the water. A minute later he, too, 
 disaj^ieared in the darkness, and the captain looked 
 off in the gloom, much oppressed by what had taken 
 place. 
 
 " That leaves ten of us," he remarked to Mate 
 
 Jacobs, who, overhearing the conversation, had 
 joined him; " as likely as not, we shall never see 
 either of them again. " 
 
 " It 's all tomfoolery," said the mate, more im- 
 patient than the mast^j'; ' we 've made up our 
 mind that we 're bound to have a visit from the 
 Indians, and that 's all we need to know. It is n't 
 likely that Pontiac or any of his imps will be kind 
 enough to tell Jo or his nephew the exact minute 
 when we 're to expect them. I know that Jo had 
 some good reason to leave, and he wants to help us, 
 but I *ve a suspicion of that cub." 
 
 " And what is it ? " 
 
 " That he means to sneak through the woods to 
 Det.oit; so long as he can save his own hide, why 
 need he care for us ? " 
 
 But the captain would not accept that view. 
 
 " I am sure it is nothing of that sort. Asher is 
 one of the bravest young men I ever met. When 
 we ran into shore to get some firewood, along the 
 lake, some days ago, have you forgotten how he 
 helped cover the retreat of you and Jameson ? " 
 
THE RIGHT SHORE. 45 
 
 " I *11 give him credit for that; he 's full of pluck, 
 but some men show the same thing, when danger 
 comes upon them sudden like. He may have been 
 thinking the thing over, and made up his mind that 
 the best thing he could do is to light out." 
 
 " If you live long enough to get out of this scrape, 
 you '11 admit you did the young man an injustice." 
 
 " I hope so, but since he has gone, why can't we 
 all do the same ? " 
 
 The question surprised the captain. 
 
 " You mean for each of us to steal away from the 
 fort, swim as far up the stream as we can and thus 
 circumvent Pontiac ? " 
 
 " That 's it ; what 's to hinder ? ** 
 
 The captian was inclined at first to think well of 
 the plan, strangely as it struck him. A brief 
 thought, however, settled the matter. 
 
 " I '11 never desert the schooner as long as I 'm 
 able to defend her. We must stand by her to the 
 last. We set out to furnish Major Gladwyn with 
 powder, and we *ve enough on board to serve him 
 several months. Now, to hand over that powder 
 to Pontiac will be like joining him to help take 
 Detroit." 
 
 " That *s a view I did n't think of, and there 's 
 truth in it, but we could pitch the powder into the 
 nver. 
 
 " It *s not to be thought of,** remarked the cap- 
 
PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 tain, in a quiet but so determined a voice that no 
 more persuasion was attempted. All gave their 
 attention to watching, listening, and waiting for the 
 trial that must soon come. 
 
 Meanwhile, Asher Norris, young, active, and lusty, 
 swam with silent and powerful strokes toward the 
 shore of the island, in isible in the gloom, but whose 
 direction was easily kept in mind, by the flow of the 
 current. When the dim outlines of the wooded 
 bank took form in the gloom, he slackened his speed 
 and allowed himself to drift fartner down stream 
 before making a landing. Finally, when, so far as 
 he could judge, the way was clear, he propelled 
 himself forward with several swift strokes until his 
 feet touched bottom, and then stepped out among 
 the limbs and undergrowth, and crouched in the 
 darkness. 
 
 There was little difference between the two shores, 
 so far as appearances went, both being thickly 
 wooded. He could hear nothing, but, hoping to 
 make some valuable discovery, he threaded his way 
 among the trees, taking a course at right angles to 
 the stream until he had penetrated a distance of 
 fully a hundred yards. Then, as he was beginning 
 to ask himself whether the whole attack would not 
 be made from the other side of the river, he was 
 startled by the twinkle of a light in front and a little 
 to the left. 
 
THE RIGHT SHORE, 47 
 
 *' That means Indianr /' was his conclusion, stop- 
 ping short and peering intently ; * ' they were wise 
 enough to start their fire so far back that no one 
 can possibly see it from the river." 
 
 In truth, it was so far from where he had halted, 
 that he caught only the star-like flicker among the 
 vegetation. He could not go back without investi- 
 gating further. It was not impossible that he would 
 pick up information of more moment than that 
 which had fallen to Jo Spain. 
 
 Step by step, often pausing, looking around in 
 the darkness, and intently listening, he advanced 
 until barely fifty feet separated him from the fire, 
 which was burning in a natural hollow in the wood. 
 Before that fact was noted, the young man had 
 found himself in the vicinity of a remarkable scene. 
 
 Around the camp-fire were gathered fully thirty 
 Ottawa warriors. Some were seated on the ground, 
 while a fallen tree bore the weight of one-third the 
 number. There were no signs of food having been 
 prepared, and, with one or two exceptions, the 
 Indians were smoking their long-stemmed pipes. In 
 the middle of the group stood a notable looking red- 
 man, addressing those around him. He had flung 
 aside his blanket, for the night, it will be remem- 
 bered, was sultry, and the upper part of his body 
 was bare, but painted, like his face, with varying 
 colors. 
 
4$ PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 There was no excitement in his manner, such as is 
 shown by a dusky orator when trying to rouse his 
 warriors to the fighting point. These savages were 
 already keyed to that pitch, and required no urging 
 to hold them there. He appeared to be giving 
 directions, so as to prevent any mistake in the pro- 
 ject in hand. 
 
 It did not require a second glance by Asher Nor- 
 ris to identify the leader. He had seen and spoken 
 with him many a time, when all was peaceful around 
 Detroit, and Major Gladwyn refused to believe the 
 warnings that repeatedly came to him from different 
 sources. 
 
 " That *s Pontiac; he looks just as he did when 
 he came to Detroit last winter, and told the major 
 that bad people were speaking lies in his ears, and 
 that he would always be the brother of the white 
 men. And all that time, and for a long while 
 before, he was planning to destroy every post in the 
 West." 
 
 In the stillness of the night, so profound that not 
 even the soft murmur of the river reached him, the 
 listener could hear every word said by the chieftain, 
 but since it was in the Ottawa tongue, he was un- 
 able to comprehend a sentence. Norris had never 
 taken the trouble to acquire the Indian lingo, while 
 Jo Spain, the ranger, not only possessed, as we have 
 stated, a peculiar aptitude in that direction, but. 
 

 O 
 < 
 
 Q 
 ir, 
 
 < 
 
 < 
 
 H 
 
 o 
 
 04 
 
THE RIGHT SHORE. 49 
 
 like every man serving under Major Rogers, he took 
 pains to learn all that he possibly could of the lan- 
 guage of his enemies. That knowledge had stood 
 him too well many a time for him to neglect any 
 opportunity. Thus it came about, ' as already 
 shown, that he could talk Ottawa like a native, and 
 could make himself understood in fully half a dozen 
 aboriginal languages. 
 
 The decision of Norris was that Pontiac was 
 instructing his followers in the special means to be 
 used in attacking the schooner. Some of his gest- 
 ures confirmed this suspicion, for he pointed several 
 times in the direction of the vessel. His warriors 
 nodded their heads in approval, some grunted, and 
 the majority puffed deliberately at their pipes. 
 
 The belief was natural that all the Ottawas that 
 were to take part in the attack were gathered in this 
 camp, listening to their leader. It would hardly be 
 supposed that those present were in more need of 
 instruction than others ; but this supposition of the 
 youth, unfortunately, was wide of the truth. 
 
 " There are about thirty of them; some are in 
 one another's way, so I can't make sure. Jo says 
 there are others across the river, so that we shall be 
 attacked by more than half a hundred redskins— 
 that 's certain. They have rifles and knives, and 
 when Pontiac leads them they will fight like so many 
 furies. I don't see that there 's anything more for 
 
50 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 me to learn by staying here, so I '11 go back and tell 
 the captain how things look on Fighting Island." 
 
 It was not likely that the Ottawas were in fear of 
 any interruption from eavesdroppers, but their cus- 
 tom of keeping sentinels on guard caused Asher 
 Norris to use the most extreme caution in with- 
 drawing from the dangerous neighborhood, and it 
 was well he did so, for within the space of a few 
 minutes he was involved in an unexpected and most 
 peculiar peril. 
 
 ,/!;:;:■ ^' 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 "BLOW HER UP, jack!" 
 
 THE extreme care taken by Asher Norris in 
 withdrawing from the vicinity of the Ottawa 
 campfire made his progress of necessity very slow. 
 So guarded was his approach that fully two hours 
 had elapsed when he turned his back on the scene 
 and step by step made his way toward Detroit 
 river. Probably half the distance was passed when 
 he paused and looked around. His keen eyes saw 
 nothing but impenetrable darkness. Not the first 
 twinkle of a campfire was visible. 
 
 " That 's mighty strange," he said to himself, 
 " for I am sure that when I first caught sight of it 
 I was nearer the river than now. Jo has told me 
 that when the Indians are about to break camp at 
 night they sometimes smother the fire, so as to leave 
 no traces that can be seen in the darkness. It looks 
 as if they had done something of this kind. If so, 
 then they must be moving toward the water — " 
 
 The thought had hardly assumed shape in his 
 mind when a guttural exclamation was answered by 
 several others. All came from a point between him 
 
52 PONT I AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 and the Indian camp, and only a few yards distant. 
 Beyond a doubt, the Ottawas, under the lead of 
 Pontiac, were advancing to the Detroit river, over 
 precisely the same course he had taken, and were 
 almost literally treading on his heels. 
 
 It was a startling situation, and it seemed to Ashcr 
 that his hair rose on end. If he turned to the right 
 or left he would have to move so briskly that he 
 was certain to be heard by these keen-eared red- 
 men. If he continued toward the river they would 
 soon overtake him, for to attempt to travel faster 
 was to reveal his presence, and yet something must 
 be done and on the instant. 
 
 The hands with which he was groping his way 
 encountered the shaggy bark of an oak. The trunk 
 was large enough to screen his body, and, stepping 
 close behind it, he stood erect, interposing it as a 
 shield between him and his enemies and praying 
 that they would go by without discovering him. 
 
 No human being, or bird, or animal, for that mat> 
 ter, has the faculty of seeing where there is no light 
 at all to assist vision. In this blank gloom the 
 Ottawas must depend mainly upon the sense of 
 feeling to avoid unpleasant collisions. They would 
 grope deftly here and there, touching everything in 
 their path of travel. 
 
 Thus it came about while the young man was 
 listening to the bird-like rustling on the leaves made 
 
'* BLOW HEU UP, jACin** 53 
 
 by the moccasins, he heard the impact of a warrior's 
 hand against the bark on the other side of the tree 
 trunk which was sheltering him. The gentlest touch 
 was sufficient, and, swerving slightly to one side, he 
 moved on, the whole party drawing near the river 
 like so many phantoms. 
 
 Asher waited until some minutes after he was 
 sure every one of the shadows had passed. Then he 
 followed after them, so fearful of overtaking and 
 mingling with the party that he turned to the left, 
 so that when he finally reached the river's bank, it 
 was at a point considerably removed from where he 
 had landed. 
 
 The impressive feature about this strange business 
 was that everything thus far passed in complete 
 silence. But for what his eyes had told him and 
 what he had learned during his life at his home on a 
 frontier post, he would have found it hard to believe 
 that any living person beside himself was within a 
 mile of the spot. And yet there was a formidable 
 band of warriors under the leadership of one of the 
 great Indians of history, completing, if they had 
 not already completed, their preparations for attack- 
 ing the schooner anchored in mid-stream, whose 
 scant but dauntless crew were as much veiled from 
 sight as were their deadly enemies. . , 
 
 Like the veteran ranger, the young man had 
 formed the belief that the blow would not be struck 
 
54 PONT/AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 until the night was well past, but it looked now as if 
 the dusky raiders were so confident of success that 
 they did not intend to wait. Be all this as it might, 
 Asher was anxious above all things to get back to 
 the vessel, not only to warn Captain Horst and his 
 men (hardly necessary), but to give help in the 
 defence, which was certain to be of the most des- 
 perate natur»^. 
 
 Accordingly, he started to wade out in the water, 
 but had taken only a couple of steps when he 
 dropped into an unsuspected hole, which drew him 
 under the surface with a splash. Believing that his 
 mishap would quickly bring some of the warriors to 
 the spot, he swam as far as he could under water, 
 and when forced to rise for breath dived again, so 
 that when he rose a second time he was beyond 
 sight of any one on the bank. 
 
 Like his uncle, he was now obliged to follow his 
 judgment alone, as to the location of the schooner. 
 He knew that he was below it, and, swimming until 
 near the middle of the stream, he headed up the 
 current and put forth all of the remarkable skill at 
 his command. 
 
 Asher Norris gained a vivid reminder of the perils 
 of a reconnoissance against a party of hostiles. 
 Suddenly something loomed to sight directly ahead 
 of him. He '* backed water" until he could make 
 out what it was, for he knew it was not the vessel. 
 
*' BLOW HER UP, JACK! "* %% 
 
 It was an Indian canoe, and there was a second 
 and a third. Evidently the occupants had not seen 
 him, though he had not been swimming in absolute 
 silence. So wonderfully fine was the action of the 
 Ottawa paddles that only when the young man's 
 ears were below the surface could he catch the soft 
 rippling through the better conductor of sound. 
 That party's approach to the sloop would never be 
 discovered through the sense of hearing. 
 
 Since the canoes were moving diagonally in the 
 same direction as Asher, he now did that which he 
 would not have dared to do under less urgent neces- 
 sity. Sheering to the left he took partly the same 
 course, determined, if the thing were possible, to 
 reach his friends before the danger burst upon them. 
 
 In this he was fortunately successful. While still 
 feeling his way, as may be said, the familiar out- 
 lines assumed form in the darkness, and the next 
 minute he was under the stern and climbing aboard 
 by means of the rudder. 
 
 " Is Uncle Jo here ? " he asked in an excited 
 whisper. 
 
 ** I reckon I am," answered that individual, who, 
 with Captain Horst, stood ready to fire upon him, 
 in case he proved to be some one else. 
 
 " I am glad of it, for there 's the mischief to 
 pay." 
 
 " Bein* as how we 've had a 'spicion of something 
 
 iliCdj;j 
 
|6 
 
 PONT I AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 of the kind for some time, I might ask if that *s all 
 the news you bring." 
 
 Asher N orris showed his training by proceeding 
 to draw the charge from his rifle and reloading it, 
 while talking to his relative, the captain, and the 
 mate, the others holding their places, so as to avert 
 a surprise. Jo Spain, who had found his way back 
 to the boat with considerable difficulty some time 
 before, had taken the same precaution. 
 
 " But Pontiac and his men are on the river; I 
 saw their canoes only a few minutes ago. " 
 
 This was news, and the ranger ceased his banter- 
 ing manner. He asked his nephew to tell all that 
 he had learned, and Asher did so as briefly as pos- 
 sible. 
 
 " You were right," said Captain Horst, " they 
 are on both sides of us, and when they attack it will 
 be from all directions. " 
 
 ** They are not on the sides of the stream," cor- 
 rected Asher, ** but on the stream itself; don't for- 
 get that." 
 
 *' You seed only three canoes; they *ve come out 
 to look around ; it 's too airly for the varmints to 
 open bus'ness." 
 
 •' We can't be sure of that." 
 
 ** What 's the odds ? One time will suit us as 
 well as another — sh! " 
 
 A tremulous, bird-like call, such as the ranger had 
 
*' BLOW HER UP, JACK! 'I 57 
 
 noticed earlier in the evening, was heard by every 
 one on the schooner. 
 
 ** That seems to be from the bank over there," 
 whispered the mate. 
 
 ** It is n't from the bank, but from the river; the 
 boy is right ; the varmints will attack us inside the 
 next ten minutes. Pontiac thinks he has an easy 
 thing of it, but it won't be the first mistake he 's 
 made." 
 
 Nothing was to be gained by further talk, and 
 the men separated, stationing themselves here and 
 there along the sides and at the bow and stern of 
 the schooner, so that no point was left unguarded. 
 The ranger, who seemed naturally to assume the 
 position of captain or director by virtue of the pecul- 
 iar circumstances, did not stand still, but moved 
 back and forth among the men, warning them to be 
 on the alert, and to fire at the first moving object 
 they discovered in the water. 
 
 The same keenness of attention enabled every one 
 on board to hear the answering whistle from the 
 direction of the left bank, followed a minute later 
 by several calls from as many different points of the 
 compass. There could be no doubt that Pontiac 's 
 plan was working to perfection. 
 
 Jo Spain had hardly reached the prow of the ves- 
 sel when he saw one of the men bring his rifle to his 
 shoulder. Instead of asking the meaning of the 
 
58 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 action, the ranger glanced out on the river, where 
 he was able to discern something that looked like a 
 canoe, but it was hovering on the very edge of 
 invisibility, so that even his eyes could not be 
 certain. - i 
 
 Nothing was said, but the man kept his weapon 
 levelled, and the next moment pulled the trigger. 
 No outcry followed, and when he lowered his piece 
 and leaned forward to peer into the gloom, the 
 object, whatever it was, had vanished. 
 
 " 'T was a good shot, Jim, all the same," said 
 Jo ; ** and for all the varmint did n't yell, I should n't 
 be 'sprised if you hit him. It 's my idee " 
 
 The words were cut short by the discharge of a 
 rifle from the stern, having been fired, indeed, by 
 Captain Horst. Jo started hurriedly in that direc- 
 tion, but when half-way along the taffrail looked 
 over the river and saw several canoes approaching 
 the sloop with the speed of swallows. It was the 
 same on the other side, at the bow and stern, and, 
 indeed, from all points of the compass. 
 
 The Indians had moved silently about with their 
 canoes until the vessel was actually surrounded, and 
 then, at a signal from Pontiac, they all headed 
 toward the schooner. They unacjstood the ways 
 of white men well enough to know that one or two 
 of their number would be on guard, but they prob- 
 ably expected to board and capture the boat before 
 
*'£LOW^ HBk UP, JACJtr* 59 
 
 the rest of the crew could be aroused and brought 
 to the defence. , ;■ 
 
 The woful mistake made by Asher Norris (and 
 partly shared by Jo Spain) was in believing that not 
 many more than fifty Indians would make the 
 attack. It is a historical fact that the assailants of 
 the schooner Gladwytiy on that sultry August night 
 in 1763, were more than three hundred in number. 
 The shadowy canoes seemed to cover the river and 
 to dart forward from every point of the compass. 
 It was impossible to tell from what quarter the main 
 attack was made, except that it was from every 
 quarter. 
 
 The ranger sprang forward, and, seeing that the 
 single cannon could not miss, touched it off. Its 
 thunderous report awoke the echoes along shore and 
 was followed by a series of screeches and a splashing 
 in the water, which told that it had done frightful 
 execution. Had the number of assailants been what 
 it was suspected, this probably would have checked 
 them, and given the defenders a chance to reload 
 their rifles, but the next minute the hordes were 
 swarming over bow, stern, and sides, their knives in 
 their teeth, and eager for the massacre. 
 
 With clubbed guns and with knives and hatchets, 
 the white men fought with the fury of desperation. 
 They knew that defeat or capture meant not simply 
 death, but intolerable torture. The shouts and cries 
 
6o PONT/ AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 of the combatants made hideous the night. Many 
 of the assailants were struck down on the deck, and 
 did not rise again. Several of the defenders also 
 fell, Captain Horst being the first man slain. When 
 his voice became silent, and his figure lay motion- 
 less, the others struggled more furiously than ever. 
 In a brief while the slain Indians were double the 
 number of white men, and yet with so many it 
 effected nothing in the way of repulse. ; 
 
 Mate Jacobs was as cool as he was brave. He 
 awaited the critical moment, which speedily came. 
 Resistance was hopeless, and he called out in a ring- 
 ing voice : 
 
 *'Blow her up. Jack!" 
 
 )• ' .. •- 
 
 ;»'■,? 
 
 ',.'(■)' \,' ' V .A ■.3"' '■ i'-'v, 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 WAITING FOR DAYLIGHT. 
 
 WHO would have suspected that the last, 
 desperate, despairing commrnd of Mate 
 Jacobs to one of his men would be the means of 
 saving the schooner ? Yet such was the fact. 
 
 Jack Carson, the sailor, who heard the words, ran 
 forward with the intention of firing the magazine 
 and blowing the vessel to atoms, but before he 
 reached the spot he stopped, transfixed by a remark- 
 able scene. 
 
 Among the Indians that had obtained possession 
 of the deck were several Wyandots who understood 
 English and knew the meaning of the order of the 
 mate. They saw that if they remained another 
 minute they and their companions would be hurled 
 into eternity. They shouted a warning, and the 
 same moment leaped as far out into the river as 
 they could, and swam with might and main, diving 
 and diving again in the furious effort to get as far as 
 possible from the schooner before the explosion 
 came. In a twinkling, as may be said, not an 
 Indian was left on board the Gladwyn. 
 
 6i 
 
62 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 The defenders could hardly credit their senses. 
 The retreat was as sudden as the attack. In one 
 second all hope was gone, and in the next second 
 the peril had departed. 
 
 But there could not be such savage fighting with- 
 out some sad consequences. Of the crew, two had 
 been killed during the fight, and four were seriously 
 wounded. Of the Indians, seven were killed and 
 twenty wounded, and it is known that eight of the 
 latter died within a brief time. As has been stated, 
 Captain Horst was the first one of the defenders to 
 fall, the other being a member of the crew. Jo 
 Spain ^^ i hurt, though he made light of his injury, 
 while n-aher Norris was one of the six gallant de- 
 fenders who did not receive a scratch. , ., 
 
 The dead and wounded were tenderly looked 
 after, but the fear of a renewal of the attack kept 
 the rest on the alert. The single cannon was 
 recharged to the muzzle, and each rifle placed ready 
 for ii t " >: use, while the unhurt men moved here 
 and there on the watch for the first appearance of 
 their enemies. 
 
 " I never dreamed that my order to Jack to blow 
 up the schooner would have that effect," said Mate 
 Jacobs to Jo Spain, after they had partly recovered 
 from the flurry. ** It 's a pity I did n't try it before 
 poor Captain Horst went down." 
 
 " It come about 'cause some of the varmints 
 
WAITING FOR DA YLIGHT, 63 
 
 knowed what you meant by the words; a redskin 
 don't care any more 'bout bein' lifted among the 
 clouds by gunpowder than we do." ^ 
 
 " Do you fancy they will try it again ? " 
 
 " Not if we keep the right sort of watch; they '11 
 be pryin' 'round purty soon to see if we 're of the 
 'pinion that we can afford to go to sleep over it, 
 which the same observation reminds me, as it 
 were " 
 
 And with this remark, the ranger brought his 
 long, formidable rifle to his shoulder, took the best 
 aim he could in the darkness, and pressed the 
 trigger. 
 
 As the spiteful crack rang out over the water it 
 was echoed by a screech that left no doubt of its 
 effect. 
 
 ** I did n't see anything out there," observed 
 Asher Norris, looking toward the point at which the 
 weapon had been aimed. * * Was he in a canoe ? ' ' 
 
 " No; he wasn't fool 'nough for that; he was 
 swimmin' ; I 'm s' prised that he should try it so 
 soon after the scrimmage; but he won't do so no 
 more. As I was obsarvin' when that varmint broke 
 in on me, they don't want to let us slip away, now 
 that we 've scooped in so many; they know, too, 
 that we 've a lot of powder on board, and Pontiac 
 wants to get it mighty bad. ' ' 
 
 " Do you think he was among the assailants ? " 
 
64 
 
 PONT/ AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 " Do I think so ? I know it. I could tell his 
 voice in a thousand; it was too dark to see very 
 plain, but I catched sight of the chap. He climbed 
 up over the bow, and was one of the fust on deck. 
 Pontiac aint no coward; I tried my best to get at 
 him, but there was so many atween us, and things 
 were so interestin' like, that I could n't get ahead 
 very fast. I think he knowed me after a bit, and 
 he was as eager to get at me as I was to reach him. 
 So we both set out to do that, which the same bein' 
 so, we worked along the deck purty fast, till we was 
 almost within reach, and then " 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " Jacobs sung out, * Blow her up, Jack! ' Th^re 
 never was a worse scared Injin than Pontiac at them 
 words. He did n't need anybody to tell him what 
 they meant, fur the rapscallion knows English as 
 well as he knows Ottawa, and he made one big 
 jump as if he expected to land up among the limbs 
 of the trees on the island over there, and that was 
 the last of him. " 
 
 So hurried had been the flight of the assailants 
 that, contrary to the custom of their people, they 
 left such as were killed on the deck, four in number, 
 where they fell. The bodies were flung overboard. 
 The startling cry of the mate so wrought upon the 
 badly wounded that they forgot their hurts for the 
 moment and plunged overboard with the others, 
 
WAITING FOR DA YLIGHT. 65 
 
 though, as we have stated, quite a number did not 
 survive. 
 
 It was certainly singular that any one of the Ind- 
 ians should have expected to find the white men off 
 their guard after the exciting events a short time 
 before, but the severe lesson given by the ranger 
 produced a wholesome effect. They were not likely 
 to repeat the experiment for some time to come. 
 
 Jo did not hold one position. He passed back 
 and forth over the deck, pausing here and there to 
 peer out into the gloom, while his anxiety to hear 
 the slightest noise caused him to speak in a whisper. 
 The bird-like calls from one shore to another left no 
 doubt that the hostiles were signaling to one an- 
 other, and the ranger knew that if the least invitation 
 were given the attack would be renewed in over- 
 whelming numbers. The crew was weak enough in 
 the first place, but it was now so much weaker that 
 hardly a moment's stand could be made against the 
 rush. It was the dread of the blowing up of the 
 schooner — that, and nothing else — which kept the 
 Ottawas and their friends at bay. 
 
 At the end of an hour, to the surprise of every 
 one, a slight breeze made itself felt. It was hardly 
 to be hoped that it would hold, but the mate 
 ordered the sails set, so that no possible advantage 
 should be lost. The anchor having been lifted, the 
 soft rippling at the bow showed that the schooner 
 
66 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 was actually moving in the direction of Fort 
 Detroit. 
 
 The progress, however, was very gentle, and the 
 breeze carried the craft less than a fourth of a mile 
 when it died away altogether. Still in the hope that 
 it might be renewed, Captain Jacobs — as he might 
 now be considered — allowed the sails to stand and 
 kept the anchor raised. Strange it was that even 
 such a veteran as Jo Spain did not suspect the peril 
 this was liable to bring upon them. ' 
 
 Surrounded by the deep gloom, with both shores 
 invisible, and no stars or moon in the sky, the cap- 
 tain and crew did not suspect, what was the fact, 
 that the schooner was drifting and actually losing 
 way. It was farther down stream than when the 
 anchor was hoisted. 
 
 The gravest of consequences might have followed 
 from this blunder, but for its detection through an 
 unexpected occurrence. It will be remembered that 
 there was a moon in the sky, though its light was 
 shut out by the mass of clouds which overspread 
 and filled the heavens, but by and by there came a 
 partial lightening. The gibbous orb showed for a 
 moment at the ragged opening between two ex- 
 panses of vapor, only to vanish immediately. 
 
 " Wal, I '11 be shot ! " exclaimed the ranger to 
 the captain; " drop the anchor, quick ! ** 
 
 The order was promptly given and obeyed. Then 
 
WAITING FOR DA YLIGHT. Wf 
 
 Jacobs asked the meaning of the hunter's excla- 
 mation. 
 
 ** There aint more 'n twenty yards atween us and 
 Fightin' Island ! •• 
 
 ** Great heavens ! " replied the captain; " I was 
 sure that if we were n't going forward, we were 
 holding our own ; it 's a bad place for us to be, and 
 I 'II let the sails stand, so if there comes a cat's-paw 
 we can use it. " 
 
 Just then the moon seemed to flirt some of the 
 obstructing clouds from before her face, and every 
 man saw that Jo had spoken the truth. There were 
 the deep gloomy trees, seemingly so close that one 
 could have tossed a biscuit among them. 
 
 ** The worst of this infernal business is, * ' added Jo, 
 ** that the varmints will find it out mighty sudden." 
 
 " They will not dare to board us." 
 
 ** There won't be any need of it; they '11 just 
 stand back among the trees and let drive as they get 
 the chance, and there '11 be plenty of chances." 
 
 It was a most uncomfortable situation, but the 
 sagacious ranger had the remedy to offer. It prob- 
 ably was the fact that their enemies were unaware 
 of the new peril of the schooner, but they would 
 not remain long in ignorance. If the Gladwyn were 
 there when the sun rose, some, if not all, of the 
 crew would be picked off. She must get nearer 
 the middle of the broad river if she would escape. 
 
63 PONTIAC, CHIEF CF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 Three of the crew stepped softly into the small 
 boat at the ste* n, which had not been harmed dur- 
 ing the conflict. There were three pairs of oars, 
 which they took in hand. Pointing the bow toward 
 the left shore, they rowed with might and main, 
 while the remainder stood with guns ready to 
 use the instant a sight was caught of any of the 
 Indians. 
 
 It will be remembered that the schooner was a 
 small one, and she speedily lelt the tugging at her 
 side. The heavy bow slowly swung out stream, 
 and she began moving at a snail's pace through the 
 water. 
 
 It was important that the mistake should not be 
 made of going too far, for there were no landmarks 
 to guide, and in their eagerness they might cross 
 over to the western bank. 
 
 " That 'II do," suddenly called Jo, in a guarded 
 voice; " hurry back, boys ! " 
 
 It seemed to Captain Jacobs that they had not 
 gone far enough, but he accepted the view of the 
 ranger, who pronounced their escape one of the most 
 remarkable he had known. 
 
 " We was a lot of fools that we did n't think of 
 it," he said, " but I make no doubt that we 're a 
 confounded nearer Fort Niagara, and consequently 
 farther from Detroit than we was when we had the 
 row with Pontiac and the rest of the varmints. Now 
 
WAITING FOR DAYLICHT, 69 
 
 when you let the anchor drop agin, we *11 'low it 
 stay there till sun up, no matter if a hurricane 
 knocks things stiff." 
 
 No one felt a disposition to sleep. Their experi- 
 ence had been too frightful, while the presence of 
 the two cold and motionless bodies and of the 
 wounded men was a forceful reminder of what had 
 taken place but a short time before and what, despite 
 the extraordinary escape of the rest, was possible 
 might occur again. 
 
 There had been a moment when all expected to 
 plunge into eternity together, but having survived, 
 the longing for life returned, though sooner than 
 surrender or submit to capture, the torch would be 
 applied to the magazine. At any rate, everything 
 depended upon unremitting vigilance, and that was 
 maintained through the long solemn hours which 
 intervened between the repulse and daylight. 
 
 Again the faint, far-away report of a gun came 
 through the arches of the forest, followed by the cry 
 of the night-hawk and the bark of the fox. The 
 occasional breaking of the clouds overhead gave fit- 
 ful glimpses of the smooth, silent river, and once 
 when the face of the moon was entirely clear, the 
 faint outline of the shore on the left loomed out of 
 the darkness, quickly to vanish again. 
 
 Strange that for hours not a sight or sound was 
 gained of the redmen who had raged so fiercely, 
 
JO PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 filling tke night with their wild cries and their fierce 
 endeavor to slay those that had never done them 
 harm. 
 
 " Jo," said the captain, calling the ranger to the 
 stem of the vessel, " there 's something the matter 
 with the rudder." 
 
 "How?" r-. 
 
 " It does n't move freely." 
 
 *' Some of the varmints clum up that way, and it 
 might be they knocked it askew." 
 
 " I hardly think that, but it 's near daylight, and 
 we shall soon find out what it means." 
 
 When the gray mist of morning began stealing 
 over forest and river, the two looked curiously down 
 from the stern of the vessel at the old-fashioned 
 steering apparatus which was moved by a long 
 curved tiller. 
 
 The upper part of the rudder projected slightly 
 above the surface of the water, and, balanced across 
 it, face downwards, with his head and shoulders on 
 one side and the lower part of his body and legs on 
 the other, was an Indian warrior that had long been 
 dead, lying just as he had fallen hours before. 
 
 The ranger stepped carefully down and turned the 
 face so that both could see the features. " Umph! 
 I thought so," he exclaimed. 
 
 It was all that was left of Red Feather, the Iro- 
 quois. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE ABSENT ONE. 
 
 BEFORE it was fairly light, the wind sprang up 
 anew, the anchor was hoisted and, the sails 
 of the schooner, catching the impulse, carried the 
 vessel up the river toward the fort of Detroit. In a 
 short time Fighting Island was left to the south, 
 and the open stream lay before them all the way to 
 the post and to Lake St. Clair beyond. i 
 
 Now that the Gladwyn had escaped from the over- 
 whelming attack, there was well-grounded fear that 
 it would be annoyed in an equally treacherous man- 
 ner. With that dread of the blowing up of the ves- 
 sel in the last emergency, it was not believed that 
 the assault would be repeated, for since the defenders 
 could detect any approach before the hostiies were 
 within striking distance, thus enabling them to use 
 the small cannon and their comparatively numerous 
 rifles several times before coming to close quarters, 
 the Indians would shrink from the risk, leaving out 
 of consideration the other fear of being involved in 
 the blowing up of the craft. 
 
 Accordingly, Jo Spain instructed the crew to keep 
 
 71 
 
^2 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 as much out of sight as possible. That the advice 
 was wise was proved more than once, when shots 
 were fired from both shores, the bullets whistling 
 startlingly close. The ranger, who was on the 
 watch, caught sight of a Wyandot, more reckless 
 than his companions, who stood out in full view on 
 a small clearing, and deliberately pointed his gun at 
 Jo, who was just as prominent on the deck of the 
 schooner. But the white man was more prompt in 
 sighting and pulling trigger. As a consequence, the 
 warrior's bullet went wild, and since that of the 
 ranger sped true, o more need be added. r . 
 
 A few miles above Fighting Island, the schooner 
 came in sight of the French houses which lined the 
 eastern bank of the river from a mile below the fort 
 to almost the same distance above, Detroit standing 
 on the opposite or western shore. About half-way 
 between the upper and lower ends of the fringe of 
 French cabins and directly back of them, was the 
 camp of the Wyandots. Farther north and above a 
 point opposite the post and also back of the cabins 
 was the camp of the Ottawas, while that of the Pot- 
 tawatomies was on the western shore, just below 
 Detroit. 
 
 •' We '11 catch it from both sides," remarked Jo 
 Spain, as they approached the last-named camp, 
 *' and we must lay low." 
 
 It was well that all hands followed his advice. 
 
 
 
THE ABSENT ONE. 73 
 
 The schooner was near mid-channel, going smoothly 
 forward, when fully a hundred warriors, dancing 
 about and furiously shrieking, opened a rattling fire, 
 which was kept up until the vessel passed beyond 
 range. The bullets pattered against the hull, the 
 masts, and the cabin and elevated portions of the 
 vessel, cut through the sails, and skipped and pat- 
 tered in the water beyond. The precaution of the 
 men saved them from harm. 
 
 Only a short distance above and on the other 
 shore was the village of the Wyandots, where the 
 performance was repeated. Captain Jacobs set the 
 rudder, and the remainder of the crew made sure 
 they were protected, so that good fortune again 
 attended them. Then the schooner swung over 
 toward the western bank, and came to anchor under 
 the protection of the guns of the fort. 
 
 The arrival of the vessel was an event in the his- 
 tory of the siege of Detroit. In the sultry stillness 
 of the preceding night, the reports of the guns down 
 the river had been plainly heard, and Major Glad- 
 wyn and his garrison hardly dared to hope that any 
 of the crew had escaped. Their fears became 
 despair, when one of the French residents, most of 
 whom were secretly friendly to the Americans, came 
 over about daybreak with word that a Wyandot run- 
 ner had just told him that the schooner had been 
 captured and all on board slain. And here was the 
 
PI PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 vessel herself. True, she brought two dead and four 
 seriously wounded, but that was better than was 
 expected. Besides, the supply of powder was most 
 welcome, for the ammunition was already running 
 low, because of the vigorous defence required by the 
 incessant attacks of Pontiac and his men. The dead 
 were tenderly buried, and the injured attended with 
 such care that after a time all fully recovered from 
 their grievous wounds. 
 
 Jo Spain was the brother of Mrs. Peggy Norris, 
 the mother of Asher, and she and her husband gave 
 the brave ranger joyous welcome. It was because 
 of these connections that Jo, when he accompanied 
 Major Rogers westward to receive the surrender of 
 Detroit, remained at the post, instead of returning 
 eastward with that famous Indian fighter. < 
 
 A gentler and warmer welcome awaited the son at 
 the hands of his parents. Some faint idea, perhaps, 
 may be formed of the anguish of the father arid 
 mother when they heard the sounds of firing during 
 the impressive stillness of the night, and, while not 
 certain, they still had reason to believe that their 
 only child was on board the imperiled schooner. 
 And here, too, he was, with his sturdy arms around 
 the neck of each in turn, and without so much as a 
 scratch to tell of the frightful ordeal through which 
 he had passed. 
 
 Several weeks had passed since the departure of 
 
THE ABSENT ONE. 75 
 
 the son, and as he looked around the palisaded 
 inclosure very few and slight changes caught his eye. 
 The little wooden houses were arranged with no 
 regard to symmetry or appearance, and a conflagra- 
 tion once started among them would lay all in ashes. 
 But the sentinels were alert, the cannon were kept 
 fully charged, and whenever a hostile stole up within 
 range the chances were that he would be riddled be- 
 fore he could get away. A number of outbuildings, 
 which gave the assailants good shelter, and from 
 which they kept up for a time an annoying fire, had 
 been set in flames by red-hot shot, and destroyed. 
 All appearances promised that if the garrison could 
 maintain a supply of food and ammunition they 
 would be able to hold Pontiac at bay for an indefl- 
 rtitetime. 
 
 It may be noted here as an interesting fact that 
 the French settlers on the eastern shore of the 
 Detroit river gave valuable aid to the beleaguered 
 garrison. This, of necessity, was secret, for Pontiac 
 would have visited ferocious punishment upon them 
 had the knowledge come to him. Just before the 
 chieftain made his famous visit to Major Gladwyn, 
 at which he intended to massacre that officer and 
 all the garrison, a number of warriors went to the 
 French blacksmith and had their gun barrels filed 
 off, so as to permit of their being hidden under 
 their blankets. The blacksmith did not know the 
 
^ PONTlAC, CHIEF OP THE OTTaWAS. 
 
 significance of the curious request made of him, but 
 seeing something suspicious in it, sent word of the 
 occurrence to Major Gladwyn. That, and the warn- 
 ing of Catherine, the Ojibwa girl, saved Detroit 
 from being wiped from the face of the earth. 
 
 It finally became too dangerous for the French 
 settlers to send anything to the garrison. The 
 sagacious Pontiac may have been suspicious, for he 
 passed through the settlement with a keener eye than 
 usual. Besides, as the siege progressed, he needed, 
 supplies for his own warriors, and procured many of 
 them from the French people. A singular fact was 
 connected with this incident. The Ottawa chieftain 
 in all cases where he took such supplies, gave his ^ 
 promissory notes in payment. These were scratched 
 upon bark, and were probably the first dealings of 
 that nature in which an American Indian took part. ■ 
 Nor must we omit to state that every one of the 
 notes was afterward redeemed in full by their maker. 
 
 When the flurry following the arrival of th^ 
 schooner had subsided and Asher Norris had ex- 
 changed greetings with most of his acquaintances, 
 he strolled through the palisaded inclosure, as if he 
 had no other object in mind than to while away time 
 and to note the changes which, as we have said, 
 were of trifling character. Such, we repeat, seemed 
 to be his purpose, but in truth his errand was a defi- 
 nite one. 
 
THE ABSENT ONE. f§ 
 
 Near the southeast bastion was the home of Hugh 
 Linwood, his wife and daughter, Madge, the last 
 nearly two years younger than Asher. The couple 
 were so young that the parents of neither sus- 
 pected the tender feeling that was budding into life 
 on the part of each. It may be doubted whether 
 Asher or Madge suspected it. Asher only knew 
 that the hazel eyes, the ruddy cheeks, the elastic 
 figure, whose beautiful outlines could not be hidden 
 by the dress of homespun, the wealth of black hair, 
 the flashing teeth, and the sweet, winsome disposi- 
 tion, were never, he was confident, repeated any- 
 where else in this world, nor if repeated in the 
 future, could they ever hold quite the charm for him 
 that they did when they glowed in the face, form, 
 and disposition of Madge Linwood. 
 
 And as for Madge's views, why, no one could 
 deny that Asher was the handsomest, most manly, 
 the bravest and best youth in Fort Detroit — aye, 
 among all the frontier posts and the settlements. 
 She had declared it herself (with blushes and tremu- 
 lous eyes), and not one had ever dared to say her 
 nay, for to do so would have been to utter a dread- 
 ful untruth — too dreadful, indeed, for any human 
 being to brave its utterance. 
 
 And so it was that in the most natural manner in 
 the world Asher Norris's footsteps halted in front of 
 Hugh Linwood 's cabin. The latchstring was hang- 
 
PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 ing out, and, giving it a gentle twitch, the ponderous 
 door swung inward, and he stepped across the thres- 
 hold with a pleasant greeting to husband and wife. 
 Hugh's turn to go on guard would not come for two 
 or three hours. He was sitting in his heavy chair, 
 smoking his pipe and looking rather gloomily into 
 the wood fire burning on the hearth, while his wife 
 was busy with her household duties. 
 
 The couple looked around as the sunlight streamed 
 over the shoulders and head of the athletic youth, 
 whose face brought still more genial and welcome 
 sunshine into the homely room. Husband and wife 
 had witnessed the arrival of the schooner, but, not 
 knowing that Asher was on board, had returned to 
 their home without staying to welcome the sur- 
 vivors. 
 
 Shaking hands with the two, Asher sat down and 
 soon made them acquainted with his stirring experi- 
 ence of the night before. They listened with close 
 attention and deep interest, but through it all Asher 
 plainly saw that the couple were oppressed by some 
 trouble of their own. That, and the fact that 
 Madge was not in sight, sent a chill of apprehension 
 through him. 
 
 Nothing would have been more natural than that 
 she should be absent for the moment with some 
 of the neighbors, for Madge was a favorite every- 
 where, and in case of illness or trouble she was a 
 
THE ABSENT ONE, 79 
 
 ministering angel. Asher had hardly completed his 
 narrative when he looked sharply about the room 
 and asked : 
 
 " Where 's Madge ? " 
 
 His alarm intensified when both of the parents 
 sighed and the mother shook her head with a sup- 
 pressed moan. The father slowly puffed at his pipe 
 and stared into the glowing embers, as if his sorrow' 
 was too deep for utterance. Asher wheeled about 
 in his chair, and, swallowing a lump in his throat, 
 and with a white, scared face, asked in a husky 
 voice : 
 
 •• Is she dead?" 
 
 *' No, no, no," answered her father, " but what a 
 fool I have been ; what a fool her mother was ! Oh, 
 why were we so blind ? Woe is me ! Woe is 
 me ! " 
 
 He swayed his head, which sank low on his breast 
 and sighed as if his heart was breaking. 
 
 * ' But do you not mean to tell me ? Let me hear 
 the worst ! ' ' demanded the youth with tempestuous 
 impatience. 
 
 It seemed to strike the father just then that the 
 request of their visitor was reasonable. 
 
 " You know Pierre Muire, who lives on the other 
 side of the river, with his old mother, where in truth 
 they have lived ever since Pierre was born ? " 
 Yes; I have known Pierre for years." 
 
 «i 
 
80 PONT! AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 *' You know how much his feeble old mother loved 
 Madge ?" 
 
 " Of course; every one loves her. I have some- 
 times thought that Pierre loved her more than he 
 had a right to." 
 
 The parents might have noticed this declaration, 
 prompted as it was by a curious jealousy, had it 
 been uttered at any other time, but it made no im- 
 pression upon them now. 
 
 " Well, Pierre came over and said he was afraid 
 his mother was dying. She asked as a last favor 
 that Madge might go and see her. Madge was filled 
 with sorrow, for she tenderly loved the old lady, 
 and, yielding to her entreaties, we allowed her to go 
 back with Pierre." 
 
 " When was that ? " 
 
 " Two nights ago." 
 
 " Where is she now ? " 
 
 " God only knows," was the heart-broken reply. 
 
"WHERE IS SHE NOW?" 
 
 Page 80. 
 

 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 MISSING. 
 
 SUPPRESSING, so far as he could, his alarm 
 and impatience, Asher Norris pressed the 
 parents of Madge Linwood for further particulars 
 of her absence. They were not many and wf.e 
 speedily given. 
 
 Enough has been told to give the reader a fair 
 idea of the peculiar situation of the several hundred 
 French residents, whose cabins lined the other side 
 of the Detroit river for a mile or more up and down 
 stream. Since Pontiac was making war upon the 
 Americans (or English, as they were termed at the 
 time), who were the conquerors of the French, the lat- 
 ter were looked upon as friends by the hostile redmen. 
 
 The French Canadians endeavored on their part 
 to maintain the position of neutrality, and it may be 
 said that they succeeded to a great extent in doing 
 so. Naturally the sympathy of the majority was 
 with those of their own race, even though the two 
 nations were rivals, and it has been shown that when 
 it was safe to carry important information or food 
 to the fort, the Frenchmen were not lacking to do it. 
 
 8i 
 
82 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 It must be confessed, however, that among the 
 settlers were a number who held so consuming a 
 hatred of their masters that they eagerly helped the 
 cruel Ottawa leader. As an illustration, when Major 
 Dalzell set out some weeks before to attack Ponti- 
 ac's camp, that chieftain was warned by some of the 
 French of the intended blow. Thus apprised, he 
 made his preparations so complete that he inflicted 
 the most shocking massacre of the siege upon that 
 brave body of men. 
 
 Until the surrender of Detroit the French (also 
 known as Canadians) and few American settlers were 
 on the best of terms. They visited back and forth 
 and intermarriages took place. Madge Linwood 
 was fond of paddling across the river in her small 
 canoe and spending days and nights with her friends 
 on the other shore. Among those to whom she 
 became deeply attached was the aged Mrs. Muire, 
 who had been a widow and an invalid for several 
 years, and whose son was considerably older than 
 Asher Norris. 
 
 The siege naturally changed all this. It was peril- 
 ous for any American or Englishman to appear 
 among the French settlements, for he was liable to 
 be discovered by the hostiles, who would show him 
 scant mercy. The risk was less for a Frenchman to 
 visit Detroit, for no one there would harm him, but 
 Major Gladwyn could not make such callers wel- 
 
MISSING. 83 
 
 come. It was impossible to forget the lesson of 
 Bloody Ridge, and he was always suspicious of these 
 persons, no matter how friendly they had been in 
 the past. It cannot be denied that he had good 
 ground in many instances for his misgivings. 
 
 Among the very few whom he fully trusted was 
 Pierre Muire. That young man had helped to bring 
 food to the garrison, and crossed the river one night 
 in a blinding storm, to warn the commandant of 
 Pontiac's intention of destroying both schooners by 
 means of fire rafts. 
 
 Curious as it may seem, the faith of Pontiac in 
 the young man seemed equally complete as that of 
 Major Gladwyn. This was proof of the mental 
 acuteness of the young Frenchman. Appalling 
 would be the punishment of the Ottawa leader 
 should he learn the truth, while the opportunity to 
 administer such punishment was within reach. Such 
 was the situation when Pierre Muire paddled across 
 the river, being unhesitatingly admitted within the 
 palisades, made his way to the cabin of Hugh Lin- 
 wood, with the statement that his mother was at the 
 point of death, and her last wish was that she might 
 feel the cool, gentle pressure of Madge's hand upon 
 I her brow and the touch of her sweet lips before she 
 
 passed away. 
 
 The request was so pathetic that the parents were 
 hardly less touched than their child, but in their 
 
84 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 sympathy the father did not lose sight of prudence 
 to the complete extent that his lamentations to 
 Asher Norris implied. He took his visitor aside 
 and asked him whether it w^as safe for Madge to go 
 back with him. She had not been across the river 
 since the siege began. She was known not only to 
 Pontiac himself, but to many of his warriors, and it 
 would be characteristic of the race to strike her 
 father through his child. 
 
 Pierre Muire seemed to be honest when he replied 
 th«at nothing would induce him knowingly to take 
 Madge into danger. He was the friend of Pontiac, 
 or rather Pontiac looked upon him as such, and no 
 one would dare harm him, or a hair of the head of 
 any of his friends. 
 
 So it came about that just as it was growing dusk, 
 Madge entered the canoe of Pierre, who, swinging 
 the paddle like an Indian, sent the light craft skim- 
 ming swiftly toward the eastern bank. He had 
 promised that, no matter what the condition of his 
 aged parent was, he would return with Madge on 
 the following night, at about the same hour that he 
 had left the post. While he believed it was safe for 
 him to do this when the sun was shining, he made 
 use of the darkness as an additional precaution. 
 
 The second night had come and gone, and noth- 
 ing was seen or a whisper heard of Madge or him 
 who took her away. 
 
 * 
 
MISSING. 8$ 
 
 With the passing of every hour the misgiving and 
 grief of the couple increased, until they were in the 
 depth of anguish, when Asher Norris called and 
 learned the truth from them. 
 
 Hugh Linwood berated himself and wife, and she 
 did the same in a less degree, because they had con- 
 sented to the foolhardy proposal. Asher, in his own 
 mind, was equally severe in condemning them, but 
 regrets and remorse could do no good. They must 
 do something, or give up and helplessly await the 
 issue of events. 
 
 The intolerable feature in the whole thing was 
 
 that it looked as if nothing could be accomplished 
 
 to solve the mystery or to help Madge. The most 
 
 hopeful view w?,s that, after she had reached the 
 
 Muire home, and was ready to return, Pierre had 
 
 found it more dangerous than he suspected, and was 
 
 waiting for a better opportunity. They hoped that 
 
 he would present himself on the coming night. If 
 
 he failed to do so, utter despair would overwhelm 
 them. 
 
 Asher Norris did not dare tell all the thoughts 
 that surged through his brain, for to do so would 
 only add to the anguish of the stricken parents. 
 Possibly, after all, he was wrong. One terrible 
 thought was this : 
 
 " I don't believe that old Mrs. Muire is ill, or at 
 any rate any more so than she has been for years. 
 
86 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 Pierre has long been in love with Madge. She 
 does n't suspect it, nor does any one else beside 
 Pierre except myself. I have noticed his eyes when 
 he looked ready to devour her. He has seen that 
 she is fond of me, and has made up his mind that if 
 he does n't get her away pretty soon he will never 
 be able to do so. 
 
 " So he formed his plan. He intends to take her 
 over to his home, as he has done, and keep her there 
 under the plea that there 's too much risk to attempt 
 to bring her back for a good while to come. Or 
 
 ** He started last night, according to promise, and 
 has fallen into the hands of the Indians, with all 
 that that implies." 
 
 But there lay the trouble, for the fact might imply 
 one of several things. It might be that by some 
 means Pontiac had learned that Pierre was a spy 
 against him and had seized and put him to death. 
 
 It might be that Pierre was really a spy for Pon- 
 tiac, and was a subtle foe of the garrison (somehow 
 or other this theory struck Asher Norris as the most 
 probable), and that the betrayal of Madge was part 
 of a deep-laid scheme for placing her in such peril 
 that she would give any pledge the Frenchman asked 
 for the sake of life and liberty. 
 
 It might be that there was even more behind all 
 this, which as yet Asher did not grasp; but he could 
 not shut out the belief that whatever the issue of the 
 
MISSING. 87 
 
 dreadful business, the treachery and guilt of Pierre 
 Muire would be established. 
 
 But speculation might go on for hours, with no 
 certainty of the truth being reached. The one great 
 question was. What, if anything, could be done to 
 help the absent one ? Only one reasonable scheme 
 presented itself. 
 
 Jo Spain, the ranger, spoke French like a native. 
 He might visit the settlement in the character of a 
 Frenchman, and learn the truth. There would be 
 considerable risk, for he would be recognized by 
 many of the people who knew him well, not to men- 
 tion Pontiac and a number of warriors. If Pierre 
 Muire should prove a true friend he would give the 
 ranger shelter ; but if an enemy, there would be a 
 speedy end to the adventurous career of the scout. 
 
 " I have been figuring ever since morning," said 
 Hugh Linwood, after Asher had made known his 
 plan of intrusting the work to Jo Spain, " what it 
 was I could do to help Madge. It *s hard to restrain 
 myself from jumping into one of the boats and pad- 
 dling across the river to Muire's house." 
 
 ' ' And you could do nothing worse ; you are known 
 to every one there as a member of the garrison, and 
 your life would n't be worth a minute's purchase. ' ' 
 
 " I suppose so, and it is the same with you." 
 
 Unconsciously the parent touched a sensitive 
 chord, for in and out of the thoughts of Asher Nor- 
 
88 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 ris ran the question whether it was not possible for 
 him to strike a blow for the one who seemed to 
 become tenfold dearer now that she was lost. It 
 would be folly for him to try to figure out that there 
 was hope for him and none for the elder man. All 
 the same, however, he disliked to be reminded thus 
 forcibly of the truth. 
 
 " Jo won't hesitate, when the situation is told to 
 him," said Asher. " Do my father and mother 
 know anything about it ? " 
 
 " They have learned nothing from me." 
 
 " It 's as well; Jo can't make any move before 
 night, and I suppose he will want to meet lots of his 
 friends before he goes. 
 
 Asher saw that neither of the parents suspected 
 Pierre Muire of any wrong intention, and he was 
 wise in deciding not to raise any doubt in their 
 minds, for it could do no good and would only add 
 to their anguish. It would be time enough for 
 them to know the truth when it could not be hidden 
 any longer. 
 
 When it came time for Linwood to resume mili- 
 tary duty, Asher accompanied him from his house, 
 while the wife went to visit a sympathizing neighbor. 
 
 Captain Jacobs had made bis report to Major 
 Gladwyn, and the powder and few supplies were 
 stowed away beyond the reach of the hostiles clam- 
 oring for the lives of the defiant garrison. Sorrow- 
 
Missmc. 89 
 
 ing over the deaths of Captain Horst and one of the 
 crew, there was rejoicing because of the decisive 
 repulse of the assailants and the heavy loss inflicted 
 upon them. 
 
 Just as Asher Norris reached his own threshold, 
 he received word that Major Gladwyn wished to see 
 him. The youth lost no time in repairing to the 
 quarters of the commandant, wondering what the 
 business could be. 
 
 The officer merely wished to hear Asher's account 
 of his visit to Fighting Island during the previous 
 evening. 
 
 " Spain has told me what he discovered on the 
 western shore and given me your account of what 
 you observed on the eastern bank, which happened 
 to be an island, but to make sure there is no mistake 
 I will be obliged if I can hear it from your lips." 
 
 The young man told the story with which the 
 reader has long since become familiar, the officer 
 listening with close attention. 
 
 " What strikes me as curious, is that all the Ind- 
 ians seen by you and Spain were less than a quarter 
 of those that attacked the schooner. ' ' 
 
 " I should say hardly one-sixth." 
 
 " And yet you saw and recognized Pontiac 
 haranguing his warriors. You would suppose that 
 he would have had all who were on that side of the 
 river gathered round him. ' ' 
 
/ 
 
 ,/ 
 
 90 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 " I was sure of it at the time, but was mistaken." 
 
 " And the Iroquois, whom you were foolish 
 enough to set ashore, were among the fiercest of 
 your assailants. It might have been expected. I 
 hope Spain will bring back some more valuable in- 
 formation." 
 
 " Has he left the post ?" 
 
 " He left about an hour ago." 
 
 " How long will he be gone ? " 
 
 * Not even he can say, but it will be for several 
 days— perhaps for a week and possibly longer, for 
 his errand is a very important one." 
 
 t \ I '>■■ ; 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE KNIGHT TO THE RESCUE. 
 
 IT was with strange emotions that Asher Norris 
 * heard from Major Gladwyn the announcement 
 that Jo Spain, the ranger, had left the post to 
 be gone for a number of days. His feelings were 
 not wholly of disappointment, for until then he had 
 forced himself to believe that he was to bear no 
 hand in the rescue of Madge Linwood— a belief 
 which the reader will understand was a torturing one 
 to him. 
 
 "Heaven intends that the work shall be done by 
 me," was his reflection, and despite the almost hope- 
 less prospect, he experienced a curious revival of 
 spirits at the certainty that he was not to remain 
 idle while she was in such imminent peril. 
 
 " I shall not sleep day or night until she is with 
 her friends again." 
 
 All this we say was commendable and natural, but 
 with " sober second thought," his enthusiasm suf- 
 fered a dampening. It is easy for any person to 
 form a resolution, but it is altogether another thing 
 to carry it out. Having formed the determination, 
 
 9» 
 
g9^^ PONT/AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 i^ however, he meant that nothing should interfere 
 with it. 
 
 He expected the first real trouble would be the 
 opposition of his parents, but to his surprise and 
 gratification, both father and mother commended 
 his decision. 
 
 " It is a pity that Jo is gone beyond recall," said 
 his father, ** but it would be a still greater pity to 
 leave Madge, ^vithout a person at the fort to raise 
 his hand in her behalf. Go, my boy, and the bless- 
 ing of God go with you." 
 
 He was sure of a similar Godspeed from the 
 parents of Madge, but there again he was disap- 
 pointed. While praising his chivalry, the couple 
 pronounced it worse than hopeless, insisting that 
 Asher would simply place himself in the greatest 
 danger without being able to help, in the slightest 
 degree, t a missing one. The young man would 
 not allow their despair to affect his resolution, but 
 he agreed to wait until the night was well on before 
 leaving the post. If Pierre Muire came back with 
 Madge, he would be due shortly after dark. 
 
 Asher restrained his impatience until an hour after 
 the time set, when he bade his friends good-by and 
 hurriedly left the post, to enter upon the most 
 remarkable experience of his life. 
 
 None knew better than he the location of Pierre 
 Muire's home. It will be borne in mind that the 
 
THE KNIGHT TO THE RESCUE, 93 
 
 long, thin line of French cabins extended along the 
 eastern or opposite side of the river, from a point 
 considerably above the fort to a point still farther 
 down stream. Pierre lived near the upper end of 
 the settlement, close to the Ottawa camp, directly 
 behind it. Since Pontiac spent most of his time 
 with his tribe, the youth would be compelled to 
 approach close to his headquarters, and would run 
 much risk of being seen and recognized by some of 
 the warj.ors, if not by the terrible chieftain himself. 
 
 Instead of crossing the river directly from the 
 fort, Norris entered his small canoe, which he was 
 able to handle with the skill of an Ottawa or Ojib- 
 wa, and worked his way up the western bank, keep- 
 ing close to the overhanging undergrowth, where, if 
 hard pressed, he could leap to land and take advan- 
 tage of the secure hiding offered. At the distance 
 of barely a fourth of a mile was a small island lying 
 near the eastern bank. By landing just below this 
 island he would be almost among the settlers and 
 within a stone's throw of the home of Pierre Muire. 
 
 It will be perceived that his purpose was to take 
 up the search for Madge at the house which was 
 her destination Tf she were not still there, some of 
 the neighbors would be able to give him the informa- 
 tion necessary to push his search. He hoped, but 
 hardly believed, that he would find the missing one 
 in the cabin. With his judgment warped by jeaU 
 
94 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 ousy, he partly suspected that Pierre had persuaded 
 Madge to overstay her time. It might be that his 
 mother was so critically ill that the sympathetic girl 
 was induced to remain longer with her, though to 
 the ardent rescuer the conduct of Pierre Muire was 
 beyond excuse or palliation. 
 
 In a short time the point was reached where 
 Asher intended to turn the bow of his boat out into 
 the channel and paddle for the eastern bank. When 
 ready to make the start he held the frail craft mo- 
 tionless, and with suspended paddle listened and 
 peered around him into the all-enveloping gloom. 
 
 The night was similar in several respects to the 
 preceding one. It was close and sultry, with masses 
 of clouds drifting across the sky and partly shading 
 the rays of the moon, though not to the same 
 extent as before. This rendered the light treacher- 
 ous and uncertain. At times his keen vision was 
 able to penetrate for fifty yards over the still water, 
 and then, a few minutes later, he could see little 
 more than the length of his canoe. 
 
 Looking across the river the lights in the cabins 
 of the French settlers twinkled like stars low in the 
 horizon, but it was blank darkness everywhere else. 
 The palisades at Detroit were shut out by the inter- 
 vening vegetation, and all seemed as gloomy, de- 
 serted, and silent as the tomb; nevertheless those 
 sentinels had learned through the past months by 
 
THE KNIGHT TO THE RESCUE. 95 
 
 dear experience the need of vigilance. The dusky 
 scout could not steal up to the palisades to do harm 
 without detection, and darkness offered no safer 
 opportunity for attack than when the sun was at 
 meridian. 
 
 The sounds that reached his ears served but to 
 render the stillness more oppressive. The cry of the 
 nighthawk, the whirr of a bird's wings as it shot 
 past his boat, so near that he could have struck it 
 with his paddle, the cry of the fox and wolf, the call 
 of some man on the other bank to his neighbor, the 
 soft murmur of the river, as it flowed onward on its 
 long journey to the sea, the ripple of the current 
 around a projecting root or dipping limb — all these 
 were familiar, but this time they seemed a part of 
 the " voice of silence " itself. 
 
 Asher was poised thus, with paddle balanced in 
 his two strong hands, when a shiver suddenly passed 
 through him, for barely ten feet distant, close to 
 the bank behind him, sounded a loud splash, as if a 
 man had plunged into the water and was swimming 
 swiftly toward him. Like a flash Asher laid his 
 padd'e in the canoe and caught up his rifle. 
 
 The noise in the water showed that, whatever 
 it was that had made the plunge, it was coming 
 straight toward the canoe. Fortunately, before the 
 brief distance was passed the moon came out from 
 behind the obscuring clouds and revealed that, in- 
 
96 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 stead of a man, it was a huge bear that had set out 
 to swim across the river. 
 
 Since the canoe was directly in the brute's course, 
 and he showed no disposition to turn out for it, 
 Norris dropped his gun and took up his paddle 
 again. One sweep was sufficient to send the craft 
 several yards down stream, when he checked its 
 progress and gave his attention once more to the 
 bear. 
 
 C >nously enough, the latter also changed his 
 course, and headed for the canoe and man, as if 
 anxious to make a closer acquaintance. It would 
 have been easy for the youth to send a bullet 
 through his brain, or by using his paddle, keep be- 
 yond reach of the clumsy animal. But he did 
 neither. Waiting until he was almost at his side, 
 and ready to thrust one of his enormous paws upon 
 the gunwale of the canoe and overturn it, Norris 
 raised the paddle aloft and brought down the end 
 with a resounding whack upon the head of the bear. 
 
 The latter must have been astonished. With a 
 whiffing snort he swung round in the water, and 
 instead of continuing across the river, made all haste 
 to return to the shore which he had left but a few 
 minutes before. Norris heard him climb up the 
 steep bank and shake his shaggy coat, after which 
 he crashed off through the undergrowth. 
 
 Asher's reluctance to using his gun was the fear 
 
THE KNIGHT TO THE RESCUE, 97 
 
 that the brute was fleeing from some pursuer that 
 was close upon him. The report, beside directing 
 attention to himself, would leave the youth unpre- 
 pared against the attack likely to follow ; but the 
 return of the bear to the point whence he came 
 showed that he had not been escaping from an 
 enemy, since the blow from the paddle would not 
 have been likely so to obfuscate his soggy brain as 
 to cause him to forget that important fact. 
 
 In obedience, however, to that habit of caution, 
 most of vhich had been taught him by his uncle, 
 Asher propelled the canoe a little farther up stream, 
 when he again held it motionless, while he listened 
 and looked around for other evidence of danger. 
 
 None appeared, and he yielded to the feeling of 
 impatience, which had hardly been absent since 
 leaving the post. Silently but swiftly he drove the 
 boat across the river, heading slightly upward, so as 
 to allow for the current. The twinkling lights on 
 the other shore furnished guidance, but he would 
 have found no difficulty had they been absent, since 
 the dim light of the moon was suflficient to show 
 him the way that had been familiar for many years. 
 
 But, as he neared the eastern bank, he slackened 
 his speed, for every stroke took him closer to 
 danger. It would not be strange if some of the 
 Ottawas were passing in and out of the settlement, 
 and possibly Pontiac himself was at the very spot 
 
98 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 he had selected for a landing place. In obedience 
 to an increasing misgiving, Norris headed up 
 stream, intending to land at the upper extremity of 
 the settlement. 
 
 It was at this critical juncture that the listening 
 ear caught the sound of paddles in the water. The 
 fact that he was able to hear them proved that who- 
 ever occupied the boat was moving carelessly, as if 
 there was no cause for fear. Some one had left the 
 shore near the place which he had selected for land- 
 ing, and, judging from the sounds, was making for 
 the western bank. 
 
 Thus far the young man had learned from his 
 sense of hearing only. The other boat was above 
 him, and farther out in the stream. It had several 
 occupants, as was shown by the noise of the pad- 
 dles. Suddenly two tiny points of light appeared, 
 and, at the same moment, he caught the smell of 
 burning tobacco. Two of the men in the boat were 
 smoking — another proof of their belief that there 
 was no cause for alarm. 
 
 These men might be Canadians, or they might be 
 Indians. The only safe course was to accept them 
 as enemies, and Asher Norris did a thing which Jo 
 Spain would have complimented had he witnessed 
 it. Glancing up at the sky, he saw that at that 
 moment the moon was emerging from a straggling 
 mass of vapor. Already its reflection on the water 
 
THE KNIGHT TO THE RESCUE, 99 
 
 was increasing. A few seconds more and he was 
 certain to be detected. With one silent sweep of 
 the paddle he caused the canoe to dart like a swallow 
 under into the ribbon of shadow which followed 
 the windings of the shore. 
 
 This screened him from view while it revealed the 
 larger boat jo distinctly that he saw that it contained 
 four persons, three of whom were swinging and 
 swaying their paddles in true Indian fashion. It 
 was the two at the rear that were smoking, but the 
 obscurity prevented his distinguishing whether they 
 were red or white men. 
 
 Again the sense of hearing came to his relief. 
 One of the occupants spoke and another replied. 
 The guttural grunt in each case removed the last 
 doubt. The four were Indians. 
 
 While so near the eastern bank, where there was 
 no cause for fear, it was not strange that two of 
 these warriors indulged their taste for smoking, that 
 three used their paddles carelessly, and that they 
 did not hesitate to speak in their natural tones. 
 But before the canoe sighted the western bank 
 those pipes would be extinguished, the paddles 
 would sway back and forth with the noiselessness 
 of the seafowl fanning the thin air miles above the 
 earth, and not a sound would come from the dusky 
 lips. Where they were going and what was their 
 errand was more than Asher Norris could conjecture, 
 
lOO PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 and he did not make the effort. He had enough on 
 his hands without giving thought to that. He com- 
 prehended one thing : he had met with an exceed- 
 ingly narrow escape, for had he been seen the 
 others beyond a doubt would have called him to 
 account. 
 
 But Norris was now at the end of his voyage. He 
 groped his way along the bank for a few rods, listen- 
 ing and using his eyes as best he could, until he felt 
 it useless to go farther. So he turned the prow 
 of his canoe abruptly to the right, and drove the 
 nose hard against the bank. Then stepping lightly 
 forth, he drew it so far out of the water that 
 there was no danger of its being carried away by 
 the current. 
 
 At last he had reached the settlement, and was 
 within a few rods of the home of Pierre Muire. 
 
 i,rt 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 FRIEND OR FOE? 
 
 THE time had passed for caution. To crouch 
 or endeavor to steal forward without attracting 
 notice was the surest way to attract it. Asher 
 Norris must conduct himself as if among friends. 
 
 There was nothing in the nature of a street to dis- 
 tinguish the French settlement that stretched along 
 the eastern bank of Detroit river and contained 
 several hundred people. All the cabins faced the 
 water. There was the blacksmith shop, the trader's 
 store, a small Catholic chapel, and other structures 
 at varying distances apart. Most of the houses were 
 surrounded by patches of crudely tilled ground, 
 while here and there a couple of buildings almost 
 touched each other. Numerous canoes resting 
 against the bank showed how accustomed the inhab- 
 itants were to the water, from which they drew an 
 important source of supply, though most of the men 
 were voyageurs, trappers, and hunters, who were 
 absent from home in the far-away forests for weeks 
 and months at a time. 
 
 They lived in the primitive fashion of the early 
 
 xoi 
 
102 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 pioneers, skins and furs forming the principal part 
 of their garments, though with some there was a 
 pretence to linen and woollen goods. Many of 
 the cabins contained spinning-wheels, and there 
 were numerous cattle, fowl, and domestic animals. 
 Although in still earlier days oiled paper served for 
 window-panes, there was no lack of glass at this 
 French settlement, but the fire which burned on the 
 hearth at night, even during the warm weather, gave 
 the only illumination of the interior. 
 
 Because of the sultriness of the weather, most of 
 the front doors were open, so that the light was 
 thrown in front of the dwellings and across the 
 winding path which led in front of them, and which 
 Asher Norris was now following. 
 
 He was not the only one moving about. The 
 hour was so late that most of the children were in 
 bed, and the dogs, of which there were plenty, paid 
 no heed to him. Since he was dressed like the 
 Canadians and conducted himself like them, it is 
 probable that in the obscurity the canines took him 
 for a friend. 
 
 Sauntering forward seemingly in an indifferent 
 manner, the visitor was on the alert and allowed 
 nothing to escape his vision. He had but a few 
 paces to go when he arrived opposite the Muire 
 home. As he did so, he stopped short, with an 
 involuntary exclamation. It was as dark as the 
 
FRIEND OR FOEt IO3 
 
 tomb. He caught the murmur of voices from with- 
 in, though the sound was heard only at slight inter- 
 vals, as if people were holding partial converse. 
 
 While he stood in perplexity he heard a footstep 
 behind him. The sky at that moment cleared, and, 
 aided by the light from the nearest house at the 
 rear, he saw as he turned his head that the one so 
 near him was a Canadian. 
 
 ** Heavens ! is that you, Norris ? " he asked in a 
 scared undertone. 
 
 Asher recognized the speaker as Jean Chotean, 
 who had visited the post several times, but of whose 
 loyalty both he and Major Gladwyn were suspicious. 
 
 " Yes, Jean, it is I ; I hope you are well," replied 
 Norris, unconsciously lowering his voice. 
 
 " Why do you come here ? Don't you know the 
 danger ? * * 
 
 * * I know there are some places safer. * ' 
 
 " There could n't be any more dangerous; Pon- 
 tiac gave orders yesterday that every Englishman 
 found on this side of the river should be killed, no 
 matter if he were sitting at one of our tables. He 
 said if any of us saw a white man from the fort and 
 failed to kill or make him prisoner, he would slay 
 the one that dared disobey his command." 
 
 " Well, Jean, I am here; I suppose you must do 
 your duty." 
 
 " If you mean by that that I shall betray you, 
 
104 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAIVAS. 
 
 you are mistaken ; but let me entreat you to get 
 away without a minute's delay." 
 
 " I shall not stay longer than necessary; but, tell 
 me, Jean, why is Pierre Muire's house dark and 
 closed ?" 
 
 ** Have n't you heard ? No; how could you ? 
 His mother is dead." 
 
 " Dead ! when did she die ?" asked the aston- 
 ished Asher. 
 
 " This morning, shortly after daybreak.'* 
 
 " Where is Pierre ? " 
 
 " Nobody knows." 
 
 The Canadian shrugged his shoulders and partly 
 spread out his palms, as many Frenchmen do, for 
 he carried no rifle with him. 
 
 " What do you mean ? " 
 
 ** Ah! Pierre loved his mother — no son ever loved 
 mother more. He has been crazed by his grief; he 
 has gone nobody can say where. He may be at the 
 bottom of the river ; he may have stood at the muz- 
 zle of his gun and kicked the trigger with his foot — 
 who shall say ? We shall never see him again, of 
 that I am assured." 
 
 " When did he leave ? " 
 
 ** Last night ! he had with him the daughter of 
 Hugh Linwood, the beauteous and charming Madge. 
 He brought her over to cheer his mother in her last 
 moments, but he had promised to take her home. 
 
FRIEND OR FOE? 10$ 
 
 and he set out to do so, when it was hardly dark, 
 and he has not been seen at his home since 
 then." 
 
 " Then he was not with his mother when she 
 passed away ? " 
 
 " Alas! how could he be, when she lingered until 
 this morning, but it made no difference to the good 
 woman." 
 
 " And why not ?" 
 
 ** Her senses were gone — she knew no one, not 
 even the priest that shrived her — so it was well," 
 and Jean Chotean piously crossed himself. 
 
 " And those are neighbors inside the house, keep- 
 ing watch with the body." 
 
 " You are right; she is to be buried to-morrow." 
 
 " Whether or not her son returns ? " 
 
 " Have I not told you that the son will never 
 return. He is dead." 
 
 " You have no right to say that, unless you speak 
 of your own knowledge." 
 
 Jean seemed on the point of making some remark, 
 but checked himself and shrugged his shoulders 
 again and held his peace. 
 
 " But if he is dead, what has become of Madge 
 Linwood, who went away in his canoe with him ? " 
 asked the distracted Asher Norris. 
 
 The answer of the Canadian was another shrug of 
 the shoulders. If he possessed knowledge of the 
 
I06 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 missing one — and Asher believed that he did possess 
 such knowledge — he was holding it back. The im- 
 patient young man felt like throttling him and forc- 
 ing the secret from his lips, but prudence forbade. 
 
 Standing in the dim light of the moon, Asher 
 noted something peculiar in the action and manner 
 of Jean. Naturally the two faced each other, but 
 Jean, while often looking into his face, kept glanc- 
 ing across in the direction of the fringe of wood and 
 undergrowth that lined the river, as if something in 
 that direction specially interested him. Asher also 
 turned his head, and caught the dim outline of a 
 man's figure, standing as motionless as a statue, 
 evidently with his attention fixed upon the Ameri- 
 can and Canadian. 
 
 " Who is he ? " asked Asher, in an undertone. 
 
 Without inquiring as to whom was meant, Jean 
 Chotean answered : 
 
 " He is Jacques Faire, a neighbor." 
 
 The man was too faintly shown for young Norris 
 to make sure whether this was the truth, but he 
 suspected that instead of a Canadian the other was 
 an Indian, whose keen vision had roused a suspicion 
 of Asher's identity, if indeed he had not already 
 learned that he was an American from the other side 
 of the river. 
 
 Jean spoke with sudden excitement : 
 
 " You are in greater danger than you think ; you 
 
FRIEND OR FOE? \0f 
 
 have waited too long, my friend Asher ; you cannot 
 escape from the settlement." 
 
 " I would like to know who will hinder me," 
 demanded the youth, his combative nature fully 
 roused. 
 
 " The Ottawas have found out that you are here; 
 if you try to leave they will make you prisoner; 
 you know what that means." 
 
 " But I am not a prisoner yet ! " 
 
 He was about to move away, when Jean seized 
 his arm. 
 
 *' Come with me ; don't hesitate ; don't look 
 around ; walk fast, or you are lost. ' ' 
 
 Before the youth had time to collect his thoughts 
 he was walking rapidly, his guide still holding his 
 arm with nervous grip. They passed in front of 
 Pierre Muire's house, and still following the wind- 
 ing path which answered for a street, left three other 
 cabins behind them, when the guide abruptly turned 
 to the left, stepped upon a low wooden porch and 
 shoved open a door, into which he pushed Asher, 
 with himself closely behind him. 
 
 The room which they had entered was similar to 
 the main apartment of most of the houses in the 
 Canadian settlement. It occupied the whole lower 
 floor, v/hich was the living room of the house. 
 There were a table, a few wooden chairs, several 
 cheap pictures on the walls, scant furniture, and a 
 
I08 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 fire burning on the hearth. With the door closed 
 and the sultry night, the air inside was insufferably 
 close. 
 
 The only occupant of this room, when the two 
 hurriedly entered, was the wife of Jean Chotean, a 
 plain, coarse woman in middle life. She was in 
 the act of crossing the apartment to attend to some 
 household duty, when she halted and turned won- 
 deringly toward the two. Her husband said some- 
 thing in French by way of explanation. Asher, 
 who had an imperfect knowledge of the tongue, 
 did not catch its meaning, but it seemed to satisfy 
 the woman, who nodded her head, turned slowly to 
 the nearest chair, deliberately sat down and folded 
 her hands in her lap, like a pattern of the meek, 
 submissive wife. 
 
 Meantime, Jean Chotean was not idle. Turning 
 about, he deftly drew in the latch string. While 
 this locked the cumbrous door, he was not satisfied. 
 The heavy wooden bar was lifted from where it 
 leaned against the log wall and slipped into place 
 across the door, which was now secured so firmly 
 that nothing less than a battering ram was sufficient 
 to drive it inward. 
 
 Hardly was this done, when some one on the out- 
 side struck the door several resounding knocks, 
 though no words were spoken. 
 
 The reflection of the firelight on the face of the 
 
FRIEND OR FOE? IO9 
 
 Canadian showed that he was scared, and for the 
 moment " rattled." He glanced hurriedly around, 
 as if seeking some way out of a bad dilemma. 
 Asher Norris, believing they were about to be 
 attacked, grasped his rifle more firmly, and pointed 
 to where Jean's weapon was suspended on a couple 
 of deer's antlers over the fireplace. 
 
 " You take your gun, Jean, and we 'U fight them 
 all." 
 
 " No, no, no!" replied the host, more agitated 
 than ever; " it will be the death of us both. Run 
 up there ! " 
 
 He pointed to the sloping ladder which led to the 
 upper story, and Asher, who from the singular turn 
 that matters had taken was unable to think clearly, 
 ran nimbly up the ladder into the dim room above. 
 
 The next moment he felt that he had done a fool- 
 ish thing, equivalent to stepping into the mouth of 
 a pit yawning before him. Had he remained on the 
 lower floor he would have been able to make a 
 staunch fight, with the chance of reaching the out- 
 side at some favorable moment, but now all such 
 hope was gone. 
 
 His familiarity with the construction of the Cana- 
 dian houses told him that there were two apart- 
 ments above stairs, mainly used at night. Each 
 was lighted by two small windows, which were so 
 narrow that no man could force his body through 
 
no PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 them. It was the same with the windows on the 
 lower floor, such being the custom of pioneers, who 
 meant the openings to serve for light and for port- 
 holes, but never to admit an enemy. 
 
 The top of the ladder projected a couple of feet 
 above the upper level. Asher stepped out upon the 
 rough, puncheon floor, but made no attempt at 
 investigation. He was too much interested in what 
 was occurring below. Standing close to the open- 
 ing, he listened. 
 
 The vigorous knocking was renewed. Indeed it 
 had not ceased, and the man or men on the outside 
 were losing patience. An angry voice demanded 
 admittance, and Jean Chotean, as if frightened out 
 of his senses, now unbarred the door. The next 
 moment the visitor stepped inside. 
 
 As he did so he spoke, and one sound of his voice 
 was sufficient for Asher Norris to identify him as an 
 Ottawa Indian. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 ON THE river's MARGIN. 
 
 TO Asher Norris, standing at the head of the 
 ladder, there was but one explanation of 
 these singular incidents. 
 
 Despite the declaration of Jean Chotean, the 
 Frenchman, there could be no doubt that while the 
 two were talking in front of the house of Pierre 
 Muire, they had attracted the notice of one of the 
 hostiles prowling through the settlement. With his 
 finely trained faculties he identified the man con- 
 versing with the Canadian, and with the hatred of his 
 
 leader Pontiac determined to encompass his death. 
 It was charitable to believe that Jean wished to 
 
 save the American, though it was also possible that 
 his warning was meant to start him at once on his 
 flight, so that the Canadian might get the matter off 
 his hands, and leave to others the settlement of the 
 question of life and death. 
 
 But his subsequent action agreed with the theory 
 that the man really wished to save the youth. Hop- 
 ing that the eavesdropper had not identified him, 
 Jean hurried to his own home and locked Asher 
 
 III 
 
112 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 within, leaving the question of his final escape from 
 the settlement to be determined by events as they 
 came up. 
 
 But hardly had the two entered, when the Indian 
 knocked and demanded admittance. On the suppo- 
 sition that there was but one of them, the obvious 
 course for Jean would have been to admit him with- 
 out delay. Asher Norris held no single warrior in 
 fear, and, leaving the Canadian to act a neutral part, 
 Asher could have disposed of him with little delay 
 and then gone forth from the cabin unquestioned. 
 
 But such an incident would have involved the 
 host in the gravest trouble. The death of the war- 
 rior would have been investigated and the Cana- 
 dian's life endangered, if not forfeited. It was 
 unreasonable to expect him to consent to anything 
 of that nature, losing sight of the fact that he was 
 so agitated that he was uncertain of the right course 
 to follow. 
 
 All this was disquieting enough, but the youth 
 crouching at the top of the ladder was tormented by 
 another suspicion, amounting to a belief, that Jean 
 Chotean had aimed to play him false from the 
 beginning. When he first warned him to flee, he 
 may have been honest, but from the moment he 
 discovered that the two were under the surveillance 
 of an Ottawa warrior, every point played was with 
 a view of Asher Norris's betrayal. 
 
ON THE RIVER'S MARGIN. II3 
 
 The latter listened intently in the oppressive still- 
 ness. The wife was evidently sitting in her chair, 
 and taking no part in the conversation, but Jean 
 and the Ottawa talked earnestly and in low tones. 
 The Canadian understood the Indian lingo which 
 was employed, so that when the listener now and 
 then caught a word, he could form no idea of its 
 meaning. That the dusky miscreant knew of the 
 American's presence in the house was self-evident ; 
 the two were evidently discussing the best way of 
 disposing of him. 
 
 ' * They will hardly dare to venture up the ladder 
 to attack me; I wish they would." 
 
 Suddenly the talking ceased. Asher listened with 
 the same closeness as before, but it was not 
 renewed. What could it mean ? 
 
 Actuated by his great fear, the youth knelt down 
 softly until he was able to lower his head, so as to 
 see into the room. To his amazement neither Cho- 
 tean nor the Ottawa was visible. The wife sat in 
 her chair with folded hands, as if she had not stirred 
 from the moment she took her seat, but she was the 
 only occupant of the lower floor. 
 
 Despite the attention with which Asher Norris 
 had listened, the two men had opened, passed out, 
 and closed the door without his hearing them. It 
 seamed incredible, but it was the fact. 
 
 " They have gone to bring help; a party of them 
 
114 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 will be back in a few minutes, and then I shall be 
 like a rat in a trap — that is if I wait, which I shall 
 not do." 
 
 Placing his foot on a round of the ladder he 
 descended as nimbly as he had climbed the primi- 
 tive stairs a few minutes before. The instant the 
 woman saw him coming down, she rose in a startled 
 way from her chair, and, holding up her hands, 
 exclaimed : 
 
 *' Go back ! go back ! you must stay till they 
 return ! ' ' 
 
 She did not speak English as well as her husband, 
 but her words were unmistakable. Uttered in her 
 excitement, they confirmed the fears that had moved 
 the young man to action. 
 
 " I am going to leave this house," he said, paus- 
 ing for an instant in the middle of the floor. 
 
 " You must not! you must stay! They will soon 
 be back ! If they find you are not here, they will 
 kill Jean and me ! " 
 
 She interposed as if to keep him from reaching the 
 door. The eyes of Asher Norris flashed. Clubbing 
 his rifle, he said in a voice low of deadly meaning : 
 
 '* Stand aside, or I will strike you to the floor! " 
 
 Frightened by his terrible looks and manner, she 
 threw up her hands, as if to ward off the impending 
 blow, and retreating to her chair dropped into it with 
 a collapse that must have threatened the structure. 
 
"GO uack! go back!" 
 
 Piige IJ4. 
 
ON THE RIVER'S MARGIN. I15 
 
 She had done all she could to restrain the captive, 
 and now simply stared at him, without movement 
 or word. 
 
 Not a second was to spare. The heavy wooden 
 bar was leaning against the side of the house and 
 the door was held only by the latch, whose string 
 was still inside, Jean not having taken the time to 
 run the end through the small orifice. When he 
 should return, his knock would cause the door's 
 instant opening by the waiting wife. 
 
 Asher Norris raised the latch, stepped outside and 
 drew the door shut. His fear was that the woman 
 would make an outcry that would bring her husband 
 and the Indians to the spot, but she was too terrified 
 to think of that. 
 
 The youth stood still for a moment, looking and 
 listening. To the right could be seen the glow of 
 the wood fires shining through the front doors and 
 windows of the cabins strung in that direction, while 
 to the left the same was observed. He saw no one 
 moving about, for the hour had become late. 
 
 Crouching low, to conceal himself as far as possi- 
 ble, Asher ran across the space intervening between 
 him and the fringe of wood on the bank of the river. 
 The distance was slight, and he held his breath until 
 among the friendly shadows. Then kneeling, he 
 listened and watched. 
 
 His flight was not a moment too soon, for hardly 
 
Il6 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 had he reached his concealment when the familiar 
 guttural exclamation was heard from a point toward 
 the upper end of the settlement. At the same 
 moment he made out the figures of four men ap- 
 proaching at a rapid pace, the foremost of whom he 
 recognized in the moonlight as Jean Chotean, the 
 others being Indians, fully armed. 
 
 It was marvellous how quickly these miscreants 
 had been brought to the scene, but the whole thing 
 was clear to Norris. Finding himself detected, the 
 Canadian had made it appear that he had inveigled 
 the American into his house for the purpose of 
 entrapping him (and Asher believed such to be the 
 fact), after which he and the Ottawa had gone for 
 help in making the youth a prisoner. 
 
 The latter waited where he was until the four 
 stopped at the door, and, after a moment's delay, 
 were admitted. Then, feeling that his situation 
 was too dangerous to be held, he began stealing 
 along the bank and away from the dreaded spot. 
 His flight must be discovered within a few seconds, 
 and the Ottawas would neglect no chance of secur- 
 ing him before he could get beyond their reach. 
 
 The task of the young man was a difficult one, for 
 he was likely to betray himself by the rustling of 
 the bushes and the breaking of twigs under his feet, 
 but as yet no one was hunting for him, and special 
 care was not necessary. 
 
ON THE KJVEX'S MAR GIN. 
 
 "7 
 
 The temptation to enter the river and swim for 
 the other side was strong, though he was handi- 
 capped by his rifle, which he could not well secure 
 to his back, but he decided not to resort to that 
 until no other way was left open to him. 
 
 The point where he had left his canoe was not far, 
 and his familiarity with the settlement enabled him 
 to reach the spot with no loss of time. But there 
 he was met by a surprise and disappointment : his 
 canoe was gone. 
 
 Under other circumstances he would have ex- 
 plained this as a mistake on his part as to the spot, 
 but his certainty could not have been greater had 
 the sun been shining in the sky. 
 
 " Since some one has taken my boat I shall have 
 to take the boat of some one," was the philosoph- 
 ical conclusion of the youth, who lost no time in 
 searching for that which was lost. He continued 
 stealing up the bank of the river, knowing that he 
 would not have to go far before coming upon one of 
 the numerous canoes that were always strung along 
 the shore. 
 
 He heard nothing of his pursuers, but an Indian 
 when hunting for a foe does not do so with a brass 
 band, and they might be at that moment within a 
 few rods of him. His care, therefore, was so great 
 that his progress was slow. 
 
 Good fortune attended him, for he had gone 
 
Il8 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 scarcely fifty feet, when his outstretched hand 
 touched the side of one of the bark structures lying 
 across his path and close to the edge of the water. 
 Lifting it carefully from the ground, he carried it a 
 few paces and then set it down so gently in the cur- 
 rent that nardly a ripple was produced. 
 
 " It weighs about the same as mine, and, by gra- 
 cious! It is mine! " 
 
 Such was the fact. Despite the obscurity he 
 recognized the craft as the one in which he had 
 crossed the river earlier in the evening, and to which 
 he was as much accustomed as to his own rifle. It 
 was hard to account for its removal from where he 
 had left it, but the fact was a warning that he did 
 not forget. Whoever had transferred it must expect 
 to return, and perhaps at that time was on his way. 
 Possibly it was Jean Chotean or one of the Ottawas. 
 
 It was this fear that led Asher to seat himself in 
 the craft and drive it fully a hundred yards up 
 stream, before venturing to halt. Then, feeling 
 that none of his enemies would know where to look 
 for him, he checked the boat, holding it motionless 
 by seizing one of the overhanging limbs. 
 
 The trouble was that just then the sky had be- 
 come so freed of drifting clouds that the moon shone 
 with unobstructed light, which was so reflected from 
 the unruffled surface of the river that he dared not 
 venture into it. 
 
ON THE RIVER'S MARGIN, II9 
 
 <« 
 
 And why should I leave this shore ? ' ' 
 This was the question that he asked himself before 
 he again laid hand on his canoe. He had set out to 
 search for Madge Linwood, of whose whereabouts 
 he had not gained the first idea. She might be 
 somewhere on the eastern shore, and still in the 
 French settlement. At any rate, if Asher Norris 
 went back to the fort, the most that he could say 
 was that Pierre Muire had started to take her home 
 more than twenty-four hours before, since which 
 time nothing was known of either. The knight 
 errant, therefore, would be confessing that he was 
 able to do naught toward clearing up the mystery, 
 and such confession he would not make while life 
 remained. 
 
 His brain was in a state of turmoil, for he was sure 
 that never had any person been confronted by so 
 puzzling a problem. Convinced that Jean Chotean 
 was able to tell him far more than he had told, he 
 was still powerless to use that source of information. 
 It would not do for him again to meet the Canadian 
 that had tried to betray him into the hands of the 
 Ottawas, for, aside from the resentment he felt 
 toward the man, no reliance could be placed upon 
 his words. 
 
 Asher Norris asked himself whether there was 
 not some one in the settlement who had an inkling 
 of the truth, and who could be trusted to make 
 
120 PONTIAr, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 it known. He knew nearly every settler, and he 
 called to mind a number whose word was worthy of 
 belief, but it was a staggering problem as to how he 
 could open communication with them, at the very 
 time that a party of Ottawas were searching the 
 place for him. 
 
 " Ah, if Uncle Jo were here," was the thought 
 that would obtrude itself, despite its idleness, " but 
 he is n't, nor will he be for days to come, and within 
 that time the fate of poor Madge must be set- 
 tled " 
 
 Sitting thus in the canoe, with one hand gently 
 grasping a tiny limb and his senses keyed to the 
 highest point, he became aware that he was not 
 alone. Some person was moving along the bank, 
 close to the water's edge. 
 
 " It 's one of the Ottawas," was the conclusion 
 of Asher Norris, but he was mistaken. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 CATHARINE. 
 
 SEATED in the small canoe, held perfectly mo- 
 tionless, Asher Norris had nothing to do but 
 to listen. He was far enough under the over- 
 hanging bushes to be wrapped in shadow, so that 
 no change of position could help him. 
 
 How could any person, be he ever so subtle and 
 skilled in woodcraft, learn where he was in hiding, 
 when there was absolutely nothing to guide such 
 person ? And yet, as if there is really a sixth sense, 
 this very thing was done. 
 
 Confident that the man, if hunting for him, would 
 pass beyond, the youth listened to his movements, 
 which were readily traced in the perfect stillness, for 
 the current was so sluggish thus close to shore that 
 it made no ripple against the prow of the light canoe. 
 Furthermore, the individual groping along the land 
 did not seem to take pains to veil his movements. 
 
 Asher heard him draw the bushes aside, after 
 which the moccasined foot was pressed upon the 
 yielding ground. Then the hands parted the under- 
 growth again and the careful step was repeated. 
 
 |3( 
 
y 
 
 122 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 When first detected the stranger was nearer the set- 
 tlement than the American, and several minutes 
 passed before he reached a point opposite the canoe. 
 Then he went two or three paces beyond. 
 
 " He will keep that up till he grows tired, and 
 then conclude " 
 
 Could Asher Norris credit his senses ? The other 
 had paused as if aware that he had gone too far, 
 and it was necessary to retrace his steps. How in 
 the name of the seven wonders had he learned the 
 fact ? The youth had heard his uncle tell of such 
 things, but he had never before experienced any- 
 thing of the kind, nor did he believe it possible until 
 this moment. 
 
 Back, step by step, for three paces, which was 
 slightly too far, and then there was a second pause. 
 Wonderful to relate, the stranger had discovered 
 that he was once more beyond soundings. So he 
 halted, stood still a moment, retrograded for one 
 pace, and then came to a final stop. He had struck 
 the right spot and knew it. 
 
 " That 's as near a miracle as anything comes in 
 this world, ' * thought Asher Norris with a feeling of 
 awe. 
 
 Pausing only a few seconds, the stranger began 
 moving once more through the wood and under- 
 growth, but now he was coming toward the canoe. 
 The situation of Asher Norris was critical. If he 
 
CATHARINE. 123 
 
 remained where he was the warrior would be able to 
 shoot or to hurl his tomahawk with unerring aim, 
 and being in deeper concealment could not be 
 detected. 
 
 Asher was about to let go of the straining limb, 
 so as to float with the sluggish current, when the 
 other spoke : 
 
 " Is that my brother?" 
 
 If a ghost had addressed the young man he could 
 not have been more startled than by these words. 
 It was not a white man, nor an Indian warrior that 
 had thus spoken, but Catharine, the Ojibwa girl 
 that had given Major Gladwyn warning of the plan 
 of Pontiac to massacre the garrison. It was she 
 who in searching for Asher had given so marvellous 
 a display of woodcraft. 
 
 The youth drove his canoe against the shore at 
 the feet of the girl, who seemed to expect something 
 of that nature. The gloom was so deep that neither 
 could see the other, but had they chosen they might 
 have clasped hands, and their voices were so modu- 
 lated that Pontiac himself, if within two or three 
 yards, would not have heard them. 
 
 " Catharine, I am g):id you have come, but how 
 did 70U know where I was ? ' ' 
 
 She spoke English as if to the manner born. 
 
 *' I saw my brother leave the house of Jean 
 Chotean." 
 
124 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 " Did you see me go in ? " 
 
 " You and he went in; he and Gray Wolf came 
 out together ; they had gone for other warriors to 
 slay my brother ; then you came forth and hurried 
 away ; had you waited but a little while, you would 
 have been too late. ' ' 
 
 " You are right as to that, for I saw the four 
 returning and knew they expected to get my scalp. 
 Did you remove my canoe from where I left it to 
 this place ? ' ' 
 
 " No ; Catharine knew nothing of that ; she 
 looked for you ; for she had something to tell you 
 that your heart yearns to know." 
 
 Asher would have insisted upon her explaining 
 how she succeeded in locating him in the remarkable 
 manner described, but for these last words which set 
 his heart a-throbbing with hope and fear. 
 
 " Rave you something to tell me of Madge Lin- 
 wood ? ' * 
 
 * ' I have something to tell you of her ; I saw her 
 when she came to the home of the sick woman; 
 Pierre Muire brought her there; that never should 
 have been." 
 
 " It would not had I been at the fort, but I was 
 away. ' ' 
 
 " My brother does not understand what Catharine 
 means. ' ' 
 ** You mean that Madge went into great danger, 
 
CATHARINE, 12$ 
 
 when she came to the settlement, for that is proved 
 because she is missing." 
 
 " It is not that which I mean, but Pierre Muire 
 loves the white maiden ; he wished to make her his 
 wife, as the white people call their squaws. 
 
 These words went through Asher Norris like a 
 knife-thrust. It was not idle suspicion, then, on his 
 part, for this wise Indian maiden had noted it. 
 Pierre was in love with Madge, even though his 
 mother was at the point of death and may have 
 asked for her. Probably it was that fact which 
 prompted the action to the young man. 
 
 " But Pierre set out last night to take her home, 
 as he promised." 
 
 " And yet he did not get there." 
 
 " Not unless he returned this evening." 
 
 " He has not returned ; he will never return. But 
 Pierre was not the only one who loves the beautiful 
 maiden." 
 
 Asher blushed in the darkness, for he supposed 
 she referred to him, but he was dumfounded the 
 next moment by the declaration : 
 
 ** Pontiac, the great chieftain of the Ottawas, 
 loves her for wb'sm the heart of my brother 
 yearns. ' ' 
 
 " Heavens! can it be possible ? I never dreamed 
 of that!" 
 
 " Pontiac loves the pale-faced maiden !" 
 
126 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 4< 
 
 The wretch ! he has a wife ; what business has 
 he to look upon Madge Linwood ? " 
 
 Catharine was silent, as if the question was 
 beyond her power of reply. It struck Asher Norris 
 that this was an unprecedented state of affairs. 
 Here was Madge, not yet out of her girlhood, 
 looked upon with covetous eyes by him, an Amer- 
 ican; by Pierre Muire, a French Canadian ; and 
 Pontiac, the Ottawa chieftain. It would seem as if 
 some other nationality ought to be represented 
 among the claimants for her hand. 
 
 * * Pierre started last night to take Madge home. 
 Did you see them depart ? ' ' 
 
 " Catharine stood on the shore and waved good- 
 by to her friend. She sat at the front of the canoe, 
 and Pierre used the paddle. They headed across 
 the river, and by and by the darkness shut them out 
 from sight. Catharine saw them no more. Pierre 
 has not come back, and the pale-faced maiden is 
 not at home. ' ' 
 
 " How came you to know that, Catharine ? " 
 
 ** My brother said so to Jean Chotean." 
 
 "And you overheard us! You are a wonderful 
 girl. But can you tell me where Madge is ? " 
 
 " Only the Great Spirit knows, but Catharine 
 thinks she is with Pontiac." 
 
 ** Then where is Pierre ? " 
 
 •• Dead." 
 
CATHARINE, 12/ 
 
 " I do not understand how that can be. Pontiac 
 was the friend of Pierre. ' ' 
 
 " But when he finds that Piene loves the maiden, 
 then Pierre is his enemy. ' ' 
 
 " But last night Pontiac was with his warriors 
 nine or ten miles from here. I know it, for I was 
 on the schooner which the Indians attacked far 
 down the river, and I saw Pontiac with my own 
 eyes." 
 
 ' * But Pontiac could travel many miles since then ; 
 some of his warriors may have brought the maiden 
 to him." 
 
 " Well," said Asher, " this is beyond my ken. 
 Catharine, you can find out where Madge is. If 
 you will do so it will make the hearts of her friends 
 glad." 
 
 " Catharine will try." 
 
 He was about to repeat his urging, when he dis- 
 covered that she was with him no longer. He heard 
 a slight rustling, and, without a parting word, she 
 vanished. 
 
 Perhaps it was as well, since she had no more to 
 tell him, nor would he have been likely to accept 
 advice from her, much as he admired her wonderful 
 woodcraft. 
 
 He had learned that Pierre Muire had set out on 
 the previous evening with Madge Linwood in his 
 canoe, and had headed for Fort Detroit. Thus far 
 
128 rONTlAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 everything coincided with his promises and with his 
 statements. His mother was mortally ill, and, 
 despite that fact, he had left her to return the girl 
 to her parents, as he had pledged to do when he 
 took her away. Scrutinized up to this point, his 
 conduct was straightforward and honorable. 
 
 But the momentous question remained as to what 
 had become of the two, after passing out upon the 
 river in the darkness of night. When beyond reach 
 of all prying eyes, the young man may have carried 
 out an intention previously formed. Forgetting his 
 stricken parent in his infatuation for the girl, per- 
 haps he took her to some point where he expected 
 to make her confess her love and promise to become 
 his wife ere she could return to her home. 
 
 But the intrusion of Pontiac into the affair seemed 
 to twist all theories askew. With the almost unlim- 
 ited power possessed by the chieftain at that time, 
 there was little hope of thwarting his imperious 
 will. He had so many to do his bidding that, 
 though he may have been miles from the scene of 
 action, some of his warriors would have seized the 
 chance to serve him. 
 
 It was impossible for the sorely troubled Asher to 
 remain idle while these and hundreds of similar 
 thoughts were seething through his brain. Catha- 
 rine being gone, he pushed the canoe from shore, 
 just far enough off to allow it to clear the overhang- 
 
CATHARINE. 12^ 
 
 ing vegetation, when he began paddling slowly and 
 silently down stream in the direction of the fort, or 
 rather parallel with that direction, since he did not 
 venture out into the channel. 
 
 This was what might be considered the " back 
 trail," since it carried him in front of the settle- 
 ment, and past the home of Jean Chotean, from 
 which he had escaped just in time to save his life. 
 He needed no one to remind him of the need of 
 care, though it was to be supposed that the friends 
 of Chotean had finished their search of the immedi- 
 ate neighborhood of his house, and were now look- 
 ing elsewhere. 
 
 And so it was that he drifted downward, some- 
 times using his paddle, listening intently and con- 
 tinually glancing about him. The sky remained 
 quite clear, so that the moon shone without ob- 
 struction, and he was able to see for a considerable 
 distance over the calmly flowing river. 
 
 He was not mistaken, therefore, when just on the 
 farthest line of vision, he traced the outlines of a 
 canoe, floating with the current. It went faster 
 than he would have gone, had he not used his pad- 
 dle, since the current was more rapid than near 
 shore. The boat drifted with the silence of a 
 shadow, and, urged by a curiosity which prudence 
 would have told him to restrain, Asher paddled a 
 
 slight way from the protecting gloom that he might 
 a 
 
130 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 gain a closer view. He remained so near the shore 
 that in the event of danger he could dart among 
 the vegetation and leap out upon land. 
 
 There was a single person in the other boat. He 
 was sitting near the stern, or rather the rear, since 
 both ends were the same, with drooping head and 
 idle arms. So far as the youth could make out, he 
 held no paddle, but appeared like a man asleep. 
 
 Mindful of the clever tricks to which the Amer- 
 ican Indian resorts to deceive his enemy, Asher 
 advanced with extreme caution, but something 
 familiar in the appearance of the other led him to 
 dip his paddle more deeply and to forget the danger 
 behind him. 
 
 Thus approaching, the American suddenly uttered 
 an exclamation of astonishment. He had recog- 
 nized the man, and swept his boat alongside, calling 
 out to him in an incautiously loud voice. 
 
 There was no movement or anything in the nature 
 of a response. Nor indeed could there be, for Pierre 
 Muire, who sat with bowed head and motionless 
 arms, was dead. 
 
THE LAST OF PIKRRE. 
 
 Page I JO. 
 
■M^^M 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 A CANOE AND ITS OCCUPANT. 
 
 IT was a terrifying discovery, and, accustomed as 
 Asher Norris had become to scenes of violence, 
 he never was more deeply impressed than by the 
 sight of the Hfeless body of Pierre Muire, sitting 
 with drooping head and arms, at the stern of the 
 canoe, which was drifting down the Detroit river. 
 
 His next thought was of her that had been his 
 passenger, and, scarcely breathing, he leaned over 
 and peered into the boat. Thank God, it was 
 empty ! 
 
 Empty not of her alone, but of everything except 
 the body of the hapless French Canadian. Placing 
 his hand upon the face he found it cold. Doubtless 
 the poor fellow had been dead for many hours. If 
 stricken while paddling, the oar had slipped from 
 his hand and floated off. His legs were outstretched 
 in front of him, and his position would have been 
 natural to any man that had given way to drowsi- 
 ness and was sleeping soundly. 
 
 There was enough moonlight for Asher to see the 
 
 point v/here the bullet had entered the left breast, 
 
 131 
 
132 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 bringing death as suddenly as if from the lightning 
 bolt. Unfortunate Pierre Muire! A brief while 
 before he was the embodiment of physical strength 
 and vigor, and now he had gone to join his widowed 
 mother, or perhaps he had preceded her into the 
 mysterious land of shadows. 
 
 The heart of Asher Norris smote him, for .'ie was 
 convinced now that he had done the dead man a 
 great injustice. He may have loved Madge — doubt- 
 less he did — but who could be blamed for that ? 
 But he had meant to keep his pledge to her parents, 
 and, whether or not he declared his love, he intended 
 to deliver her unharmed to them. And while striv- 
 ing to do so he had been laid low by some one. 
 
 " Killed by an Indian, that thereby he might 
 please Pontiac," was the thought of the young 
 man, whose anger was kindled against the terrible 
 Ottawa; " they slew Pierre and took away Madge." 
 
 This conclusion would have seemed reasonable, 
 but for the fact that more than twenty-four hours 
 had passed since the Canadian left his home with 
 Madge Linwood. Where had the two been in 
 the interval, and how came it that, on the second 
 night, the body of Pierre was found floating down 
 the river in his canoe, near the spot where the crime 
 must have been committed ? 
 
 It was too late to atone for the unjust suspicion 
 held toward his old acquaintance, but a chivalrous 
 
/ 
 
 A CANOE AND ITS OCCUPANT. 1 33 
 
 impulse led Asher to do that which might i i consid- 
 ered his last tribute, and which was attended with 
 great personal risk to himself. 
 
 In guiding his boat down stream he had ap- 
 proached the southern termination of the settle- 
 ment, and was somewhat below the former home of 
 Pierre. He could make no mistake as to the spot. 
 With a thong from his buckskin breeches he fas- 
 tened the other canoe to his own, and paddled 
 silently to the place from which he fled in such 
 affright but a brief while before. It was now fully 
 midnight, and few of the people were astir. He 
 did not aim for a spot above or below the house 
 where the watchers were with the dead body, but, 
 striking the point with almost mathematical exact- 
 ness, he stepped out and drew the second boat far 
 up the bank, where it could not be swept away by 
 the action of the current. 
 
 " Some one will find it to-morrow and give it 
 decent burial beside the body of his mother. Pity 
 that Pontiac and all his crew could not pass out of 
 existence at the same time! " 
 
 This duty done, Asher again entered his canoe, 
 as much at a loss as to what he should do as after 
 hearing the story of Catharine, the Ojibwa maiden. 
 He was paddling back and forth, going hither and 
 thither, gaining slight information, but securing 
 nothing that could give the desired clew, and with- 
 
134 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWA S. 
 
 out any knowledge of where he should look for her 
 who was dearer than all the world to him. 
 
 But hold ! Was he really so destitute of informa- 
 tion ? Catharine believed that Madge Linwood was 
 in the Ottawa village, a prisoner of Pontiac, and the 
 incident just described conformed to such belief. 
 It looked as if Pierre had been shot while in mid- 
 stream by some follower of the chieftain who knew 
 of his infatuation for the girl, and that she had been 
 taken out of the boat, while her protector was left 
 to himself. 
 
 The canoe may have been near shore when the 
 fatal shot was fired, or perhaps it was accidentally 
 caught in some obstruction which held it until 
 it loosened in the same manner to drift down 
 stream. The cause of the delay was thus readily 
 explained. 
 
 If the missing one was in the Ottawa village, the 
 diflficulty of rescuing her looked very great. Pon- 
 tiac had so many warriors on both sides of the 
 river, with others joining him, that Major Gladwyn 
 had no power to force him to do anything. The 
 garrison, as we have learned, was so weak that the 
 most the commandant could hope to do was to 
 stand off the chieftain and his savages who were 
 besieging him until through weariness they would 
 give up the task. If any illustration were needed 
 of the folly of attacking the hostiles, it had already 
 
A CANOE AND ITS OCCUPANT. 1 35 
 
 been furnished in the frightful repulse of Major Dal- 
 zell at Bloody Ridge. 
 
 There had been some exchanges of prisoners with 
 Pontiac, but they were few. It need not be said 
 that if the leader had formed a fancy for Madge 
 Linwood and had succeeded in securing possession 
 of her, Major Gladwyn could not capture enough 
 Indians to give in exchange for her. 
 
 All this being so, where could there be any hope 
 of saving Madge ? It would seem that there was 
 little indeed. But youth, vigor, and naturally 
 bounding spirits cannot long remain cast down, 
 and, dark as the situation looked, Asher Norris did 
 not yield to despair. 
 
 There were three grounds upon which he based 
 his hope: In the first place, Madge Linwood was 
 bright and brave and daring, and she might be able 
 to help herself. She knew the nature of the people 
 that had made her captive, and possibly would find 
 a way of turning that knowledge to account. 
 Again, the interest of Catharine, the Ojibwa girl, 
 had been enlisted. She was one of the most cun- 
 ning of her race. While she carried the momentous 
 secret of Pontiac *s plan for the massacre of the gar- 
 rison to Major Gladwyn, as well as other hardly less 
 important matters, that chieftain, with all his 
 shrewdness, never held any suspicion of her. Had 
 he known the truth he would have sunk his toma- 
 
136 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 hawk into her brain with the suddenness of the 
 lightning stroke. 
 
 Finally Pontiac had set his heart upon capturing 
 Detroit. He knew that some of the posts, like 
 Mackinaw, Le Boeuf, and others had fallen, and he 
 had promised the different tribes that the leading 
 fort of all should be burned to ashes and the garri- 
 son given to the tomahawk, and that his hand 
 should kindle the blaze. 
 
 Pontiac, as is known, ranks among the great Ind- 
 ians of history, with an ambition as towering as that 
 of King Philip or Tecumseh. He would use all the 
 means possible to bring about the success of his 
 gigantic conspiracy, for with him he would gain or 
 lose all ; and while his infatuation for a young 
 woman of the hated race was as unabated as ever, 
 the realization of the dream of his life must neces- 
 sarily employ much of his thoughts and energies. 
 Such being the fact, the wisdom of the Ojibwa 
 maiden and of Madge Linwood would find some 
 scope. 
 
 The one objectionable feature in all this was 
 that it necessarily eliminated Asher Norris from the 
 problem. The part he was to play was no part at 
 all, beyond that of spectator, and it was impossible 
 for him to consent to this. 
 
 The temptation was strong to venture near the 
 encampment of the Ottawas, with a hope of gain- 
 
A CANOE AND ITS OCCUPANT, 1 37 
 
 ing more definite knowledge, and possibly of com- 
 municating with the girl. How that was to be 
 brought about, even he, with his naturally buoyant 
 spirits, was unable to figure out. 
 
 While these thoughts were following one another 
 through his brain, he acted upon a sudden resolution 
 of returning to Detroit with the news already ob- 
 tained. It was remotely possible, too, that tidings 
 had reached the post that might be of service to 
 him. 
 
 Accordingly, his canoe was headed toward the 
 western bank, and he sent it swiftly over the moon- 
 lit surface, fearing no pursuit, though the prowling 
 Indians were on every side of the post. It was well 
 beyond midnight when his boat touched land, and 
 he stepped out. He was in peril from the hostiles, 
 who, like birds of the night, were always prowling 
 in the vicinity, on the watch for some chance of 
 doing harm to the place that had defied their efforts 
 for months. By care, he succeeded in reaching the 
 gate without molestation, and, making himself 
 known, was admitted by the sentinels. 
 
 He made his way straight to his own home, where 
 the latch-string was hanging out, though both of his 
 parents had been asleep for hours. He entered 
 softly, and climbing to his room, retired to rest, not 
 waking until the sun was shining. When he de- 
 scended, his mother was surprised and delighted. 
 
138 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAJVAS. 
 
 His father was absent, but returned while the son 
 was partaking of his morning meal. 
 
 His story was quickly told, and in reply to his 
 inquiries, he was informed that, so far as his parents 
 knew, nothing further had been heard of Madge 
 Linwood, though it was possible some news had 
 arrived late at night. « 
 
 Asher's next act was to visit the stricken parents 
 of the girl, who listened with painful interest to 
 what he told them. 
 
 " Poor Pierre! " said the father; " he was killed 
 while doing his duty, but many others have fallen 
 by the hands of these miscreants, as many more 
 must fall before they are driven into the forests 
 where they belong." 
 
 " Surely Pontiac will use one so young and inno- 
 cent with mercy," said the mother, who, like her 
 husband, held no thought of the real reason why 
 the chieftain had made her captive, for Asher did 
 not deem it well to harrow their feelings by reveal- 
 ing the whole truth. 
 
 " He has never been accused of being a merciful 
 Indian," said he; " but I have a hope that he will 
 not use her ill, because if such was his intention he 
 hardly would have taken the trouble to make her 
 prisoner. ' ' 
 
 Perhaps the Ojibwa girl will find some way of 
 befriending her, for the two loved each other ; but, 
 
A CANOE AND ITS OCCUPANT. I39 
 
 Asher, it is clear that there is nothing further for 
 you to do." 
 
 " I am sure you will be content now to remain at 
 home," added the husband; ** for you cannot ex- 
 pect Pontiac to treat you with consideration when 
 you fall into his hands." 
 
 " As yet I have not fallen into his hands," was 
 the response of the youth. 
 
 " For which you are to be congratulated, and for 
 which, too, I am sure you are grateful, but when 
 you cannot be of any help to Madge, you are too 
 considerate to add to the grief of your parents and 
 friends by causing them to mourn your death." 
 
 Asher was annoyed by the way in which these 
 good people looked at the matter. He thought that 
 if his own parents could urge him to assume every 
 risk for the sake of the missing one, surely her 
 parents ought to be mute. But he withheld explain- 
 ing his purpose, and, bidding them good-by, he 
 took his departure. 
 
 Earlier that evening than before, he stole away 
 from the post and returned to the spot where he had 
 left his canoe. It was found undisturbed, and en- 
 tering the craft he sent it skimming up stream. He 
 did not hug the shore as closely as before, for the 
 necessity was absent. The sky had clouded during 
 the afternoon, and a fog enveloped wood and river, 
 with rain impending. He was relieved that such 
 
140 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 was the fact, though it promised to add to his dis- 
 comfort, for it would be hard to find shelter from 
 the dampness ; but it removed the need of extreme 
 caution used on the previous night. He could 
 paddle swiftly without peering on every hand for 
 enemies, though there remained the possibility of 
 coming unawares upon a whole boat-load of hos- 
 tiles. 
 
 Now and then he held his paddle suspended and 
 listened, but aware as he was that the redmen could 
 drive a canoe as noiselessly as he, he was too wise to 
 feel fully secure. But during the day he had formu- 
 lated his plan of action, and was now vigorously 
 following it out with the resolve to push it to the 
 speediest conclusion possible. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 OUTWITTED. 
 
 ASHER NORRIS had decided upon his course 
 of action after long deliberation — a fact 
 which in no way lessened its foolhardiness. It 
 was, in brief, to make his way to the immediate 
 vicinity of the Ottawa village and learn, if possible, 
 not only whether Madge Linwood was there, but 
 whether he could not do something to aid in secur- 
 ing her release from captivity and return to her 
 people. 
 
 Had the young man been asked to explain how 
 all this was to be brought about, he would have 
 been unable to answer, but his affection for the dis- 
 tressed one, his youth, daring, and high spirits 
 fanned the belief that some way would open to carry 
 out the scheme that was so dear to his heart. 
 
 He accepted the damp, foggy night as an omen 
 of good fortune. Persons of his temperament are 
 inclined to see favorable omens where none exist, 
 wrongly interpreting them until they awake too late 
 from their error. Since in the night he resembled 
 in looks and appearance the Canadians, who were 
 
 141 
 
142 PONT I AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 friendly to the Indians, he was hopeful of being mis- 
 taken for one of Uiem, his great drawback being that he 
 was unable to speak the patois used by those people. 
 
 Since it would have involved a long, circuitous 
 course to pass around the upper or lower end of the 
 settlement, he meant to walk directly through it. 
 If the Ottawas saw him coming from that direction, 
 they would be more likely to take him for one of 
 the settlers than if he approached from another 
 point of the compass. While he was well known 
 to all the white men, it was not to be expected that 
 the hostiles would recognize him, unless brought 
 face to face with them. It was his English converse 
 with Jean Chotean, within the hearing of Gray 
 Wolf, which awoke the suspicion of the latter, and 
 came so near bringing about his own downfall. 
 
 Advancing diagonally across the river, the youth 
 had passed about half the distance, when his keen 
 sense of hearing told him he was near some other 
 boat that was approaching. He ceased paddling 
 and listened. The almost inaudible ripple and swish 
 of oars showed that the other craft was between him 
 and the eastern shore, and was coming in a line that 
 would bring it close to him. 
 
 " They may be Ottawas or Canadians," was his 
 reflection, as he drove his own boat farther up 
 stream ; * ' but whichever they are, it is as well that 
 we should not meet. ' * 
 
OUTWITTED. 143 
 
 Despite his closeness of attention, he quickly dis- 
 covered that he had made a mistake, or the others 
 had changed their course, for, when he again held 
 his paddle motionless, the stranger was heard almost 
 upon him. Impatient that this should be the fact, 
 he again swung the suspended paddle, but before 
 the craft yielded to the impulse, a large canoe con- 
 taining eight or nine persons, loomed out of the fog 
 and darkness, so near and heading so directly 
 toward him, that he would have been run down, had 
 he not abruptly sheered his craft to the left. In- 
 stantly one of the men called in English : 
 
 "This is no time to be abroad! You are in 
 danger." 
 
 " From whom ?" asked Asher, still shying off 
 from the Canadians, for he suspected that among 
 the party were several Indians. 
 
 " From Pontiac and his warriors. A good many 
 are on the river to-night." 
 
 " And why more to-night than any other time ? " 
 
 " You must ask him," replied the other, with 
 something like a chortle, as if pleased with the 
 situation. 
 
 " Neither Major Gladwyn nor any of us fears Pon- 
 tiac and all the imps he can bring together. ' ' 
 
 " Boast not, Asher," added the other, recogniz- 
 ing his voice, ** for you will be surprised in a few 
 days. Take the advice of a friend and get back to 
 
144 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 the post while you have the chance, for it will not be 
 yours for long." 
 
 ' ' I thank you for your words, and will be on my 
 guard. ' ' 
 
 While this brief conversation was going on, Asher 
 continued to edge away from the larger boat, for he 
 was suspicious. It, too, was moving off, and the 
 words given were the last that were exchanged. 
 Immediately the two craft lost sight of each other. 
 
 But there was food for reflection in the words of 
 the Canadian, whom the youth did not identify, 
 though his voice had a familiar sound. The Ottawa 
 chieftain was a restless leader, who could not be 
 content to sit down with his warriors in front of 
 Detroit and wait for the garrison to yield through 
 starvation. The hostiles had kept up a pestering 
 fire from the outbuildings, as has been shown, until 
 dislodged by the hot shot which burned the struc- 
 tures ; they had assailed and overwhelmed Major 
 Dalzell and his command ; had attempted to destroy 
 the two schooners by means of fire rafts, and when- 
 ever one of those vessels passed up or down the 
 river, it was running a gauntlet between the Indian 
 encampments on the shores of the stream. While 
 it would seem that the chieftain must be near the 
 end of his resources, yet he held no such belief, for 
 the besieging forces were continually increased by 
 the arrival of warriors, some of them from a long 
 
OUTWITTED. 145 
 
 distance. All were in buoyant spirits, bnnging as 
 they did news of the fall of more than one western 
 post, and confident that Detroit would soon be 
 added to the dismal list of victims to Indian treach- 
 ery and cunning. 
 
 Pontiac's fiery speeches to these reinforcements 
 showed that his hopes were higher than at any time 
 since the failure of his plan to surprise Major Glad- 
 wyn. It would seem, therefore, likely that there 
 was wisdom in the warning of the Canadian, who 
 advised Asher to turn back while he had the chance 
 to do so. All this might be true, indeed ; neverthe- 
 less, his counsel was wasted on the young man, who, 
 hardly waiting until they were hidden from sight, 
 renewed his paddling toward the eastern bank. 
 
 The fog had now become a cold drizzle, which 
 soon saturated his garments. It would be hard to 
 imagine a more uncomfortable night, but the men 
 who lived on the frontier were too inurer^ to hard- 
 ship to care for a trifle like that. The moisture 
 covered his face and hands, trickled from his hair 
 and seemed to soak through everything with which 
 it came in contact, but he continued to sway his 
 paddle, as if the moon were shining from an un- 
 clouded sky. 
 
 He would have bjen unpardonably careless had 
 
 he wholly disregarded the words of his friend. He 
 
 did not doubt that many hostiles were on the river, 
 10 
 
146 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 and it was not unlikely that a large number of them 
 were crossing to the western shore with some new 
 plan of attack in view. He, therefore, propelled his 
 boat with unusual care, ceasing after every few 
 strokes, and listening with close attention. He had 
 a habit of flitting his head from side to side wkth a 
 bird-like quickness, so as to make sure that if any 
 suspicious noise was heard, he learned the point of 
 the compass whence it came. 
 
 It was because of this extreme caution that he 
 had gone only a little way when he made the un- 
 pleasant discovery that another canoe was immedi- 
 ately in front of him. Uncertain as to its course, he 
 ceased paddling, bent his head and intently listened. 
 
 To his surprise, at the moment of doing so, the 
 sound of paddling stopped, as if those in the other 
 boat were doing the same as himself. Could it be 
 that, despite his extreme care, they had been 
 equally quick to detect his presence ? It appeared 
 hardly possible, but he was wise enough to act upon 
 the theory. He moved the paddle with a stealth 
 that prevented all betrayal, heading now directly up 
 stream, and not pausing until he had passed several 
 rods. 
 
 Siill he failed to hear anything, but once he 
 caught something in the nature of a gentle ripple 
 from the direction of the first sound. One thing 
 had become evident : he was now dealing with past 
 
OUTWITTED. 147 
 
 masters in woodcraft. He was doubtless near a 
 party of Indians who knew how to approach a foe 
 or intended victim without betraying themselves. 
 Unexpectedly he had run into peril, when he had no 
 thought of it, and it would require his utmost skill 
 to prevent a disastrous failure when on the very 
 threshold of his enterprise. 
 
 Asher resolved that if discovered he would run his 
 boat at all speed against the eastern bank, which was 
 nearer than the western shore, leap out and take to 
 the woods, where he was confident of eluding a 
 score of enemies. 
 
 Suddenly a section of the fog near the surface of 
 the river seemed to become denser. While he won- 
 dered what it meant, he saw uncouth figures with 
 swaying arms, growing momentarily more distinct, 
 until he resolved them into men who were guiding 
 their canoe toward him. The occupants had located 
 him and were near at hand. 
 
 The other craft, which was fully as large as the 
 Canadian one, contained as many persons, and was 
 approaching from down the river, so that it was as 
 easy to speed to one side as to the other. Instead 
 of doing so, however, the youth dipped his paddle 
 deep and plied it with all the power at his com- 
 mand. It shot forward, like the flight of a swallow, 
 for there was no more skilful canoeist than Asher 
 Norris. 
 
148 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 No sound came from the pursuer, whose occupants 
 
 at once bent their energies to the task of overtaking 
 
 him. It was a fair chase, and only a few minutes 
 
 were needed to decide who was to be the winner. 
 Fearful of failure, the fugitive sheered his boat 
 
 toward the bank, so that, if worst came to worst, he 
 would have the wooded shore for a final refuge, but 
 before that came into view the thrilling fact became 
 apparent that he could travel faster than the others. 
 The dim figures and the boat gradually grew indis- 
 tinct, and soon faded from sight, though the paddles 
 were swung with the same tremendous vigor as if 
 the Indians expected to tire out the white man. 
 
 His fortunate escape raised the spirits of Asher, 
 who still veering toward land, used his paddle with 
 astonishing strength and skill. 
 
 " Doubtless they are among the best of their 
 tribe, but I can beat them, as any white man can 
 beat any Indian at his own game " 
 
 If proof were needed of the truth of the Canad- 
 ian's warning, it came the next minute, when Asher, 
 who was looking to the rear for his enemies, discov- 
 ered another party of them in front. The familiar 
 dip of paddles brought his head around like a flash, 
 and there, looming out of the fog, was a second 
 boat, so like the one from which he was fleeing, that 
 he would have believed it the same had he not 
 known that the thing was impossible. 
 
OUTWITTED. 149 
 
 The meeting was sc sudden that he knew he had 
 been seen, and the only escape lay in the means he 
 had just used. Without a second's hesitation, he 
 headed his canoe toward the shore, and bent all the 
 strength and cunning of his nature to the task. 
 
 " I must take to the woods," was his thought, 
 " though, if they begin firing, I may not get the 
 chance, but here goes ! " 
 
 It was a mistake to suppose that the boat from 
 which he had just fled contained the best canoeists, 
 for the second moved more swiftly. Still, although 
 Asher drew away from, it more slowly, he none the 
 less outsped it, and, could the race have continued 
 as it began, it would not have taken him long to 
 leave it out of sight. 
 
 His dread was that some of them would fire at 
 him. The drizzling fog made it hard for the hunter 
 of the olden time to keep his powder dry, but by 
 care he could do so. The distance between the 
 two boats was so short that a shot was almost sure 
 to be fatal. 
 
 The young man could not know how far he had 
 to go before reaching shore, but his hope was that 
 he would not do so until beyond sight of his ene- 
 mies, for it was important that they should not know 
 the precise point where he landed, since they might 
 be upon him before he could get away or hide 
 himself. 
 
ISO PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 It was with something like dismay, therefore, that 
 while his last pursuers were still dimly in sight, he 
 caught the outlines of land, with the dripping 
 branches impending over the water. Looking back 
 a moment later, he saw that the large canoe was 
 still visible. 
 
 Still worse, the first boat came into sight again. 
 The cunning occupants had been quick to catch the 
 situation, and the two were now converging upon 
 him. At best, he could not make land more than a 
 few seconds in advance. 
 
 And worst of all, just as he ha'^ headed his little 
 craft for the overhanging limb, a ^lird boat put out 
 from the exact spot! He was surrounded, and 
 escape was impossible. 
 
 " It 's all up! " was his exclamation, as he ceased 
 paddling and resigned himself to his fate. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 WALLED IN. 
 
 A FTER all it was only what might have been 
 -'^ expected. Asher Norris had set out to do 
 an impossible thing. Not only did he fail to 
 bring any relief to the missing Madge Linwood, 
 but he himself was taken captive. Her parents 
 had given, even amidst their grief, the soundest of 
 advice. 
 
 It was an extraordinary conjunction of circum- 
 stances that brought this calamity upon him. He 
 had proved his ability to outspeed the first canoe 
 that discovered him, and was drawing away more 
 slowly from the second. Slight as was his start, 
 there was still a chance that, after leaping ashore, 
 among the dense undergrowth and trees, where the 
 darkness was impenetrable, he could save himself; 
 but the sudden appearance of a third boat issuing 
 from the very spot toward which he was aiming, and 
 which he had almost reached, dashed every hope to 
 the earth. 
 
 There was a single instant when he gathered his 
 energies for a desperate dive into the water, with a 
 
 151 
 
152 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 view of coming up where he would not be observed, 
 but his enemies were too close on every hand. He 
 laid down his paddle beside his rifle in the bottom 
 of the canoe, folded his arms and resigned himself 
 to the inevitable. 
 
 The three large canoes so graduated their speed 
 that in a few seconds they were on the sides and in 
 front. There were muttered expressions of pleas- 
 ure over the rapture, and it was with feelings which 
 may perhaps ^e imagined that the young man 
 recognized the voice of Gray Wolf, who came so near 
 making a captive of him the night before. He was 
 in the boat that had last come to view, darting out 
 from the overhanging vegetation along the shore. 
 Apparently he was the most delighted of the entire 
 party, for he uttered several exclamations in his 
 own tongue and moved about with a childish exu- 
 berance of spirits rarely seen in any of his race. 
 
 It is at critical moments that the mind is most 
 susceptible to trifles. Sitting with arms folded and 
 half expecting one or more of the hostiles to sink 
 their tomahawks in his brain, the prisoner counted, 
 twice over, the three parties that converged around 
 him. There were eight in the first canoe, seven in 
 the second, and five in the last. Could the bravest 
 man be censured for surrendering to a score of his 
 armed enemies ? 
 
 It might look like a compliment to the young 
 
WALLED IN. 153 
 
 man that none of his captors offered him violence, 
 but he was too wise to take that view. To have 
 slain him then and there would have been the end 
 01 it all. The American Indian does not favor that 
 method of disposing of prisoners. There are sweet 
 possibilities in the way of torture which tempt them 
 to make the most of their opportunities. Besides, 
 Pontiac himself would expect to be consulted as to 
 the disposal of this sturdy young man. 
 
 One of the warriors placed his hand on the gun- 
 wale of Asher's canoe, and the three paddled slowly 
 down stream, not halting until an open space was 
 reached, which served as a sort of dock for the 
 Canadian residents. Here the prows touched land, 
 and, obeying a gruff command in broken English, 
 the prisoner stepped ashore, followed by a half 
 dozen of the hostiles. He was allowed to retain his 
 rifle, and as yet no one laid hand upon him. 
 
 A conference among the party lasted for some 
 minutes, the purpose no doubt being to decide upon 
 the right course to follow. At the conclusion, most 
 of the Indians re-entered their canoes and paddled 
 swiftly out upon the river, where they passed from 
 sight. The signs were that the Canadian told the 
 truth about Pontiac having important business on 
 hand that night. 
 
 Five warriors were left in charge of Asher Norris, 
 and, without delay, they set out for the Ottawa 
 
154 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 encampment, which it will be remembered was in the 
 rear of the Canadian settlement. To reach it they 
 passed between the houses and into the wood beyond. 
 The slight attention which they attracted from the 
 settlers showed how accustomed they were to see the 
 Indians that were besieging Fort Detroit. One or two 
 greetings were exchanged between acquaintances, 
 but the redmen moved forward without turning to 
 the right or left, except as some obstruction pre- 
 sented itself, until they reached their village. 
 
 This aboriginal settlement consisted of more than 
 a hundred lodges, made of bark and skins, in which 
 lived the Ottawa warriors and their families. Accus- 
 tomed as they were to the migratory life which is one 
 of the characteristics of the American Indian, these 
 people were ready to move at any hour of the day or 
 night. It is known that Pontiac made more than one 
 such removal of tribes after laying siege to Detroit. 
 
 It has been shown that he obtained many of his 
 supplies from the Canadian neighbors, while a num- 
 ber of warriors could be spared most of the time to 
 fish in the river, where they were always successful, 
 or to hunt in the woods with its abundance of game. 
 So the besiegers of the frontier post were never in 
 danger of suffering, because of lack of food, as was 
 the case more than once with those whom they 
 besieged. 
 
 There is little of an attractive nature to be found 
 
IVALLED IN. 155 
 
 in an Indian encampment. The people have never 
 been noted for their cleanliness, and their manner 
 of living is only a little above that of the animals 
 of the woods. The conical tents made of skins, 
 sometimes banked around with dirt in winter, are 
 supported by several poles, spread apart at the 
 bottom and joined at the top, where an opening 
 allows the smoke to go out and the rain and snow to 
 come in. Peltries, and sometimes the bare ground, 
 serve as couches, the choicest being appropriated by 
 the head of the primitive household, who smokes 
 and grunts and eats and sleeps, while his squaw does 
 the work and drudgery. 
 
 There was a slight modification of the usual 
 method of living, because the Ottawas, like the 
 other tribes in the neighborhood, were on the war- 
 path. They were not at home as often as usual, for 
 their chief had something for them to do, and they 
 were doing it with appropriate energy. Thus it 
 happened that often at night there were not twenty 
 warriors in the village, while again there might be 
 ten times that number. 
 
 It was another evidence of the truth of the Cana- 
 dian's words that when Asher Norris entered the 
 Ottawa encampment few other persons were present 
 except the women and children. Important move- 
 ments evidently were on foot, and the men were 
 needed elsewhere. 
 
156 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAIVAS. 
 
 It did seem to Asher that his captors wrc able to 
 read his thoughts. He knew when the start was 
 made from the shore that they meant to take him to 
 their village, and he resolved that if the slightest 
 chance offered he would make a dash for freedom. 
 But the chance did not offer. The Indians so dis- 
 posed themselves that they were on every side, and at 
 the first movement on his part he would have been 
 not only checked but savagely stricken to the ground. 
 So he walked as peaceably to the encampment as if 
 he lived there and was returning to his own home. 
 
 The action of his captors indicated that they had 
 already selected his prison, for with the same direct- 
 ness as before, they picked their way amid the 
 tepees, from a number of which glowed the dull 
 light of fires, to a lodge near the centre of the vil- 
 lage. The leading warrior, who was Gray Wolf, 
 drew aside the flap and said : 
 
 " Go in, lay down, rest! " 
 
 Asher ducked his head to obey. As he was pass- 
 ing the Indian reached out and laid his hand on his 
 gun. The youth was hopeful that he would still be 
 allowed to retain it, but such indulgence would have 
 been remarkable. He could not resist, and so his 
 cherished weapon went into the possession of his 
 bitter enemy. He was allowed to keep his hunting 
 knife, but its value was not to be compared with 
 that of the other weapon. 
 
WALLED m. 157 
 
 One surprise followed another. Naturally he 
 expected to find persons in the tepee, but he was 
 entirely alone. The tent was five or six yards in 
 diameter, made of buffalo skins, with the furry side 
 turned inward. Through the opening in the apex 
 of the cone the chilling rain trickled to the earth, 
 just missing the fire that was burning a little to one 
 side of the middle of the apartment. This fire had 
 been recently replenished, for its warmth and glow 
 filled the interior. 
 
 The other evidence of occupancy was a couple of 
 buffalo robes at one side of the lodge, upon which, 
 after a brief hesitation, Asher seated himself with a 
 sigh, half of wonderment and half of despair. 
 
 " Well," he said grimly, " I set out for the Otta- 
 wa village, and I have reached it ; I certainly have 
 been successful so far, but what lies beyond ? " 
 
 Aye, that was the question. 
 
 He surveyed the interior of the lodge more crit- 
 ically. Although the fire was burning strongly, 
 there was a pile of wood near at hand, so that more 
 could be used when needed. On the other side of 
 the fire lay a tomahawk that had evidently been 
 used in breaking the fuel, but there was no sign of 
 recent cooking, and, but for the blankets on which 
 he was seated, he would have believed that the tepee 
 had just been put up and was awaiting occupancy. 
 
 After his entrance, Gray Wolf had let the flap of 
 
158 POXTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 the tent fall back, so that it may be said the prisoner 
 was walled in, the only door thus being closed. 
 True, his hunting knife would open a new egress at 
 any part of the wall, but it was not likely to prove 
 of advantage to him, since it was unsupposable that 
 his captors would leave him wholly to himself. 
 
 Here and there the sides of the tepee had been 
 patched, the thread employed being deer sinews, 
 so that it was quite compact and secure, with the 
 exception of the chimney, through which the misty 
 rain continued to find its way. On the whole, his 
 treatment up to this point was far more considerate 
 than he had a right to expect. 
 
 The belief of Asher Norris was that he would be 
 yii alone until morning, or at least until Pontiac's 
 wishes could be known. The chief was absent with 
 his wawiors and was not likely to return for a num- 
 ber of hours. When he should do that, the young 
 man would speedily learn his fate. 
 
 This decision on his part gave him abundance of 
 time to reflect upon the errand that had been the 
 cause of his mishap. His heart gave a quicker throb 
 at the thought that Madge was probably at that 
 moment within sound of his voice. 
 
 " It may be she is in the adjoining lodge," he 
 added, turning his head, as if he half expected to 
 see her. 
 
 " Yes, she may be," he added the next minute, 
 
WALLED m, 159 
 
 " but she might as well be a mile distant, for all the 
 good I can do her. * * 
 
 He reclined upon the furs, and, leaning his head 
 on his elbow, gazed into the fire, bitterly reflecting 
 upon the cruel fate that had overtaken him. But it 
 was only a characteristic of human nature that the 
 uppermost thought in his mind was that of escape. 
 Desperate as was the outlook, he could not believe 
 the chance was wholly absent. He was too sensible 
 to believe that his enemies were not watching around 
 the tepee, alert for such attempt on his part. It 
 might be indeed that they hoped to tempt him to 
 make the essay. 
 
 But as the night progressed he intended to allow 
 the fire to sink ; most of the people in the village 
 would be asleep ; instead of passing out of the door, 
 he would cut an opening through the skins at the 
 rear of his couch and steal noiselessly out into the 
 darkness, leaping to his feet and making off before 
 the sentinels knew what he was doing. 
 
 This, apparently, vvas a reasonable scheme, but it 
 must await the critical test. Occasionally he he«rd 
 sounds of voices, and now and then the step of some 
 Indian as he slouched past the tepee, but these dis- 
 turbances became less frequent, and after a time it 
 seemed as if slumber had settled upon the whole 
 village 
 
 The lire had smouldered until the dull illumina- 
 
l6o PONT/AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 tion barely filled the dismal interior. At first Asher 
 flung a few sticks on the blaze, but after it had died 
 out again he decided to let it alone. The drizzling 
 rain ceased and the wind soughed mournfully 
 through the forest, while the stillness became so 
 profound that it was easy to fancy himself in the 
 depth of the solitude, with every living person hun- 
 dreds of miles distant. 
 
 " I may be doing wrong," thought the young 
 man, whose nerves were too wrought up for him to 
 sleep," but I '11 try it." 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 WHO WAS SHE ? 
 
 AS near as Asher Norris could judge it was about 
 midnight. The few ennbers at the side of the 
 lodge cast flickering shadows through the interior 
 and against the furs that composed the walls of the 
 aboriginal structure. For an hour he had heard 
 nothing of his enemies, the only sounds being the 
 mournful sighing of the night wind through the 
 branches of the trees. The Indian village, unlike 
 many others, seemed to be altogether wanting in 
 dogs, for not a howl or bark broke upon the hollow 
 silence. 
 
 Once the prisoner fancied he heard the reports of 
 several guns from the direction of the fort. When 
 they sounded again, he knew it was not fancy. 
 
 " Pontiac is at work; I cannot guess what his 
 new plot is, but surely he will not find Major 
 Gladwyn unprepared ; the months that have passed 
 have given him time to learn every possible wile of 
 the wretches. ' 
 
 The plan of the captive has already been inti- 
 mated; it was to slit the buffalo wall at his side, so 
 
 16, 
 
1 62 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 as to allow him to pass through. To rise to his feet 
 and walk or even leap to the door would be to leap 
 as it were into the arms of his foes. That they 
 would be quick to learn of his flight, if made as he 
 contemplated, was self evident. His chance, there- 
 fore, lay in his celerity of movement. It was reason- 
 able to believe that, vigilant as were the sentinels, 
 none of them was immediately at the spot where he 
 intended to make his dash for freedom. Once upon 
 the outside, his reliance was upon the stygian dark- 
 ness and his own skill in concealing his movements. 
 
 Before acting, he revolved another scheme in 
 mind. That was to roll up one of the buffalo robes 
 so that in the obscurity, it would be mistaken for 
 his body, by th ' that were peering into the tent. 
 The difficulty, however, in this was that the action 
 necessary was almost sure to draw attention and 
 rouse suspicion. 
 
 " It won't do," was his conclusion. 
 
 He was lying on his side, with his face turned so 
 that he could see the fire and the flap beyond. 
 Occasionally the latter trembled, as if from the 
 wind, though it was so faintly seen in the obscurity 
 that the cause might have been something else, 
 without his being able to determine the fact. 
 
 Twice Asher Norris fancied he heard a slight 
 noise, whose nature he could not understand. It 
 was so faint that he could not fix the point whence 
 
WHO WAS SHE? 163 
 
 it came) though of necessity it was outside the tepee. 
 He turned his head in different directions, and was 
 annoyed at his failure to identify it. Finally he 
 concluded that it was made by something rubbing 
 against the outside of the lodge. 
 
 With this belief came little enlightenment, though 
 it raised a new hope. At first he thought it might 
 be a prowling animal, but the disturbance was not 
 such as would have been produced by that cause. 
 The result of his intense listening was that at the 
 end of a few more minutes he located the spot. It 
 was between him and the smouldering fire ; that is, 
 not more than six feet beyond where his head was 
 resting on the buffalo robe. 
 
 Some one was cutting into the side of the lodge ! 
 
 Like a flash the truth came upon him, and almost 
 stopped the beating of his heart, for with the know- 
 ledge was the belief that it was a friend that was 
 trying in that cautious way to open communication, 
 with a view of helping him to regain his freedom. 
 
 Acting on the impulse, Asher raised his head and 
 peered intently toward the point. He regretted the 
 sluggishness of the fire, for the light was so dim that 
 he could discern nothing unusual, and, fearing he 
 had done an imprudent thing, he sank back again, 
 making his action like that of a person moving un- 
 consciously in his sleep. He felt that he ought to 
 have awaited further developments before letting it 
 
164 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 be known that he was aware of what was going on. 
 Second thought convinced him that it was as likely 
 to be a friend as an enemy at work. 
 
 That he was right in his supposition that some 
 person was busy on the outside of the tepee was 
 curiously demonstrated within the following two or 
 three minutes. Although a chilly August storm had 
 been raging for hours, the long-continued fire in the 
 lodge made the interior close and warm. The small 
 opening at the apex did not give sufficient draft to 
 lower the atmosphere within. 
 
 There was a perceptible coolness in the air about 
 his head. A slight current was coming in from the 
 outside, and, passing over him, found its escape 
 through the orifice at the top of the lodge. The 
 inference was clear ; an opening had been cut into 
 the side of the tepee. 
 
 The slight abrading sound that had puzzled him 
 was heard no more, for the reason that whoever 
 was at work had finished. The opening was made. 
 
 This new intrusion upon his plans held the youth 
 undecided what to do. He could not know whether 
 a friend or an enemy was near him, and until some 
 sign was made prudence suggested that he do noth- 
 ing. The difficulty of seeing plainly in the dim light 
 was increased by the fact that, as will be remem- 
 bered, the fur sides of the buffalo robes composing 
 the walls of the tepee were turned inward. These 
 
WHO WAS SHEf 165 
 
 being of a dark color, so harmonized with the 
 blackness of the outside that an opening a foot in 
 diameter would not have been visible a couple of 
 paces away. It was the inward flow of air that told 
 the story. 
 
 There was an obvious remedy for this : he had 
 but to reach out and throw some additional sticks 
 on the fire. The flare would fill the interior with 
 light and settle at once one part of the question. 
 It was the fear that the individual was an enemy, 
 who, mistaking the meaning of the action, would 
 fire upon him. In truth, Asher had a shuddering 
 dread that some foe, more malignant than the 
 others, was seeking to slay him through this secret 
 means. 
 
 This doubt, perplexity, and misgiving became 
 such a strain upon his nerves that he would have 
 been forced to end it by some means, had it not 
 been terminated in a way as sudden as unexpected. 
 
 One of the smouldering embers fell apart, sending 
 a glare through the tepee which lasted only a few 
 seconds, but long enough to show not only the 
 opening in the side, but a small, round, glistening 
 object beyond which he knew was a human eye. 
 Some one was peering through the slit at him. Not 
 only that, but the person held the slight opening 
 apart with his finger, the point of which was visible 
 at the lower edge. 
 
1 66 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAlVAS. 
 
 Whether he was a friend or enemy, Asher meant 
 that he should know he was seen. Before the illu- 
 mination had gone out, he raised himself on his elbow 
 and looked straight at the eye which was looking at 
 him. Then, as obscurity came again, he sank back 
 on his couch, wondering what it all meant. 
 
 Once more an unexpected intervention had 
 stopped the carrying out of the plan he had formed, 
 and which he was on the eve of putting into exe- 
 cution. The presence of a man on the outside, so 
 near to where the captive would have had to make 
 his exit, showed the impossibility of escaping. In- 
 deed, it was folly to suppose that after the party of 
 Ottawas had made him captive and placed him in 
 prison, they would allow him the slightest chance of 
 getting away. To slash the robe and creep out, 
 expecting to rise to his feet and make ofT, was as far 
 beyond his power as it was to beat off the twenty 
 warriors when they surrounded him in their canoes. 
 
 The shivering dread that one of the miscreants, 
 probably Gray Wolf, was seeking the means of 
 secretly slaying him, led Asher to roll aside and to 
 jumble up the robes, which he hoped would be mis- 
 taken for his body in the gloom and receive the shot 
 intended for him. But no such shot was fired, and 
 he listened, thinking that the Indian might make 
 another opening closer to him through which to 
 thrust his arm and strike him with his knife. 
 
IV NO WAS SHE? 167 
 
 " He shall not find me unprepared for that," 
 muttered the youth with compressed lips, half wish- 
 ing the attempt might be made. 
 
 There was but one conclusion to reach; escape 
 was out of the question, at least on this night and 
 under these circumstances, and he could only wait 
 and trust to heaven, to which he appealed, that the 
 future might open some way out of his affliction. 
 
 " Good heavens! why did I not think of it ? " 
 
 The light broke upon him like a lightning's flash. 
 The finger which he had looked upon for a moment, as 
 it curled over the lower part of the slit in the buffalo 
 robe, was small and well shaped. He saw enough of 
 it to notice that. It could not have been the finger 
 of a warrior or of a man, but belonged to a woman. 
 
 Who was she ? 
 
 Strange that the fact did not impress him at the 
 time. How blind he was not to see that which 
 should have been as notable as the glistening of the 
 eye itself ! 
 
 Could it have been Madge Linwood ? 
 
 The question almost took away his breath. For one 
 moment he was certain it was she, but sober reflection 
 is a great dampener of hope, and he was speedily 
 forced to see that such could not have been the fact. 
 
 /* If Madge is in this village, she would not be 
 permitted the liberty that would allow her to do a 
 thing like that. Above all, had it been she, she 
 
1 68 POX T/ AC, CHIEF OF TITE OTTAWA S. 
 
 would have spoken or found some way of letting 
 me know it! " 
 
 A second female came into his thoughts — Catha- 
 rine, the Ojibwagirl, the supposed friend of Pontiac 
 and the Ottawas, but the invaluable friend of the 
 imperilled white men at Detroit. She was permitted 
 full freedom of action, and there was nothing improb- 
 able in the thought that she had taken this method 
 of gaining sight of the hapless prisoner. Not wishing 
 the sentinels to know that she had any interest in or 
 cared for him, she refrained from entering by way of 
 the door, but cut a hole in the skin wall in order to 
 identify the captive. Fortunately the raising of his 
 head at the moment of the temporary lighting up of 
 the room made that identification positive. 
 
 " Catharine learned that the Ottawas had brought 
 in a prisoner, and, waiting until she was believed to 
 be asleep, she set out to learn who he was. Can it 
 be that Madge heard the news, and sent her ? ' ' 
 
 It was a perplexing situation in which the youth 
 found himself, and while still striving to find his 
 way out of the labyrinth, he fell asleep. Nature 
 will assert herself, and he did not open his eyes 
 again until the sun was above the horizon. 
 
 It took several minutes for Asher to recall the 
 events of the preceding night, and to remember 
 where he was. When he looked about him, he saw 
 that he had company. A squaw, bent, haggard, 
 
WHO IVAS SffEt 169 
 
 and gaunt, fully three-score and ten years of age, 
 had started the fire afresh and was cooking some 
 kind of meat over the blaze, by skewering it upon 
 sticks and holding it above the flames. Asher rose 
 to a sitting posture and called out : 
 
 " Good morning! " 
 
 The old woman acted as if she did not hear him, 
 and thought him still asleep. 
 
 " White people are not the only ones who become 
 deaf," thought the youth ; " I wish I had some 
 water for my hands and face, but what 's the use of 
 asking a person who cannot hear a word ? At any 
 rate, I 'm hungry, and that meat smells good." 
 
 He held his sitting position until she looked round 
 and saw him. As he met her eye, he nodded, but 
 the little twinkling bead-like orbs seemed to be 
 blind, for she gave no response. The meat was 
 prepared, and she suddenly flung it toward him. 
 
 Asher caught it on the fly, and speedily ate it with 
 the relish that youth and high health gave. 
 
 * ' Thank you ; it is very good, mother. ' * 
 
 She had employed herself in eating, and did not 
 finish as soon as the prisoner, who was still watch- 
 ing her with curious interest, when the flap of the 
 door was drawn aside and an Indian warrior strode 
 into the tepee. 
 
 One glance at the intruder was sufficient : he was 
 Pontiac, chief of the Ottawas. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 PONTIAC. 
 
 PONTIAC, chief of the Ottawas, was of medium 
 height, rather stockily built, with strong fea- 
 tures, which would have been less attractive but 
 for their stamp of intellectuality and their un- 
 mistakable impress of greatness. No one could look 
 at that face without noting his superiority over his 
 followers. There was a flash of the black eye, a curl 
 of the thin lips, a knitting of the brows and a gen- 
 eral air of thoughtfulness and a lofty bearing which 
 marked him as a born leader. 
 
 But this famous sachem lacked the fine ingrained 
 nobility which distinguished Tecumseh, the Shawa- 
 noe. While he had many of the traits that his 
 partisans lacked, he possessed all their vices, the 
 cunning, and the treachery which are characteristics 
 of his race. His burning ambition was to destroy 
 or at least to injure the white people, and in carry- 
 ing out that resolution, no consideration of honor 
 nor any plighted word interposed. When messen- 
 gers went to him from Major Gladwyn at his own 
 request to confer over their trouble, he held them 
 
 170 
 

 PONTIAC. 171 
 
 prisoners and put one to death. The other would 
 have been slain had he not effected his escape. 
 Pontiac professed the warmest friendship for the 
 commandant, while plotting the massacre of himself 
 and garrison. His first visit, under the guise of 
 good will, was intended, as we have shown, to open 
 the way for slaying every white person in Detroit. 
 He was brave but treach-^rous, able but dishonor- 
 able, and shrewd, but altogether untrustworthy. 
 
 Few understood the chieftain better than Asher 
 Norris, who, recognizing the head and front of 
 the gigantic cdispiracy, as he entered the lodge, 
 promptly rose to his feet and made a military salute. 
 They had met before and knew each other well. 
 Aware that the Ottawa spoke English fluently, the 
 youth addressed him : 
 
 " I greet my brother, the great leader of the Ot- 
 tawas and of other tribes who are proud to fight 
 under Pontiac." 
 
 As an impromptu this was creditable in the way 
 of compliment, of which the American Indian is 
 fond, but it may have been that it was because Pon- 
 tiac was so accustomed to fliattery that it produced 
 no visible effect. He looked steadily into the face 
 of the youth who met the gaze unflinchingly while 
 waiting for him to respond. 
 
 ** Why is the white man in the lodge of Wa- 
 mo-aka?" was the demand, as if Asher had 
 
172 lONTJAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 forced his presence into a place where it was not 
 welcome. 
 
 " The warriors of Pontiac took me a prisoner last 
 night and brought me here ; if it is the will of Pon- 
 tiac that I shall depart, I will do so." 
 
 But it was hardly to be supposed that the chief- 
 tain held any such wish. He was not in the habit 
 of returning prisoners. 
 
 " Where was the white man when my warriors 
 made him captive ? " he asked. 
 
 ** In my canoe, paddling on the river." 
 
 " Why in your canoe and paddling on the river ? " 
 
 " One of the fathers at Detroit has lost his daugh- 
 ter; the hearts of the parents are sad because she 
 comes not back to them ; I was looking for her." 
 
 " Did the white man find her ? " 
 
 " I did not; I have not seen her; I know not 
 where she is." 
 
 Asher doubted whether these words were wise. 
 If Pontiac learned that he loved Madge Lin wood, 
 his hatred would be inflamed. Probably he had 
 brought about the death of Pierre Muire because 
 the Canadian had dared to love her, but, on the 
 other hand, it was not to be doubted that the chief 
 intended to slay his prisoner without this additional 
 incentive. Consequently Asher was in the deplor- 
 able dilemma which could be made no worse by any 
 word or act of hisi. 
 
PONTIAC. 173 
 
 He hoped to gain a clue in the reply of the sachem, 
 but was disappointed. 
 
 " The white man has not the eye of the Indian: 
 he cannot see in the night, like the owl and the 
 Ottawa." 
 
 ' * The words of Pontiac are true ; I have not seen 
 the child of my friend; the eyes of Pontiac are 
 keener than those of the white man. 
 
 Still the chief refused to accept the hint. 
 
 " Does the white man love the daughter of th^ 
 pale faces ? * ' 
 
 It was a startling question, whose meaning Asher 
 Norris penetrated, but he cleverly parried the danger. 
 
 " All who know the child of my friend love her, 
 for she is good and kind; the redmen and women 
 love her and would shield her from harm." 
 
 The glittering eyes of the chieftain flashed, and 
 his thin lips closed over his teeth. He seemed to 
 look through his prisoner. Almost any one would 
 have quailed before that burning gaze, but the 
 youth did not waver. He sought to give the 
 impression that he suspected no wrong and trusted 
 the chief, when in truth he looked upon him as he 
 would have looked upon a coiled rattlesnake. 
 
 It would have been interesting could any one 
 have interpreted the thoughts that surged in the 
 brain of the dusky leader, but who but himself could 
 do so ? Asher read the meaning of his question. 
 
174 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 but he had evaded an answer with no little skill. If 
 he supposed, however, the sachem would rest con- 
 tent with preliminary defeat, he was mistaken. 
 
 " Does the white man love her more than do 
 others?" 
 
 Having in mind the parents of Madge, Asher felt 
 he was speaking only the truth, when he replied : 
 
 "No; she is good to all; therefore all love her." 
 
 Deceitful and untruthful himself, Pontiac (as was 
 proved by his subsequent course) did not believe 
 these words ; but he must have seen that it was idle 
 to pursue that line further. 
 
 " Major Gladwyn is an evil man," he said, 
 abruptly changing the range of his remarks; " he 
 speaks with a double tongue ; he is like the serpent 
 in the grass which striken when no one sees it. * ' 
 
 There was no way of agreeing with this sentiment 
 without violating truth, which Asher Norris would 
 not do to save his own life. Major Gladwyn was 
 not a man to speak with a " double tongue," for 
 his sense of honor was exalted. It was Pontiac that 
 had gone to him with lies on his lips. 
 
 " All men speak with a double tongue, when the 
 Great Spirit tells them to do so," was the rather 
 lame declaration of the captive ; * ' when the redman 
 wishes to outwit the white man he makes a cloud 
 before his eyes so that the white man does not see 
 that which hides his face. ' ' 
 
PONTIAC. 175 
 
 Possibly Pontiac saw in these words a veiled allu- 
 sion to himself, but, if so, he did not resent it. 
 
 ' ' Detroit will soon be gone ! " he exclaimed with 
 an energy as sudden as it was startling ; * * the fort 
 and all the houses shall be burned and the white 
 men and women shall become the prisoners of Pon- 
 tiac." 
 
 The high spirit of the prisoner would not allow 
 him to accept this bombast without protest. Why 
 attempt to curry favor with a miscreant whom noth- 
 ing could induce to be merciful or chivalrous ? 
 
 " Pontiac has spoken these words many times; 
 why does he wait ? ' ' 
 
 ' ' Because he is merciful ; he will give the white 
 men and women time to prepare for that which they 
 know is coming." 
 
 This was truly an aboriginal way of stating the 
 case, but it was hardly convincing to the prisoner. 
 
 '* Pontiac has tried to capture the fort, but he 
 failed ; Major Gladwyn is stronger than before. He 
 has more men; he has powder; he has plenty of 
 food." 
 
 " It is a lie! He has not more men! Where is 
 Dalzell ? Where are the hundred white men who 
 fell with him ? The white man speaks lies ! " 
 
 In one sense Pontiac had truth on his side, for 
 unquestionably Detroit was weaker than just before 
 the fearful repulse at Bloody Ridge, but Asher Nor- 
 
 .iiiit. 
 
1/6 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAH^AS. 
 
 ris referred to the steady and certain improvement 
 in the situation of the besieged fort. 
 
 " Pontiac speaks with a single tongue : many of the 
 white men fell with Major Dalzell, as did many war- 
 riors, but others have come ; the palisades and the fort 
 are strong ; the sentinels do not sleep ; they have 
 more powder and bullets than they need ; they have 
 no fear of Pontiac and his warriors ; they know they 
 are safe. ' ' 
 
 Certainly these were brave words under the cir- 
 cumstances, and Asher was doubtful as to their 
 reception, but the chieftain seemed inclined to 
 wordy rather than physical warfare. 
 
 " The redmen are like the leaves on the trees; 
 they are coming to Pontiac; the Pottawatomies, 
 the Wyandots and Ojibwas are here; the Sioux are 
 on the war-path ; the chiefs of the Creeks and Choc- 
 taws and their warriors fill a thousand canoes that 
 are hurrying up the Mississippi to Pontiac ; the Iro- 
 quois, the children of Hiawatha, whose name makes 
 the white men tremble, are treading the forests from 
 the great water toward the rising sun, with their 
 faces toward Detroit; when they come they will 
 crush Major Gladwyn and his soldiers like the grass- 
 hoppers in their path." 
 
 Of this tremendous boast it may be said that it 
 was " important, if true." That Pontiac would 
 secure more allies was extremely probable, but in 
 the meantime, what of the defenders of Detroit ? 
 
Page 777. 
 
 AN UNEXrECTED FRIEND. 
 

 •i. V, 
 
 ■■ .1. . U : ' 
 
PONTIAC. 177 
 
 " The redmen are but a handful to the white 
 men; King Philip tried to slay them, when they 
 were few, but he was killed and his warriors driven 
 into the wilderness ; it will be so again with Pon- 
 tiac; does he think that Major Gladwyn has been 
 forgotten by his white brothers ? No; they will 
 send thousands of soldiers with little and big guns, 
 so that the redmen will flee in affright to the woods. " 
 
 By this time the chieftain must have concluded 
 that his prisoner was capable of drawing as long a 
 bow as he. Instead of replying with another vaunt, 
 he continued looking into his countenance with the 
 same piercing gaze, while Asher Norris met the look 
 with an unwavering stare. Meanwhile, the old 
 woman, who was probably Wa-mo-aka, had left the 
 tepee, and the two were alone. 
 
 The position of the captor and captive was such 
 
 that the back of the former was toward the flap which 
 
 served as a door, while the youth faced it. It was 
 
 at this point in the conversation that Asher saw 
 
 the flap pulled noiselessly aside for the space of a few 
 
 inches, a face thrust forward and immediately with- 
 drawn. 
 
 Brief as was the interval, it was sufficient for him 
 
 to identify the countenance. It was Catharine, 
 
 the Ojibwa maiden, and he no longer doubted that 
 
 it was she who, after cutting the slip in the side of 
 
 the tepee the night before, had looked through and 
 
 recognized him by the glare of the expiring ember. 
 
 _...j&^ 
 
178 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 Pontiac had his knife and tomahawk at his waist, 
 but the upper part of his body was bare and he did 
 not carry his rifle. His chest, like his face, was 
 daubed with streaks of red, yellow, and black paint, 
 which added to the hideousness of his appearance. 
 He allowed his arms to hang loosely at his sides 
 while speaking, except that now and then, when 
 excited, he used them for gesture. 
 
 Most of the time Asher Norris kept his arms 
 folded, for in that way his right hand rested against 
 the handle of his knife, which, as in the case of 
 most of the frontiersmen, was suspended over his 
 heart, though some of them carried it in the girdle 
 at the waist like the Indians. The youth believed 
 the chief would become ungovernably incensed by 
 his words, and would rush upon him with upraised 
 knife. 
 
 " If he does so," was his thought, " there will be 
 a dead Pontiac before Asher Norris takes his depart- 
 ure from this life. I shall not stand idle, or meekly 
 try to escape, but will fight him with might and 
 main." 
 
 It is hardly to be supposed that the Ottawa had 
 any suspicion of the resolution of the captive, 
 despite his undaunted demeanor, or that, if he did 
 suspect it, he would have been frightened from an 
 assault, for, as has been stated, no one who knew 
 Pontiac ever questioned his personal bravery. He 
 
PONTIAC. 179 
 
 was restrained by other causes that were soon to 
 
 become known. 
 
 Instead of replying to the last boast of A.sher, 
 
 Pontiac, after surveying him for a few seconds, 
 
 turned and walked to the entrance. The hanging 
 
 door was drawn aside, and he stooped and passed 
 
 out. Then halting and holding the flap away, he 
 
 beckoned with his other hand for Asher to follow 
 
 him. 
 
 Without a moment's hesitation, the prisoner 
 obeyed. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 WHITHER ? 
 
 IT will be recalled that at no point in this remark- 
 able conversation did Asher Norris show any 
 fear of the terrible Pontiac who held him at his 
 mercy. It war. with the same dauntless demeanor 
 he had shown from the first that he obeyed the 
 gesture of the chief to follow him from the tepee 
 of Wa-mo-aka. Striding across the brief space he 
 lowered his head, passed through the entrance and 
 paused on the outside, where the leader of the Otta- 
 was awaited him. 
 
 There is nothing that the American Indian likes 
 more than unflinching bravery. Had the youth 
 whined and begged for mercy it is quite probable 
 that he would have been smitten to the earth, but 
 when he stood up before the chieftain, as if courting 
 a personal combat, Pontiac lost his malignant hatred 
 for the moment in admiration of the splendid cour- 
 age of the youth. 
 
 But, while all this was true, it must not be sup- 
 posed that the savage held any purpose of reward- 
 ing his prisoner for his unusual demeanor by 
 
 ito 
 
WHITHER? l8l 
 
 presenting him with his freedom. Such is not the 
 nature of the redman. 
 
 The sun was shining, and the scene around the 
 two was of strange interest and activity. The tepees 
 had been set up in the woods, whose exuberant 
 vegetation allowed but few rays of sunlight to pierce 
 their branches. The numerous tents, of which Wa- 
 mo-aka's may be taken as a type, were placed as the 
 location of the tree trunks compelled, so that there 
 was no semblance of symmetry or regularity. 
 Squaws were passing to and fro, children playing 
 and running among the trees, warriors lounging 
 here and there, most of them smoking, but a large 
 number were engaged in cleaning their guns as if 
 preparing for some warlike expedition. Amid all 
 the bustle and activity there were no signs, as far 
 as Asher could note, of the important enterprise of 
 the evening before. If there had been fighting, the 
 Ottawas must have suffered in killed and wounded. 
 But he had heard no sounds of wailing or mourning 
 on the previous night, nor was anything of the kind 
 now present. It looked as if the enterprise, what- 
 ever its nature, had been abandoned. 
 
 The personality of Pontiac was always interesting 
 to his followers, but the awe in which he was held 
 prevented any obtrusive curiosity as to the prisoner 
 with whom he started on a walk in the direction of 
 the river. Every eye seemed to be turned upon the 
 
1 82 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 two as they picked their way in and out among the 
 tepees, but there was more of shrinking back than of 
 pressing forward. No one ventured to address the 
 chief, who did not speak until clear of the village. 
 
 It was then but a short distance to the Canadian 
 settlement, which intervened between the Indian 
 encampment and the Detroit river; but instead of 
 going through that fringe of cabins, Pontiac turned 
 to the right, as if he meant to pass round the upper 
 end, and thus avoid meeting any who were of the 
 same race as his prisoner. 
 
 Asher had plenty of cause for speculation during 
 this singular journey, for the chief did not speak 
 nor give any intimation as to its meaning, but the 
 youth was alert, and it was a striking proof of his 
 acuteness that he made an important discovery, 
 unsuspected by his captor. 
 
 With his thoughts dwelling often upon Madge 
 Linwood, Asher glanced sharply on every hand 
 while picking his way among the tepees in the hope 
 of gaining sight of her. Though he failed, he dis- 
 covered something else of great significance. 
 
 Several Indians were following him and Pontiac. 
 There were two on the right hand and the same 
 number on the left, all deftly dodging among the 
 trees so as nearly to keep pace with the two, and 
 doing it so skilfully that few beside Asher Norris 
 would have noticed them. The uncomforting con- 
 
WHITHER? 183 
 
 viction came to the prisoner that he was being led 
 to his execution, a conviction that was strengthened 
 when he recognized one of the four as his enemy, 
 Gray Wolf. 
 
 Without trying to determine the best thing to do, 
 if indeed he could do anything, Asher decided to be 
 governed by circumstances. If he was doomed to 
 die there was no help for it, but whatever his fate, 
 he would go down with colors flying. 
 
 At the point where they had to turn in order to 
 follow the most direct route to the river, the two 
 emerged into a small natural clearing of a few hun- 
 dred feet in extent. There Pontiac abruptly halted, 
 and, turning upon his companion, said : 
 
 " The white man has a knife; Pontiac has a 
 knife ; they shall learn who is the bravest, and who 
 shall fall to the earth. ' ' 
 
 This sounded very much like a challenge to mor- 
 tal combat. Asher Norris would not have hesitated 
 for an instant to accept the gage of battle, could he 
 have received chivalrous treatment, but he now saw 
 the meaning of the four warriors stealthily following 
 them to this point. They were to watch the com- 
 bat, and the moment it should become necessary to 
 interfere for their chief, they would do so. The 
 whole thing was a characteristic piece of Indian 
 trickery. 
 
 " I will fight Pontiac, and will not ask mercy of 
 
1 84 PONT I AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 him, but is Pontiac the brave man he is said to be, 
 when he brings four of his warriors to help him fight 
 one white man ? " 
 
 It is rarely that an Indian manifests surprise, but 
 the chieftain did so in this instance, immediately 
 rallying and asking as he looked about him : 
 
 " Where are the warriors that the white man tells 
 about?" 
 
 " They followed us from the village of the Otta^ 
 was; they did so by Pontiac's orders; they are hid- 
 ing among the trees." 
 
 Before the chief could make answer to this pointed 
 declaration, two Indians emerged from the woods 
 on the farther side of the clearing, and approached. 
 A glance showed that they were not Ottawas, but 
 belonged to some tribe which Asher did not iden- 
 tify. They had just reached the neighborhood with 
 a large band of warriors, and had set out to find 
 Pontiac for consultation. 
 
 " Huh! " exclaimed the pleased sachem as he re- 
 cognized them. Their coming was unexpected, and 
 all the more gratifying on that account. He stared 
 for a moment and then took several paces forward 
 to meet them, forgetting in his excitement the 
 security of his prisoner. 
 
 " Let Pontiac speak with his brothers," Asher 
 was quick to say; " I will await his pleasure." 
 
 The pledge was kept. It seemed to be a chival- 
 
WHITHER? 185 
 
 rous one, but no credit should be given to the youth 
 who made it. He would have been off like a flash, 
 at the first opportunity, but for the presence of 
 those four sneaking wretches, only a few rods away 
 among the trees, who would have welcomed the 
 excuse for bringing him wounded to the earth and 
 then torturing him afterwards. 
 
 The coming of the Strang, chiefs was a surprise 
 to every one else, and of necessity postponed the 
 scheme that Pontiac had in mind regarding his pris- 
 oner. At best, it was a curious act on his part to 
 take a white man beyond his village for the sake of 
 engaging in a personal combat with him, when there 
 were many more convenient ways of disposing of 
 him. 
 
 It could not have been any faith in the pledge of 
 his captive that led Pontiac to walk away from him, 
 thus leaving him seemingly alone, but he knew that 
 his faithful lieutenants would keep keen watch over 
 him for any length of time. 
 
 Asher was so assured that he would not be harmed 
 while the interview lasted that he studied Pontiac 
 and his two visitors with keen interest. As the 
 three chiefs came together they greeted one another 
 with words uttered in low tones, while Pontiac 
 partly inclined his head, as if he had caught the 
 trick from the white people, but there was no shak- 
 ing of hands or any other form of salutation. The 
 
1 86 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 painted faces were aglow with pleasing excitement, 
 for the new arrivals were as ardent in the cause of 
 the Ottawa as he himself. 
 
 One of the chiefs was the finest Indian that Asher 
 had ever seen. He was tall, graceful, with unusu- 
 ally regular features, and, curious as it may sound, 
 the paint which he had spread on his breast and face 
 displayed some taste, so that it could hardly be said 
 that it disfigured his countenance, an accomplish- 
 ment rarely, if ever, known when the aborigines of 
 this country attempt to wield the artist's brush. 
 
 The three talked with much earnestness and 
 gesture. It was in truth a council of war in which 
 doubtless the commanding general explained to his 
 lieutenants his plan of grand campaign. They must 
 have felt unlimited faith in his prowess and pledges, 
 to bring their warriors so great a distance to take 
 part in th^ sie^e of Detroit, and, if looks could tell 
 anything, that confidence and enthusiasm were 
 intensified during the spirited interview. 
 
 Suddenly Pontiac seemed to decide to go with his 
 visitors to view the reinforcements they had brought 
 to him. He took several steps to do so, when he 
 recalled the prisoner whom he had brought to the 
 spot. He must have expected to find him gone, 
 judging from his half-scared look as he wheeled 
 about ; but there stood the young man with folded 
 arn:s, coolly contemplating him and his companions 
 
WHITHER f 187 
 
 as if awaiting an invitation to join in their consult- 
 ation. 
 
 Pontiac did not intend to take his captive with 
 him, nor was it worth his while to accompany him 
 back to the village. His remedy was at hand. At 
 a signal Gray Wolf and his three companions 
 emerged from the wood into the clearing and drew 
 near. As they approached, Asher N orris cast a 
 meaning look at the Ottawa chieftain, for the inci- 
 dent was confirmatory of his charge, but the reproof 
 was thrown away since Pontiac saw nothing of which 
 to be ashamed in the proceeding. 
 
 There was a few minutes' talk between the leader 
 and Gray Wolf, who nodded his head to signify that 
 his wishes were understood. Then Pontiac strode 
 off with his visitors, quickly passing from sight 
 among the trees. 
 
 Once more Gray Wolf was the custodian of Asher, 
 who in obedience to a gesture turned his face toward 
 the Ottawa village and began retracing his steps. 
 He had noted one trifling thing which caused him 
 more annoyance than would be supposed : the rifle 
 that Gray Wolf carried was the handsome weapon 
 belonging to the prisoner. 
 
 On the return journey Gray Wolf walked imme- 
 diately in front of the captive, the other three 
 being at the rear. Thus Asher had the humiliation 
 of seeing his rifle continually before his eyes, while 
 
l88 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 the detested figure of the thief was as continually 
 present in his vision. The warriors did not tempt 
 the white man to make a dash for freedom, for that 
 would have necessitated violence on their part, for 
 which Pontiac would call them to account. The 
 Ottawa leader was the strictest of autocrats among 
 his people. 
 
 Now that he was not with the prisoner, the rabble 
 of the village, as they may be called, gave unre- 
 strained attention to him. The scowling warriors 
 watched him as he passed, and the women and 
 children drew near with many remarks, evidently 
 not of a complimentary nature, while some of their 
 actions were threatening. 
 
 Suddenly Asher received a resounding blow over 
 his shoulder. He turned angrily, and saw a grinning 
 squaw with a stick in hand, as if asking him how he 
 liked it. He could offer no resistance, but con- 
 tinued walking toward Wa-mo-aka's lodge, with as 
 much dignity as befitted the occasion. Bang ! came 
 a second blow, and this time it was struck by an- 
 other squaw, who did not mean to be surpassed at 
 that kind of amusement. Then several large and 
 small boys joined in, so that in a twinkling, as may 
 be said, Asher was running the gauntlet. He would 
 have been vastly relieved had he dared to wheel 
 about and knock his tormentors right and left, but 
 that would have been unwise, and he bore his perse- 
 
WHITHER? . 189 
 
 cution as philosophically as he could, scorning to 
 break into a run. 
 
 Gray Wolf and his companions made no objection 
 to the outrage, but fortunately the tepee was not 
 far off, and a few minutes later Asher hurried 
 through the entrance, no one daring to follow him. 
 
 " What 's to be the end of this ? " he muttered, 
 flinging himself down on the buffalo robes; " there 
 must be an end very soon " 
 
 He caught his breath, for at that moment the flap 
 was lifted again, and Madge Linwood stood before 
 him. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 MADGE. 
 
 ASHER NORRIS would have rushed forward 
 to clasp Madge Linwood in his arms, but she 
 spoke before he recovered from his shock of amaze- 
 ment: 
 
 " Stay where you are, Asher," she said in a low 
 but earnest voice; " you must not seem too glad to 
 see me; our enemies are all around us." 
 
 He had risen to his feet and paused with several 
 paces between them. The old squaw was absent, 
 but was liable to return at any moment, and even 
 while the girl spoke she saw several eyes at the 
 opening made in the side of the lodge by the knife 
 of Catharine, the Ojibwa maiden, as if there was 
 a strife among the spectators as to which should 
 secure the best view. 
 
 "Madge!" exclaimed the youth in an awed 
 undertone; " how is it you dare come to me ? " 
 
 " My lodge is only a short distance away; were 
 you hurt ? " 
 
 " You mean just now ? No, the bruises were 
 
 only sufficient to make me angry; is this the first 
 
 time you saw me ? " 
 
 X90 
 
MADGE, 191 
 
 " No; I saw you when you walked past with 
 Pontiac, but I dared not speak." 
 
 " I looked for you, Madge, not knowing whether 
 or not I ought to be glad to see you in this accursed 
 place. When were you brought here ? " 
 
 " To-day is Friday; it was on Monday night." 
 
 " What a woful mistake that you were allowed to 
 come with Pierre! " 
 
 * * But his mother was very ill ; I fear she has died. * ' 
 
 "Yes; she died the next morning." 
 
 " Alas; and yet it is well, for she did not know of 
 the cruel taking off of her son." 
 
 *' Then you knew he was killed ? " 
 
 " He was shot at my side; he started to take me 
 home, as he promised, and wa^ paddling hard when 
 a canoe approached. There were three Indians in 
 it. They said something to Pierre which I did not 
 understand, but he was frightened. He began pad- 
 dling as fast as he could, and they followed him. 
 Their position was such that he was forced to head 
 toward this side of the river. Pierre was a fine 
 canoeist, and he drew away from them, though 
 they paddled with might and main. When we ran 
 under the bushes, Pierre said we were safe, and Gray 
 Wolf could not harm us." 
 
 " Then that imp was in the business! " exclaimed 
 Asher. 
 
 " Alas that he was! For Pierre had hardly said 
 
19^ PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 the words when the Indian canoe darted into sight. 
 Gray Wolf raised his gun, and the next minute 
 Pierre was dead. They lifted me out of the boat 
 and brought me here." 
 
 " It was a sad business," said Asher. " The 
 canoe must have caught in the bushes, for I found 
 it drifting the next night." 
 
 The tears of genuine grief filled the eyes of the 
 youth, for he felt as not before the cruel injustice he 
 had done the Canadian of whom he had been so 
 jealous. He was striving to return Madge to her 
 parents, and died in the performance of duty. He 
 doubtless loved the girl, but had not forced his affec- 
 tion upon her. 
 
 She and Asher were standing with half the width 
 of the lodge between them. He asked her to sit 
 down, but she shook her head, saying it was more 
 prudent to keep their feet. There was no saying 
 how many eyes were watching them, and everything 
 would be reported to Pontiac. 
 
 " In whose lodge are you staying, Madge ? " 
 
 " With the wife of Pontiac; he is away most of 
 the time, but she treats me with more kindness than 
 I had a right to expect. ' * 
 
 These words sent a pang through the heart of 
 Asher, for he saw a meaning in them that she did 
 not suspect. 
 
 " You know why I am here? " he said, and, as she 
 
MADGE. 193 
 
 inclined her head, he hurriedly told her what had 
 befallen him from the time he learned she was 
 missing. 
 
 " I have little fear for myself," she added, ** for I 
 do not think they intend me any more harm than to 
 hold me captive for awhile, but, O Asher, my heart 
 is crushed for you." 
 
 " We are both in danger, and yours is as great as 
 mine." 
 
 " I cannot think so, for they have offered me no 
 injury, while my heart stood still when I saw you 
 go by with Pontiac, for I did not believe I would 
 ever see you again. ' ' 
 
 " When did you learn I was your companion in 
 captivity ? ' ' 
 
 " Catharine, the Ojibwa maiden, told me that a 
 white man was brought in last night, but she had 
 not seen him and did not know who he was. My 
 :ieart misgave me, and I begged her to find out who 
 the captive was. She waited until late, and then 
 stole up to the side of the lodge, when none of the 
 sentinels on guard saw her, cut a hole and peeped 
 through." 
 
 " There is the spot," said Asher, indicating the 
 opening; " I saw her eye and the end of her finger 
 as she looked in, but did not suspect who she was 
 until a good while after. Madge, have you had any 
 chance to get away ? " 
 
194 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 She looked surprised and then grieved. 
 
 " Do you think if such came to me I would not 
 seize it on the instant ? I have lain awake the 
 night through, praying for such a chance; I have 
 been on the alert through the day, but not once did 
 it appear; I am still waiting, but beginning to think 
 that I shall have to stay with the Ottawas for a long 
 time — that is, until they begin to think I am satis- 
 fied. Then when their suspicion is less, the oppor- 
 tunity will come to me. Ah, father and mother! 
 How your hearts must ache for your Madge! *' 
 
 And, giving way to her emotions, she buried her 
 face in her hands, while the tears trickled between 
 the fingers. 
 
 It was plain to Asher Norris that the girl had no 
 thought of her real danger. Pontiac was infatuated 
 with Madge, and she, in her youth and innocence, 
 did not dream of the possibility of such a thing. 
 It was his duty to warn her. 
 
 *' Madge, Catharine is your friend, as everybody 
 is ; she will do all she can to help you, and you must 
 try equally hard to help her in trying to help you." 
 
 " I know what you say is true, but none of her 
 people have ever suspected Catharine of being 
 friendly to our race, and she must not run too much 
 danger." ' 
 
 In those words glowed the sweet nature of Madge 
 Linwood. Her first thought was not of herself, but 
 
MADGE. 195 
 
 of Others. Undoubtedly the Ojibwa girl could do 
 a great deal for her, but Madge was ready to inter- 
 pose through fear that it might endanger the safety 
 of her dusky friend. 
 
 " Madge, Pontiac is in love with you, and means 
 to make you his wife ! " 
 
 The fair cheek paled, the dark eyes grew wider ; 
 she was silent a moment, and then gasped : 
 
 * ' In love with me ! Means to make me his wife ! * * 
 
 " Yes; he will never permit you to return to your 
 parents ; if you do not break away and make your 
 escape soon it will be too late." 
 
 " But, Asher, he has a wife! " 
 
 " What of that ? Have not many of the Indians 
 more than one wife ? Aye, some of them have 
 three and four squaws to serve them like beasts of 
 burden. He will suffer no man to interfere ; that is 
 why he had poor Pierre Muire killed ; he knew he 
 loved you." 
 
 " Pierre loved me! He never whispered such a 
 word." 
 
 ** He was too noble to do so until he saw hope, 
 but I knew of his passion ; so did Catharine. Has 
 she not spoken to you ? " 
 
 " Never of Pierre; she did drop a hint about 
 Pontiac; but I did not understand her meaning." 
 
 "You understand it now, Madge; God protect 
 you!" 
 
196 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 " But he has said nothing of the kind to me — not 
 so much as a single word." 
 
 " He can afford to wait, but he will not wait 
 long ; you will learn the whole fearful truth all too 
 soon from his own accursed lips. ' ' 
 
 The revelation seemed too frightful for the girl 
 fully to grasp at first, but, young as she was, her 
 woman's intuition told her that the words just 
 spoken were those of soberness and truth. Quicker 
 than Asher expected she rallied from the shock. 
 
 " But if Pontiac feels thus towards me, he will 
 continue to be kind." 
 
 " He will until you are compelled to say * yes* 
 or ' no ' to him." 
 
 " And I will die a thousand times before saying 
 'yes.' Oh, the thought!" 
 
 And she shuddered as if from the touch of a 
 loathsome serpent. 
 
 " But, Asher," she hastened to add, " I am safe 
 for a while, even though it be brief, while you are 
 in peril every hour. ' ' 
 
 ** Think not of me, but of yourself; Catharine will 
 help you and take the first opportunity to get away ; 
 more depends upon her than upon any one else." 
 
 " Why did not Pontiac return with you ? " 
 
 " Before we reached the river he met two chiefs be- 
 longing to other tribes ; he went off to talk to them 
 and Gray Wolf and the others brought me back. ' ' 
 
MADGE, 197 
 
 The youth did not think it well to tell everything. 
 
 " But for that you would have been killed. He 
 has only deferred your death. You must not stay 
 here another night. ' ' 
 
 ** Those are wise words, dear Madge, but am I 
 not watched as closely as you ? Do you imagine 
 that if but half a chance were offered I would not 
 seize it ? 
 
 " What has become of your Uncle Jo? " 
 
 " Jo Spain ? Ah, misfortunes come together. 
 He left the fort without knowing that you were 
 missing." 
 
 She made no reply, but looked thoughtfully at 
 the ground between them. She was thinking deeply 
 upon something, and he waited for her to explain. 
 Having impressed her with a full sense of her own 
 danger, he felt there was little more to say. She 
 could now be depended upon to do all that was 
 within the possibility of human endeavor. 
 
 ** I wonder whether it is fortunate that new cares 
 have come to Pontiac," she said as if communing 
 with herself. ** He will not disturb me perhaps for 
 a day or two longer, but he may wish to rid himself 
 of you. Asher, does Pontiac think — that — you — 
 love me ? " 
 
 A strange thrill shot through the heart of the 
 youth at these words, for it was the first time 
 that anything of that nature had been said by 
 
198 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE 07'TAWAS. 
 
 either. Mastering his emotion as best he could, he 
 replied : 
 
 " He asked me the question." 
 
 " The wretch ! and what was your reply ? " 
 
 ' ' I said * yes, ' but start not Madge ; my answer 
 was that every one who knew you loved you — his 
 own people as well as those of our race; so how 
 could I help feeling as did they ? I don't know 
 whether that satisfied him, but he had to accept it. 
 You can see how jealous he is of those who dare to 
 look upon you with longing eyes." 
 
 " It must be as you say — it must be " 
 
 A peculiar grunting sound struck upon their ears, 
 as the flap of the tent was raised and Wa-mo-aka, 
 the old squaw, entered. She looked keenly at the 
 two, as if she did not understand the meaning of 
 the scene, and then going over to the robes on which 
 Asher Norris had been reclining, sat down. 
 
 " Can s!ie understand us ? " he asked. 
 
 ' ' She is totally deaf, and cannot speak a word of 
 English." 
 
 " I have not yet asked how it was you were per- 
 mitted to come from the tepee of Pontiac to visit 
 me. 
 
 ' ' I told you that he and his squaw are kind ; they 
 suffer me to go outside of their lodge when I 
 choose, but I am closely watched ; she knows 
 enough English to catch my meaning. So I told 
 
MADGE, 199 
 
 her I was going to speak to the prisoner of Pontiac, 
 and she showed no wish to prevent me. ' ' 
 
 "How long may you stay ? " 
 
 " I have already stayed longer than I intended, 
 but no harm can come from it, since Pontiac is not 
 likely to return for a good while." 
 
 " And when he does return and learns where you 
 have been ? " 
 
 "Is it not proper that one white captive should 
 wish to speak to another, who is also unfortunate ? 
 But I must go; good-by." 
 
 He had hardly time to respond to her parting 
 words, when she was gone, and as she passed out 
 of Wa-mo-aka's tent, the shadow of a great dread 
 and the glow of a great hope rested on her sweet 
 face. 
 
 w 
 
1 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 A PRAYER AND ITS ANSWER. 
 
 T has been a characteristic of some of the great- 
 est military leaders of history that they were as 
 simple in their tastes as the privates under their 
 command. The gaudy uniform, the pomp and show 
 and parade belong, as a rule, to those whose deeds 
 and achievements are in the future. 
 
 Pontiac, chief of the Ottawas, in his dress and 
 manner of living was hardly to be distinguished 
 from the thousand warriors who were ready to fol- 
 low him to death "as to a festival." Had any 
 inquirer entered the Indian village, which stood on 
 the eastern bank of the Detroit river, more than 
 one hundred years ago, in search of the remarkable 
 sachem, he would have been obliged to make 
 inquiry to locate the imperial wigwam. It was one 
 among many, standing, as has been shown, but a 
 short distance from the tepee of Wa-mo-aka, in 
 *^\-,. which Asher N orris was held a prisoner. 
 
 Pontiac had but one wife — at least there was only 
 one with him at the time he laid siege to the famous 
 frontier post — and, like many otht^ noted chieftains, 
 
 300 
 
A PR A YEH AND ITS ANSWER. 201 
 
 he had no children. His squaw was in middle life, 
 and of anything but prepossessing appearance. The 
 life companion of the terrible man speedily learned 
 of his savage and resistless nature, She would no 
 more have dared to go contrary to his remorseless 
 will than would any of the Ottawa warriors whom 
 he led in battle. 
 
 When, therefore, Madge Linwood was brought to 
 his lodge as a captive, the wife received her with 
 apparent pleasure, for she knew it meant her own 
 death to do otherwise. In her heart she may have 
 hated with indescribable intensity the comely maiden 
 of another race, upon whom she saw her husband 
 looking with covetous eyes, but if so her lord and 
 master saw nothing of it, while Madge herself was 
 surprised and relieved to find apparent good-will 
 where she looked for persecution. 
 
 So it was that the few days and nights which she 
 spent in the lodge were as bearable as they could be 
 to the homesick one, who longed for her own 
 parents and friends, and to whom the captivity 
 would have been a horrible nightmare, but for the 
 hope, caused by the kindness from the couple, that 
 she would soon be allowed to go to her own home. 
 
 Pontiac was a shrewd personage in more than one 
 respect. He did not spend most of his time in the 
 lodge, persecuting the captive with his attentions. 
 To do that would have roused dislike, opposition, 
 
202 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 and hatred. He had seen her more than once in 
 Detroit, when all was pleasant between the white 
 and the redman, and even though she was so young 
 he admired and in his own rough way loved her. 
 He was aware that she knew he was the greatest 
 among his race ; he believed he was the chosen 
 Moses to lead the redmen to triumph, and that all 
 the white people in Detroit would soon be at his 
 mercy. When, then, he spared her parents and 
 friends from the doom that awaited the rest, when 
 he launched forth as a conquering and mighty 
 leader, would she not be proud to stand by his side 
 as his queen ? 
 
 All this, of course, is but speculation, but the 
 acts of Pontiac lend reasonableness to the theory 
 that such dreams guided his action for a few mem- 
 orable days. When it is remembered that he was a 
 barbarian, with the crude, wild imaginings of his 
 people, addicted to the most extravagant day 
 dreaming, with a brain surcharged with gorgeous 
 and grotesque fancies, there is nothing incredible in 
 the thought that he believed he could win the 
 maiden of Caucasian blood without resort to the 
 violence that he was ready to use as a last resort. 
 
 The intuition of the female mind is marvellous, 
 and at times past comprehension, even in one so 
 young as Madge Linv/ood or Catharine the Ojibwa, 
 who was sonftewhat older than her civilized sister. 
 
A PRAYER AND ITS ANSWER. 203 
 
 The revelation of Asher Norris, made at a critical 
 moment, was neither too early nor too late. Even 
 whilfc talking with him her active brain evolved a 
 line of action, creditable and even brilliant in con- 
 ception. 
 
 In brief she saw, as she told him, that she was in 
 no immediate danger, for she could dally with Pon- 
 tiac for several days, but as for the youth, his life 
 was not secure for an hour. It had been saved thus 
 far by providential interference, but it was as idle to 
 expect that to continue, as it was to look for a 
 string of miracles, one after another and without 
 end. Unless his release was brought about within 
 the following twenty-four hours, or probably within 
 less time, it would never come. Her thoughts, 
 therefore, were concentrated upon the problem of 
 securing that release. 
 
 There was but the one way possible; appeal to 
 Pontiac himself, and beg of him as a favor that the 
 young man should be sent back to his people. 
 Would he not do so simple a thing in order to win 
 her thanks and smiles ? 
 
 This, in brief, was the line she had determined to 
 follow. When the idea first came into her mind, 
 she was confident of its success. Suppose the chief- 
 tain set Asher free and permitted him to return to 
 Detroit. In what possible way would the chief 
 harm himself or imperil the scheme he had formed ? 
 
204 PONTlAC, CHtEP OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 He looked with contempt upon Major Gladwyn and 
 his garrison, whose temporary safety lay in keeping 
 as closely as possible behind the palisades. He did 
 not dare march out to attack any of the beleaguer- 
 ing tribes, so that no appeal of Asher Norris or of 
 the friends of Madge Linwood could bring any dan- 
 ger of the fair captive being wrested from Pontiac. 
 
 This was the favorable view that first presented 
 itself to her, but intense thought brought to light 
 many " briers in the path." She might truly claim 
 that she would appeal for the same mercy at the 
 hands of the chieftain, no matter who the hapless 
 prisoner was, but the sagacious sachem was quite 
 sure to read truly the deeper, tenderer feeling that 
 actuated the girl, and a suspicion on his part that 
 the youth dared to love the maiden would set aflame 
 all the ungovernable ferocity of his nature against 
 his more comely rival. If he had ordered Pierre 
 Muire to be shot, because of a hint that the Cana- 
 dian presumed to be a rival even in thought, how 
 much more merciless would he be toward the youth 
 of whose sentiments there could be no doubt ? 
 
 So it was that poignant fear was mingled with 
 hope. She must, if possible, allay the suspicion of 
 Pontiac, who, in his rage, might throw all dissem- 
 blance aside, slay Asher Norris and compel her to 
 be his companion. It was this dread which clouded 
 her face, even while it glowed with hope, as she 
 
A PR A YER AXD ITS ANSWER. 205 
 
 bade Asher good-by and passed out of the lodge of 
 Wa-mo-aka to return to her own. 
 
 She longed for the companionship of Catharine 
 the Ojibwa. She could fully trust her and needed 
 her counsel. The two together could plan better 
 than apart and unaided. Catharine was in the 
 lodge when Madge left it a short time before, for 
 that historical character, whose friendship for the 
 whites seemed never to have been suspected by her 
 own people, wandered at will among the different 
 nationalities, as Pontiac himself might have done. 
 
 But Catharine was absent ; and when Madge 
 inquired of the wife of Pontiac, that woman in her 
 broken English replied that she did not know where 
 the girl had gone, but thought it likely she was with 
 her own people, the Ojibwas. Madge was about to 
 make further inquiry, when lo ! through the entrance 
 came Pontiac himself. 
 
 One glance at that hard, painted countenance told 
 the startled Madge that he was in buoyant spirits. 
 The arrival of reinforcements must have produced 
 its effect upon him, and done much to quell the im- 
 patience he was beginning to feel that Detroit was 
 so long in falling into his hands. He spoke to his 
 wife, who straightway set about preparing a simple 
 meal for her great husband, and then turning to 
 Madge, who was standing near the middle of the 
 lodge, made her a salute which looked all the more 
 
2o6 PONT I AC CHIEF, OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 odd from him since it was a genuine military one. 
 Madge replied with bright eyes and beaming smile, 
 trying to adapt her language to that which she had 
 heard so often from the Indian visitors at Detroit. 
 
 " The sunlight shines in the face of the great 
 Pontiac; he is happy; and it makes the heart of 
 Madge happy to see the chieftain thus." 
 
 " The sunlight in the face of Pontiac is that which 
 comes from the Morning Light, the fairest among 
 her people ; if her light is withdrawn, the sky will 
 have no sun nor moon nor stars." 
 
 This was the most overwhelming compliment she 
 had ever heard from the dusky miscreant, and it 
 fairly chilled her. But, after all, it was to be ex- 
 pected, and she must brace herself to stand a great 
 deal more like it. 
 
 " Pontiac is a great chief; he has slain many of 
 my people, and taken many of them prisoners ; 
 there is a prisoner in the lodge of Wa-mo-aka. ' * 
 
 This was coming to the point quite abruptly, but 
 Madge's soul so revolted at the flattery of the Otta- 
 wa, and she was so distressed for her friend that she 
 could not wait as long as perhaps was prudent. 
 The face of Pontiac darkened, and he looked stead- 
 ily at her for a moment, when he walked to his 
 couch and sat down. He motioned her to place 
 herself beside him, but she made as if she did not 
 understand him. 
 
A PRA YER AND ITS ANSIVER. 20/ 
 
 << 
 
 Why docs the Morning Light mourn for the 
 white captive ? " he asked, with his black eyes still 
 fixed upon her countenance. The girl felt the hot 
 flush on her cheeks, but with superb poise she made 
 answer : 
 
 " The heart of Morning Light sorrows for all her 
 friends; she knows that Pontiac can be merciful; 
 she begs that he will set the young man free, that 
 he may go home to his people ; surely when Pon- 
 tiac's warriors are like leaves in the wood, he cares 
 naught for any single man. ' ' 
 
 " Will it bring the sunlight back to the face of 
 the Morning Light if Pontiac does as she wishes ? " 
 
 " Yes, O yes — my heart vill be glad, and I will 
 thank Pontiac." 
 
 He made no reply, but, seated on the buffalo 
 robes, with her standing before him, he followed his 
 trick of looking steadily into her countenance for 
 some moments without speaking. 
 
 Madge's heart was throbbing painfully. Her hor- 
 ror was that he would attach to his promise some 
 condition from which she would shrink as if from 
 death. She believed he would demand that she 
 would promise to become his squaw, and such 
 promise she could not give to save the life that 
 was tenfold dearer to her than her own. 
 
 It is impossible to imagine the thoughts that 
 passed through the brain of the dusky leader during 
 
 r . ?: .yt r?T -^ '" ^ ^ ' -a\^ 'g - ' ■■/■: \ ' vj • .'. ' . ' ii. 
 
208 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 the distressing seconds that followed, and while he 
 seemed to look her through and through. At the 
 moment when the suspense was growing unbear- 
 able, he sprang to his feet with the exclamation : 
 
 " It shall be as Morning Light wishes ! The 
 white prisoner shall go to his home ! " 
 
 Could she believe her senses ? Yes, there wds no 
 mistaking the words ; Pontiac had given his pledge. 
 Not only that, but he immediately strode out of the 
 lodge, as if with the determination to do as he 
 promised without any delay. 
 
 Madge clasped her hands and murmured : " Thank 
 you, Pontiac ! Thank heaven ! " 
 
 He did not glance at her as he went forth, and 
 she stood like one dazed, bewildered, and still doubt- 
 ing that she had heard aright. 
 
 " He said that Asher should go free; he has done 
 it to please me. I dared not hope he would yield 
 so quickly, but he has done so, and before the night 
 comes Asher wi ' I c with his friends in Detroit! " 
 
 In her gratitude she clasped her hands again, and, 
 looking upward, devoutly thanked heaven for its 
 great mercy. Her happiness was too radiant just 
 then for her to see all the bearings of the strange 
 incident, or to give room for the torturing doubt 
 that was to come to her later. 
 
 Asher Norris was seated on the robes in the tepee 
 of Wa-mo-aka, speculating as to the outcome of the 
 
A PRAYER AND ITS ANSWER. 2O9 
 
 peril in which he and Madge were involved, when 
 once more the flap of the lodge was lifted, and Pon- 
 tiac stood before him, and once more the prisoner 
 rose to his feet and made a military salute. 
 
 ** Does my brother wish to go home to his peo- 
 ple ? ' * was his abrupt question, accompanied by his 
 usual piercing gaze. 
 
 " It would cheer my heart to do so," replied 
 Asher, bowing his head, but doubtful of the full 
 meaning of the question. 
 
 He noted that for the first time the chieftain 
 referred to him as ' ' brother. * ' 
 
 " It shall be as my brother wishes; let him go 
 with Pontiac." 
 
 Facing about, the chieftain walked slowly to the 
 opening, drew aside the flap and passed out. It 
 need not be said that Asher N orris was not slow in 
 following him, though he understood Indian treach- 
 ery too well not to believe that it was in the mind 
 of the chief of the Ottawas at that moment. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 FREE ? 
 
 ONE thing was clear to Asher Norris: this real 
 or pretended release was an answer to the 
 prayer of Madge Linwood. Pontiac would not have 
 held out the hope to him, but for his wish to win 
 favor in her eyes. 
 
 Be that as it may, it was not the time to hesitate 
 or waver. On the outside of the lodge, the chief- 
 tain was awaiting him, and, without another word, 
 he set out through the village, taking the same 
 course as before. The prisoner could not know how 
 much time had elapsed between Pontiac's leaving 
 his own lodge and entering that of Wa-mo-aka, so 
 he was unaware of the plans he had formed. 
 
 Naturally the youth looked about to see whether 
 his previous experience was to be repeated, but he 
 observed nothing of the warriors that had stealthily 
 followed him to the clearing, where Pontiac met the 
 two brother chiefs. Men, squaws, and children 
 gazed curiously at him as he passed, but there was 
 no interference All were too afraid of offending 
 their ferocious leader. 
 
 a 10 
 
FREEf 211 
 
 Thus the journey continued until they passed 
 beyond the village, and stood alone among the 
 trees. Then Pontiac, who did not bring his rifle 
 with him, cnce more paused and confronted his 
 captive. As he did so, a sudden resolution took 
 possession of Asher Norris. 
 
 " We are close to the village," he reflected, " and 
 the Canadian settlement is between me and the 
 river, but I shall not go back to captivity. If he 
 undertakes to return, or to call any of his warriors 
 to him, I will leap upon him, slay him before they 
 can arrive, and then dash off among the trees ! 
 Whatever may be the result of this interview, it 
 marks the end of m> captivity. * ' 
 
 He suspected and hoped that the chieftain meant 
 to challenge him to mortal combat. He must know 
 that Asher had learned of the presence of the four 
 warriors within call, earlier in the day, and possibly 
 through shamefacedness he now scorned to guard 
 himself in the same way when the journey was 
 repeated. 
 
 But the youth was mistaken in each instance. 
 
 " Let my brother go to Major Gladwyn and tell' 
 him that he comes from Pontiac," said that person- 
 age, folding his arms and coolly surveying him; 
 " tell Major Gladwyn that a thousand warriors have 
 come from the south and from the east; that a 
 thousand more are coming from the north and 
 
212 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 west; they will soon be here; Pontiac will ask 
 Major Gladwyn once more to surrender ; if he says 
 No, Detroit shall be burned, and not a scalp left 
 upon the crown of any man of the garrison ! " 
 
 Asher did not deem it wise at that time to reply 
 to the boasting in similar terms. He bowed his 
 head and said : 
 
 " It shall be as Pontiac says, but shall I not have 
 the company of the great Pontiac all the way ? " 
 
 " No; these shall go with him to the gate of 
 Detroit." 
 
 As he spoke, he pointed to one side, and beyond 
 the youth, who turned his head to read the mean- 
 ing of the words, and it was with unspeakable 
 chagrin that he saw Gray Wolf and a second warrior 
 within a dozen paces of him. They had come up 
 so silently while the two were talking that the pris- 
 oner had not heard the rustling of a leaf. It must 
 have been that when Pontiac left the presence of 
 Madge Linwood he lingered long enough on the 
 way to make this arrangement with his trusted 
 lieutenant. 
 
 It was almost a mortal disappointment, and the 
 feelings of the youth were much like those of Pon- 
 tiac, when he entered the gate of Detroit with his 
 warriors and saw at the first glance that his plot had 
 been betrayed, and the commandant was ready for 
 him. But, like that bafHed miscreant, Asher 
 
FREEt 213 
 
 repressed every sign of his mortification, and sur- 
 veyed the two men as if he expected them. 
 
 Gray Wolf had tomahawk, knife, and rifle, the 
 last the weapon belonging to the captive, while the 
 second warrior was similarly armed. It was a hope- 
 less fight against these two, when not a single fire- 
 arm was in his grasp. 
 
 Pontiac was through with his part, and, without 
 another word, he turned his face away and strode in 
 the direction of his village, quickly disappearing 
 from sight. 
 
 The presence of Gray Wolf and his companion 
 removed all doubt from the mind of Asher Norris 
 as to the intended treachery on the part of Pontiac. 
 The chieftain had resolved that the prisoner should 
 never recross the Detroit river ; he should be slain 
 before he could make the attempt. 
 
 Everything pointed unerringly to this fact. If 
 Pontiac meant that the young man should go free, 
 what need of these two warriors ? All that Asher 
 could have asked was that he and the leader should 
 part just as they had done, beyond sight of any one 
 else. If, with such advantage, he could not take 
 care of himself, he would absolve Pontiac from all 
 blame. 
 
 What could be clearer than the whole plot of the 
 Ottawa ? He had promised Madge that the pris- 
 oner should be released, and would report to her 
 
214 rONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 that he had led him beyond the village, and there 
 parted with him. This would be true, and could be 
 verified if she asked for it. If it should turn out 
 that he had failed to reach his home, the fault would 
 be his own in not avoiding some of the Ottawas that 
 were always abroad. She could not blame her royal 
 lover for that. 
 
 One cause of wonderment with Asher was that, 
 through all his perils, he had been allowed to retain 
 his hunting knife. He still had his powder horn 
 and bullet pouch, but they were of no account so 
 long as his rifle was in the hands of his enemy. 
 Either of his custodians could bring his gun to a 
 level and shoot him at whatever moment the whim 
 took possession of the savage. 
 
 Having settled into the belief that the task of 
 assassination was turned over to these two willing 
 instruments, the youth strove to think of some des- 
 perate means to defeat them. His natural thought 
 was of leaping upon Gray Wolf, as the more for- 
 midable of the two, wrench the gun from him, 
 shoot the other, and engage the former in personal 
 combat. 
 
 This was a wild scheme, but he would have 
 adopted it, had the chance offered, even with the 
 remote prospect of success. He reflected that the 
 instant he seized one of the Ottawas, the other 
 would take the alarm. Even if the youth's assault 
 
FREE? 215 
 
 was resistless, it would require a few seconds to 
 crush Gray Wolf and place him hots de combat^ dur- 
 ing which his companion would not be idle. 
 
 As has been said, however, Asher Norris only 
 needed the chance to embrace it, but Gray Wolf 
 acted as if he held a suspicion of the determination 
 in the brain of their captive. Both he and his com- 
 panion kept several paces away, though the prisoner 
 affected an ease that he was very far from feeling. 
 
 While events proved that Asher was right in his 
 belief regarding these two wretches, he erred in 
 another respect. It was fortunate for him that the 
 opportunity did not offer for assailing Gray Wolf, 
 for surely he never could have succeeded in his 
 purpose. He suspected they would resume the 
 journey to the river, passing round the upper end of 
 the settlement, and not making any demonstration 
 against him until the water was reached ; it was this 
 supposition that was wrong. 
 
 The two may have asked themselves the natural 
 question as to why they should defer the pleasure 
 of slaying one of their hereditary enemies. They 
 knew that it was the wish of Pontiac that he should 
 be slain, and the circumstances being such that the 
 usual torture was out of the question, the sooner 
 the job was over the better. 
 
 The three were probably an eighth of a mile 
 beyond the Ottawa village and a less distance from 
 
 ' '"i-ir rill- 1tfiiili'Siiiiiif(t'il- 
 
 j&. 
 
2l6 PONT I AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 the northern extremity of the Canadian settlement. 
 The woods were dense, and there was a considerable 
 undergrowth. The day was not so sultry as the 
 preceding, the fall of rain having cooled the air, 
 while a gentle breeze stole through the branches of 
 the trees. 
 
 Asher glanced sharply about, but saw no one. 
 He did not expect to discover a friend, but sus- 
 pected that other warriors were threading their way 
 to the spot. Following the motion of his eyes, the 
 Ottawas did the same, but did not seem to be any 
 more successful. 
 
 Asher stood looking at his guardians, but did not 
 speak. His attitude and manner indicated that he 
 was waiting their orders. They had started as if to 
 lead the way, but before he began following them, 
 they abruptly halted and talked together in low tones. 
 
 At that moment no more than a dozen yards 
 intervened between captive and captors. The 
 former stood motionless, intently watching them, 
 for he saw a sinister meaning in their actions. Of 
 what were they conversing ? 
 
 To his dismay, this had not lasted more than two 
 minutes, when Gray Wolf emitted a peculiar excla- 
 mation, as if to attract attention, and raising the 
 rifle in his hands, carefully sighted at Asher Norris. 
 Although unspeakably startled, the latter darted 
 behind the trunk of a tree near him. Since it would 
 
FXEEf 217 
 
 have been the easiest thing in the world for the 
 Ottawa to shoot him while making the movement, 
 his refraining from doing so indicated that he 
 meant to have some amusement with his victim 
 before ending his existence. It was incompatible 
 with Indian nature to allow a hapless prisoner to die 
 a quick death when there was any chance of tortur- 
 ing him, even by deferring for a few minutes his 
 taking off. Asher had interposed the large trunk of 
 the oak between him and the savage, and was safe 
 for the moment. But he instantly risked his life 
 again by peeping from behind his shield to learn 
 what his tormentors were doing. 
 
 Gray Wolf had lowered the gun and he and his 
 companion were laughing so merrily that their 
 bodies shook — an unusual sight in an Indian. It 
 was high old fun for both of them. 
 
 The youth had about made up his mind to run 
 for it, taking his chances of dodging among the 
 trees, when he discovered that a change of procedure 
 had begun. While the second Ottawa kept his 
 position, Gray Wolf began moving slowly around 
 in a circle, with his gaze upon the tree behind 
 which Asher was crouching. It will be noted that 
 it was impossible for the trunk to screen him for 
 more than a few seconds. When the two Indians 
 stood at the corners of a triangle he would of neces- 
 sity be in the range of one of them. 
 
2l8 PONT I AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 Gray Wolf walked slowly to the left, coming 
 somewhat nearer so that nothing could intervene for 
 more than a moment between him and his victim. 
 Since to avoid him would bring Asher within sight 
 of the other, he stood still. The tragedy might as 
 well end then and there, providing his enemies were 
 willing it should. As for himself, he was resolved 
 not to furnish any more entertainment by his futile 
 efforts to escape, when escape was out of the 
 question. 
 
 Gray Wolf's mirth having subsided, he seemed to 
 decide to wind up the farce at once. He raised 
 Asher's rifle once more to a dead level and carefully 
 sighted along the barrel. It was an appalling ordeal 
 for the youth, thus to hold his position instead of 
 whisking behind the tree, but he bravely did so. 
 
 Closing his eyes, he commended his soul to Him 
 who gave it, and awaited the last awful moment. 
 
 The next moment the sharp whip-like crack of a 
 rifle split the air, and Asher quivered as if the bullet 
 had entered his body. But he knew the next 
 instant that it had not. 
 
 He was unharmed ! He was untouched! 
 
 *' He has missed!" was the thought; " there is 
 hope for me ! " 
 
 But what meant that wild shriek which mingled 
 with rather than followed the report of the rifle ? 
 
 Dazed and at a loss as to whether he had heard 
 
IN THE NICK OF TIME. 
 
 Page 2l8. 
 
FREEf 219 
 
 aright, Asher stared toward the point where had 
 stood G.ay Wolf with levelled rifle. As he did so, 
 he saw an astonishing sight. 
 
 It was the Ottawa that emitted the frenzied cry, 
 and, at the moment Asher perceived him, he had 
 leaped several feet into the air, with arms out- 
 stretched and the gun falling from his grasp, as he 
 sprawled forward on his face as dead as Julius 
 Cxsar. 
 
 " Look out, you lunkhead! there *s another of 
 the consarned varmints!" called the invincible 
 ranger Jo Spain from some point near at hand. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 SHE 'LL do it. 
 
 SINCE Ashcr Norris stood with the tree between 
 him and the other Ottawa, he had only to 
 maintain his position to be safe for the moment, 
 while by alertness he could hope to avoid any shot 
 from him. The sound of his relative's warning told 
 him his situation on the instant, and he did not 
 stir. 
 
 Having discharged his Bess, the ranger could do 
 nothing more until it was reloaded, which he set 
 himself to do with incredible deftness, in order to 
 give attention to the Indian that as yet was un- 
 scathed. Meanwhile he stood close to a tree, ready 
 to dodge behind it if the warrior turned upon him. 
 
 In the thrill of the moment the youth could not 
 help peeping cautiously from behind his shield, to 
 see how matters stood. 
 
 The second Ottawa was dazed for an instant, and 
 then, observing what had befallen Gray Wolf, and 
 suspecting that other enemies were at hand, he 
 wheeled and ran for his life. He was in the act of 
 starting when Asher caught sight of him. Without 
 
 aao 
 
SHE 'LL DO IT. 221 
 
 hesitation the youth dashed from behind the tree, 
 and with a few bounds was beside the h'feless body, 
 and had snatched up his loaded lifle. 
 
 Events passed with a bewildering swiftness. Be- 
 fore he could bring the weapon to his shoulder, and 
 ere Jo Spain could finish reloading his gun, the 
 panic-stricken warrior had vanished among the trees 
 in the direction of his village, when the s:out strode 
 into view, and extended his hand to his nephew. 
 
 " It looks, younker, as if I arriv at about the 
 right time." 
 
 " Nothing could have been more providential," 
 was the grateful response. " I had given up all 
 hope. ' ' 
 
 *' Never say die till you 'r^ dead." 
 
 " And I was close to that ! If Gray Wolf had not 
 indulged in a little amusement you would have been 
 too late." 
 
 " It sort of has that look; but, younker, what 
 hev you been up to that I find you in this scrape ? 
 What bus'ness had that varmint with your gun ? " 
 
 " It *s quite a story. Uncle Jo." 
 
 " Well, I reckon it '11 keep, and since these quar- 
 ters mought become a little hot, 'spose we make a 
 shift to a safer spot. ' ' 
 
 The ranger strode off with his long, silent tread, 
 until they had gone several hundred yards deeper in 
 the forest, but in a northern direction, so that they 
 
222 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 V 
 
 were that much farther from the Ottawa village and 
 the Canadian settlement. Then, reaching a fallen 
 tree, he sat down on it, as if there were no such 
 thing in the world as hostile redmen, while Asher, 
 hardly able as yet to realize the wonderful fortune 
 that had come to him, se;ited himself beside him, 
 smiling, radiant, and happy. 
 
 " Begin, younker, and let 's hev it all." 
 
 And thus encouraged, the youth told the princi- 
 pal events in his experience since his arrival at 
 Detroit, the ranger listening attentively and now 
 and then making a characteristic comment. 
 
 ' * Things hev got sorter mixed while I was prowl- 
 ing through the woods, ' ' he remarked ; " I knowed 
 nothin' 'bout Madge Linwood, till this mornin', 
 when Major Gladwyn told me." 
 
 " But I understood from him that you expected 
 to be absent for several days, so I had no thought 
 of receiving your help." 
 
 " It was proverdence, younker, proverdence; the 
 Major wanted me to take a good squar' peep at all 
 the Injin villages for some miles 'round, and that 
 was something that could n't be done under a week. 
 But howsumever, and inasmuch as I had n't been 
 out long when I seed something that I thought he 
 oughter know, I went back with the news. Then I 
 diskivered that Pontiac had several hundred var- 
 . mints that had jined him from the south and it 
 
SHE'LL DO IT. 223 
 
 struck r kj as a good thing that the Major should 
 know tl it. Accordingly, as I afore obsarved, I 
 dropped in at Detroit to tell him this mornin' when 
 I heerd about Madge, likewise about yourself. 
 And then I was mad. ' ' 
 
 "At whom?" 
 
 "At you." 
 
 "And why at me?" asked his nephew, well 
 knowing what was coming. 
 
 " 'Cause you was such an infernal fool, and I 
 'spose always will be ; some folks is born that way, 
 and you 're one of them folks ! " 
 
 " What have I done that is so foolish ? " 
 
 " Do you ask me that question when you haven't 
 forgot what 's just took place ? " 
 
 " But do you suppose, Jo, that I could remain 
 idle at home, knowing that Madge was a prisoner of 
 Pontiac?" 
 
 " Did n't her own folks tell you to do the same ? " 
 
 " And mine encouraged me to do the opposite." 
 
 " That 's where you get your tomfoolery from; 
 you inherit it. Peggy Norris, your mother, is my 
 sister, and I have frequently made the same obser- 
 vation to her ever since she was a gal. In the fust 
 place, you did n't know that Madge was in the 
 hands of the Otterwas, but larnin' it afterwards you 
 go nosin' round the village and got yourself took. 
 Did you cackerlate that that was goin' to yank her 
 
224 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 out of her trouble ? Did it do the same afore- 
 said ? " 
 
 There was hard sense in the rough words of the 
 ranger, and his nephew was forced to respond after 
 a moment's silence: 
 
 " I admit that I have acted foolishly, but, Jo, I 
 could not sit down and mourn her as dead when I 
 knew she was alive. ' ' 
 
 " And you thought that by goin' dead yourself it 
 would fix things for her; howsumever, we '11 drop 
 that part of the aforesaid subject, which I reckon 
 the same is n't the most pleasant thing to talk 
 about." 
 
 " You have n't told me how you happened to 
 arrive here in the nick of time. ' ' 
 
 " There ain't much to tell. When I heerd the 
 'ticklers this mornin' I made a purty good guess at 
 the truth. Madge was a prisoner at one of the 
 villages, most likely that of Pontiac, and you was 
 somewhere in the neighborhood tryin' to get a 
 squint at her. So I sot out to take a peep at the 
 nest of Otterwas over there. I was on my way to 
 do the same, when I arriv here ; that 's all there is 
 to it." 
 
 "It is wonderful, wonderful," repeated Asher, 
 who but for the sight of his grim relative at his side, 
 and the presence of his good rifle in his two hands, 
 might have fancied he was dreaming; " but," he 
 
SHE'LL DO IT. 22$ 
 
 added, rousing himself, " the dreadful fact remains 
 that Madge is still in the power of Pontiac, and I 
 see no way of saving her ; do you ? ' ' 
 
 Instead of directly replying, Jo Spain crossed his 
 sinewy legs, folded his arms, so as to inclose the rifle 
 between his knees, and stared off among the trees. 
 He was in deep thought. Asher waited for him to 
 speak, meantime studying the bronzed countenance, 
 with its rugged lines, expressive of determination, 
 mingled with a certain humorous nature which mani- 
 fested itself at the most unexpected times. 
 
 He slowly shook his head. 
 
 " I don't see any way of helpin' the gal." 
 
 " Then are we to abandon her to her fate ? " de- 
 manded Asher, excitedly. 
 
 " I did n't say that, but I do say it 's 'bout the 
 best thing for you to do, which, bein' the same 
 aforesaid, it 's just the thing you won't do. You 
 see the way of it is that king varmint of a Pontiac is 
 in love with Madge. ' ' 
 
 Asher had been careful to give no intimation that 
 such was his own conviction, and he was startled by 
 the blunt declaration of his relative. 
 
 " Is that favorable or unfavorable ? " 
 
 " It may be either, 'cordin* to the cuteness of the 
 gal. I consider her as cute as they make 'em." 
 
 " How will the fact that he is in love with her 
 
 prove to Madge's advantage ? " 
 ■s 
 
 IS. 
 
 I m iiiiiMiia^iiiMl'aMiiii — 1^ iwiiiilfci^'irttTibii— Am 
 
226 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 " Pontiac is sich a highfalutin' big-headed var- 
 mint, like some folks I know, which the same I 
 ain't mentionin' their names, that he 's fool 'nough 
 to think he can git the gal to 'gree to become his 
 squaw, and she, seein' the same can play off, keep- 
 in' him at his distance." 
 
 •* But that cannot go on forever." 
 
 " No; I sh'd ruther say not." 
 
 *' Nor for very long; he will not be content to 
 wait ; he will lose patience. ' ' 
 
 " Them words of yours is true." 
 
 " The question, then, is how long can she play 
 this double part, which must be revolting to her 
 whole nature." 
 
 " I should say for three or four days." 
 
 " Heavens ! and what then ? " 
 
 •• Don't ask me to guess; I '11 say, howsumever, 
 that if she does n't git away from that infarnal vil- 
 lage inside of the next three days, you '11 never see 
 her agin." 
 
 Asher caught his breath, and yet this was the 
 very belief that had taken possession of him. It 
 sounded brutal, however, to hear another speak so 
 plainly of the horrible fact. 
 
 " Is there no way you can think of by which she 
 can be helped ? ' * 
 
 "It is n't clear to me now; the fust thing that 
 naterally would come to mind is that of scoopin' in 
 
SHE'LL DO IT. 22/ 
 
 some vallyble warrior and offerin* to trade him for 
 the gal, but there 's one 'bjection to that, rayther, 
 I should say, there 's two of the same." 
 
 " What are they ? " 
 
 "We 've got to scoop the warrior, which must be 
 a chief, and the way ain't clear for doin' of the 
 same; the next 'bjection is that bein' that Pontiac 
 is in love with the gal, he won't trade her off for 
 any dozen chiefs we might catch. So that plan will 
 hev to be shelved." 
 
 " Is there no one of whom Pontiac is fond — say 
 his wife " 
 
 Jo Spain interrupted his nephew with a hearty, 
 though silent laugh. 
 
 " Would n't the old varmint be glad to let us hev 
 his squaw while he kept the purty gal ? I reckon 
 nothin' would suit him better. No; he don't love 
 any one 'ceptin' the gal aforesaid ; you 've got to 
 think up something better than that. Likewise, 
 you forgit that if he wanted to keep his reg'lar wife, 
 it would be as hard for us to scoop her as to pick up 
 Madge and run off with her. ' * 
 
 ** You hold out no hope at all! " was the despair- 
 ing exclamation of Asher Norris. 
 
 " Not quite as bad as that," replied the scout, 
 who felt something akin to pity for his young rela- 
 tive, whose heart was wrapped up in the sweet girl ; 
 " I 've been thinkin' " 
 
22S PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 He hesitated, as if in doubt whether to express 
 his thought. 
 
 " Tell me what it is. " 
 
 " Do you know where Catharine, that Ojibwer 
 gal, is?" 
 
 In his hurried story, Asher had not referred to 
 her. 
 
 " Why, she 's with Madge ! I ought to have 
 told you." 
 
 For the first time since their meeting, the ranger 
 showed excitement. He unfolded his arms and 
 wheeled upon his nephew with the question : 
 
 " Are you sartain of that ? " 
 
 " I saw her; it was she who gave me the first hint 
 of the feeling which Pontiac holds towards Madge." 
 
 The ranger refolded his arms, nodded his head 
 several times, and said, partly to himself: 
 
 " Umph ! that begins to look better — yes, that 
 looks better. ' * 
 
 The heart of the youth was thrilled by hope. 
 
 " Tell me, Jo, in what way ? " 
 
 " Well, now that 's a hard thing to do, seein* as 
 how I don't clearly see the same myself, but it 's 
 this way : Madge is as bright as she can be, and the 
 Ojibwer is ekerlly bright ; consequently and afore- 
 said, when they puts their heads together, they are 
 twice as bright as they was before ; it '11 be them 
 two agin* Pontiac, and he '11 hev to git up seven- 
 
SHE'LL DO IT. 229 
 
 teen hours afore daybreak if he wants to outwit 
 them critters." 
 
 " I hope you are right, but I have a dreadful 
 fear." 
 
 "Agin', too," added Jo, disregarding the last 
 remark, " Pontiac and the rest of the varmints think 
 the Ojibwer gal hates us folks as much as he does. 
 Strange that it should be so, but it 's a fact, which 
 the same gives the gal the biggest kind of a chance 
 to do some fine work, and, younker, she '11 do it! " 
 
 ,■*■ 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE PLOTTERS. 
 
 • 
 
 IT will be recalled that Pontiac, chief of the Otta- 
 was, after turning over Asher Norris to the 
 mercies of Gray Wolf and his equally savage com- 
 panion, set out to return to his village, which he 
 had left a short time before with the prisoner in 
 his charge, and to whom he had promised the free- 
 dom he never intended to grant. 
 
 The warrior who escaped the shot of Jo Spain, 
 the ranger, started over the same journey some time 
 after his chief, but reached camp at about the same 
 minute, because he travelled a good deal faster than 
 his leader. 
 
 It was a surprising story told by the messenger: 
 At the moment Gray Wolf held his rifle levelled to 
 shoot the prisoner he was killed by a party of white 
 men concealed in the woods near at hand, and from 
 whom the other Ottawa barely succeeded in escap- 
 ing with his life. Asked to tell the number of 
 enemies, the warrior was unable to do so, but it was 
 his opinion that there must have been nearly or 
 quite a score. Gray Wolf lay where he had fallen, 
 
 830 
 
THE PLOTTERS. 23 1 
 
 unless his foes had carried away his body, something 
 they would not be likely to do. 
 
 Pontiac did not give a thought to the one that 
 had lost his life in trying to carry out his will. That 
 was too common an occurrence to affect him, but 
 he saw that in the presence of so large a party of 
 white men near his village which caused him uneasi- 
 ness. What could be their errand except to make a 
 dash for the rescue of the white maiden who was a 
 captive in his lodge ? 
 
 He was angered that Asher Norris had succeeded 
 after all in getting clear of his captors. He knew 
 that the youth looked with partial eyes upon Morn- 
 ing Light, and he half suspected that Morning Light 
 returned the loving looks. The only absolute 
 surety, in a case of that nature, lay in the taking off 
 of the youth, who, he intended, should perish as 
 Pierre Muire, the Frenchman, had perished. 
 
 And yet, since the chieftain held Morning Light 
 inextricably in his power, what difference could it 
 make to him where his rival was ? At any rate, it 
 was no time now to give thought to him. The 
 errand of the rescue party so near the village must 
 be learned. 
 
 Pontiac, therefore, lost no time in summoning 
 three of his most skilled scouts, whom he sent out 
 with orders to gather the information he wished. 
 If a dozen or twenty men were in the neighborhood, 
 
232 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 steps must be taken to ambuscade or cut them off 
 from returning to Detroit. Among the three war- 
 riors was the one that would have fallen a victim to 
 Jo Spain's rifle had he tarried but a few seconds 
 longer until the ranger was through reloading his 
 weapon. 
 
 Pontiac was sufficient of a philosopher to perceive 
 how the mishap could be turned to his own account. 
 He could now assure Morning Light that the other 
 prisoner had not only been set free, but had gotten 
 safely away, and would soon be at Detroit if he but 
 exercised ordinary care. She could not help feel- 
 ing profoundly grateful for the immeasurable favor 
 thus done her, and in her overflow of thankfulness 
 would be in the right mood to appreciate the great 
 war-chief of the Ottawas. Would she not be proud 
 to become the queen of him who was to be above 
 all others of his kind ? 
 
 Because of the brief time that had passed since 
 leaving her presence, Pontiac probably reflected 
 that the maiden would not be quite ready to accept 
 the statement that Asher Norris was beyond the 
 reach of harm from his enemies. She would wait 
 for other proof, and it would be wiser, therefore, to 
 remain away from her until all doubt on her part 
 was removed. 
 
 Pontile proved that he was not only a philoso- 
 pher, but a sagacious lover, when he thus restrained 
 
THE PLOTTERS. 233 
 
 his natural yearnings and took advantage of every 
 incident that could be turned in his favor. He was 
 an exception to his own people in this respect, in 
 truth to many of the paler-faced race, for often the 
 one with the reputation of wisdom becomes a fool 
 when the heart is at stak^. 
 
 He had halted on the edge of the village to await 
 the return of the three scouts. His presence was 
 noted by many, but none dared to go near him 
 without a summons. He had smitten a warrior to 
 the earth for speaking to him, when the chief was in 
 one of his vicious moods. 
 
 But a light footstep caused him to turn his head, 
 and the hard, painted face lit up when he recognized 
 Catharine, the Ojibwa maiden, smilingly approach- 
 ing. As has been intimated, Pontiac, with all his 
 sagacity, never suspected the loyalty of this remark- 
 able girl, who had saved the garrison of Detroit 
 from massacre by revealing the Ottawa's plot to 
 Major Gladwyn. He was always glad to see her, 
 for he believed she had dore him inestimable service 
 by making known many of the secrets of the post, 
 and he did not doubt her when she declared she 
 would risk her life whenever he wished to do his 
 will. 
 
 The conversation between these two will read 
 better if liberally translated, which may thus be 
 done. 
 
234 PONTJAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 " Ooroa," he said, addressing her by her Ojibwa 
 name, for he never would recognize that which she 
 had received from the white people, " Pontiac is 
 happy to see you, for you arc a true friend of your 
 race." 
 
 "I try to be," was the hypocritical response, 
 ** but why did Pontiac allow the white captive to go 
 back to his people ? " 
 
 " How know you that ? " 
 
 " I saw him pass with Pontiac alone, and when 
 you came back he was not with you. I followed 
 you, too," she added, pertly, " for I wondered 
 what was the will of Pontiac, whose heart is too kind 
 toward his enemies. ' ' 
 
 " It was the prayer of Morning Light, and I could 
 not refuse her, for she is dear to Pontiac." 
 
 The pretty dark eyes of Ooroa expanded as if 
 with wonder, when the artful girl " knew it all." 
 
 " Gray Wolf was shot and his friend ran away." 
 
 " Because there were many white men hiding in 
 the woods." 
 
 " There was but one," said she with a scornful 
 gesture; " he was the great hunter that they call 
 Spain." 
 
 " Does Ooroa tell me that which her eyes told 
 her?" 
 
 " I do ; I was hiding in the wood ; I saw Gra" 
 Wolf fall, then the white man ran forward and took 
 
THE PLOTTERS. 2%% 
 
 the hand of the prisoner that Pontiac set free ; the 
 comoanion of Gray Wolf forgot that he had a gun 
 and fled to the village so fast that he almost stepped 
 upon the heels of the great Pontiac." 
 
 Here was news for the sachem of the Ottawas. 
 He could not doubt that Ooroa spoke the truth and 
 that she had seen everything as described. The 
 score of enemies had dwindled to one or rather two, 
 since the young man secured possession of his gun 
 and joined his friend, who went so opportunely to 
 his help. The scouts must soon return and confirm 
 what she had told him. 
 
 " Where goes Ooroa now ? " 
 
 "To see her friend Morning Light in the lodge 
 of Pontiac." 
 
 " That is well, and she will tell Morning Light 
 that the prisoner is safely on his way to the fort ? " 
 
 " That I will, indeed; she will know that Pontiac 
 speaks with a single tongue, and shows more mercy 
 to his enemies than they do to him." 
 
 The black eyes of the scoundrel sparkled. Who 
 of us is not susceptible to flattery ? And the words 
 of the Ojibwa were the most welcome that could 
 have been uttered, for they encouraged and fanned 
 his love for the white maiden. The wise Ooroa was 
 playing a fine game. 
 
 " Soon," said he, with a sweeping gesture, " Pon- 
 tiac will be king of all the country ; there wiU be no 
 
236 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 white men but those he chooses may live, and they 
 shall be the friends of Morning Light. She shall be 
 queen over them all! " 
 
 The daubs of paint could not hide the glow of 
 exultant anticipation which shone on his counte- 
 nance at this magjnificent picture. It was the dream 
 that nerved his arm in battle, the realization of the 
 hopes of years, an ambition whose grandeur was 
 like that which later enabled the marvellous Corsi- 
 can to overturn thrones like tenpins, to pull down 
 and build up, until he threatened to disturb the 
 " equilibrium of the universe." 
 
 It was at this point that the cunning Ooroa 
 played what might be termed her trump card. 
 Affecting to be awed by the impressiveness of the 
 picture drawn by the great chieftain, she said : 
 
 " Let Pontiac speak to Morning Light this night, 
 for Ooroa will talk with her and prepare her for his 
 coming." 
 
 Strange how a man in the situation of the Ottawa 
 sachem relies upon the frailest support! He had 
 resolved, despite the misgivings first felt, to go 
 into the presence of Madge Linwood and press 
 his suit with all the ardor of his nature, which could 
 ill brook resistance ; but the counsel of one of his 
 own race, and she belonging to the weaker sex, 
 changed his intention on the instant. 
 
 "It shall be as Ooroa says," and without another 
 
THE PLOTTERS. 237 
 
 word, he turned his back and walked away, meeting 
 the scouts whom he saw returning, while the Ojib- 
 wa slowly took her way to the royal lodge. 
 
 The Ottawas who came back gave a report con- 
 firming what Ooroa had told the chieftain. It was 
 only a single white man that had come upon the 
 scene so unexpectedly. The trail showed that he 
 and the released prisoner had gone off in company, 
 and there was no effort to follow them, since it 
 would have been useless. 
 
 The messenger who first brought the startling 
 message seemed to expect a fierce rebuke from his 
 chieftain, but none was given. Pontiac may have 
 seen nothing blamable in the conduct of the war- 
 rior, or possibly the influence of the passion burning 
 in his rugged heart induced an unwonted calmness 
 and charity, altogether foreign to his nature. 
 
 It was now afternoon, and the sachem proceeded 
 to carry out a plan formed earlier in the day. He 
 had had a long consultation with the latest arrivals, 
 and it was his wish to confer with the Pottawato- 
 mies, on the western bank below Detroit. To do 
 so it was necessary, of course, to cross the river, and 
 he took with him the three scouts who had just 
 returned, and who had sent others to bring in the 
 body of Gray Wolf. 
 
 Catharine was happy because she knew that the 
 news she bore with her would make her friend 
 
238 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAIVAS. 
 
 happy. Her affection for Madge Linwood was 
 wonderfully deep and abiding. The sweet, pure, 
 fragrant nature of the girl would have attracted any 
 one, the evil as well as the good, as was shown in 
 the case of the chief of the Ottawas. It was char- 
 acteristic of the love of Catharine that she was ready 
 to risk her life for the sake of Madge, but mingled 
 with and forming a part of the warp and woof of 
 this devotion was a vein of shrewdness and cunning 
 that prevented her from doing anything rash or of 
 a character to endanger the schemes constantly re- 
 volving in her mind. 
 
 That Catharine had not already imperilled her life 
 was because she had not seen how any good could 
 be accomplished by doing so. She now felt that 
 the hour was at hand, and she was ready to pay the 
 cost. 
 
 It was fortunate for the two thai Pontiac's wife 
 held so imperfect a knowledge of English that they 
 could talk with little fear of their whole meaning 
 being understood. Nevertheless, the Ojibwa sat 
 down beside Madge and warded ofif the danger by 
 sinking her voice almost to a whisper. 
 
 " He is free! " were her first words. 
 
 Madge's eyes beamed with delight. 
 
 " No! Can it be ? Is there no mistake ? " 
 
 And then Catharine told her story, hastening to 
 add: 
 
THE PLOTTERS, 239 
 
 •• It was the will of Pontiac that Gray Wolf should 
 shoot him, for, had it not been the will of Pontiac, 
 Gray Wolf would not have dared to try to do so. 
 He came, oh so near success, but the great hunter, 
 Spain, was in time, and he and the one you love 
 walked away together." 
 
 The happy Madge clasped her hands and mur- 
 mured : 
 
 '• Thank heaven ! Asher is safe ! How thankful 
 lam!" 
 
 " But," said the Ojibwa, in a still lower whisper, 
 and glancing furtively at the woman busy with her 
 household duties a few feet away, " now we must 
 think of yourself." 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 A SURPRISE. 
 
 PONTIAC and the three Ottawa warriors walked 
 through their own village, shortly reaching 
 the French settlement, where their steps were 
 as proud and indifferent as if the rude town was a 
 subjugated one, which, in truth, was the fact, since 
 all the inhabitants held him and his followers in the 
 greatest possible fear. They did not glance to 
 the right or left until they reached the edge of the 
 river, where a number of their own canoes lay 
 beside those used by the Canadians. 
 
 With that deference which his subjects always 
 showed him, they waited for him to indicate which 
 was to be used. Without speaking he pointed to 
 a boat large enough to carry half a dozen men. 
 They shoved it clear of the shore, and one held the 
 prow while the chieftain stepped in and seated 
 himself at the end which was to serve as the 
 stern. Rather curiously, Pontiac had not his rifle 
 with him, although each of the others was fully 
 armed. 
 
 When he was seated the three took their places, 
 
 240 
 
A SURPRISE, 241 
 
 first laying their guns in the bottom of the craft. 
 They turned their backs upon him as each picked 
 up a paddle, so that the entire company faced in the 
 direction in which they were going. Bearing in 
 mind that the Pottawatomie village lay some dis- 
 tance to the south of Detroit, and on the same side 
 of the river, it will be noted that the most direct 
 course of the party was diagonally down stream. 
 Instead of taking that direction, however, they 
 headed toward the fort, a fourth of a mile below, 
 but in plain sight. 
 
 The Ottawa canoe was barely one hundred yards 
 from shore when the one at the front ceased pad- 
 dling with a " huh ! " which caused the other two to 
 stop work almost at the same instant. Pontiac had 
 noticed the cause of their agitation. From the 
 wooded shore on the other side issued another 
 canoe, in which were seated two persons. They 
 were white men, and acted as if they intended to 
 attack Pontiac and his companions. 
 
 The demonstration was so threatening that the 
 chieftain might well pause. For a few minutes no 
 one in the Ottawa canoe spoke, while all narrowly 
 studied the other boat, which continued to approach 
 at a deliberate speed, as if the occupants were sure 
 of their game and felt no need to hurry. The next 
 " huh!" came from Pontiac himself, and signified 
 that he had identified the two in the other canoe : 
 
242 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 they were Jo Spain, the ranger, and his nephew, 
 Asher Norris. 
 
 A savage chagrin must have gnawed at the heart 
 of the sachem when he witnessed this irony of fate. 
 The youth whom he meant treacherously to slay 
 was now advancing to attack him ! 
 
 It was the scout that was swinging his paddle in 
 his easy fashion, while Asher, gun in hand, atten- 
 tively watched the Ottawas. Although the distance 
 was considerable, the youth was seen to bring his 
 gun to a level and take a quick aim. Then came a 
 blue puff of smoke, the dull report, and the bullet 
 whistled within an inch of the head of the foremost 
 canoeist. 
 
 It has been said more than once that Pontiac was 
 not lacking in personal bravery. He must have 
 bewailed that he had left his own gun behind him, 
 but, although his companions longed to turn about 
 and hasten to the shore they had just left, he would 
 not permit it. Bending forward, he picked up one 
 of the weapons from the bottom of the canoe, and 
 aiming with the same care as the white man, let fly. 
 
 ** A confounded good shot," coolly remarked the 
 ranger, who almost felt the bullet as it spun past 
 his temple; " now the aforesaid Mr. Joseph Spain 
 will see whether his hand has lost its cunnin'." 
 
 He laid down his dripping paddle, picked up 
 " Bess," and sighted her carefully at the group who 
 
A SCRPRISE. 243 
 
 were still a goodly distance away. Bang! and with 
 a single screech the foremost Ottawa leaped half to 
 his feet and sprawled overboard with a shock that 
 came within a hair of overturning the canoe. 
 
 ** It sorter looks as if the aforesaid Joseph Spain 
 got there," remarked the scout, as he observed the 
 effects of his shot. 
 
 Asher had meanwhile reloaded his piece, and the 
 ranger was doing the same, both keeping sharp 
 watch of their enemies. 
 
 " If it 's all the same to you, and you haint any 
 'bjections to bobbin' your head, why, younker, I 
 beg to suggest, as aforesaid, that you bob now, 
 bein* as how it looks as if one of the varmints was 
 squintin' in this direction agin'." 
 
 But Asher Norris had not awaited the completion 
 of this lengthy warning, for, seeing what was com- 
 ing, he crouched as low as possible in the boat. 
 
 And just then Jo Spain did a wonderful thing. 
 The time was insufficient for him to complete the 
 loading of his rifle, and, aware from what had 
 already taken place, that the Ottawas were adepts 
 in marksmanship, he snatched the gun from his 
 nephew's grasp, brought it to his shoulder, and fired 
 so quickly that it seemed impossible for him to take 
 any kind of aim. 
 
 His purpose was to anticipate the warrior who 
 was sighting with such extreme care that there was 
 
244 POATT/AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 every reason to fear the result. Had the ranger 
 taken the same time, the report of his gun would 
 have meant instant death for one of the Ottawas. 
 As it was, it struck the hostile who was aiming his 
 weapon, and, though it did not terminate his career 
 then and there, it disabled him, and saved our 
 friends. 
 
 The gun of the warrior was discharged, but the 
 bullet whizzed high in the air, while the Ottawa, 
 feeling himself " hit hard," made a spasmodic 
 bound, much the same as his former comrade, but 
 with so violent a wrench and twist that the canoe 
 was overturned, and instantly the three occupants 
 were struggling in the water. 
 
 " Younker, what do you think of that ? " asked 
 his relative, who felt warranted in showing some 
 pride over his skill. 
 
 " I could n't have done better myself. Twenty 
 men like you. Uncle Jo, could clean out the whole 
 Ottawa camp, and bring Madge home." 
 
 " Can't say as to that, but we *d make things 
 lively." 
 
 " What are we to do ? Try to catch any more ? " 
 
 " They 're too fur off; we '11 let 'em go." 
 
 Never had Pontiac met a more exasperating 
 repulse than this. Had he possessed a rifle, or had 
 not the canoe been capsized, he would have made 
 haste to meet the two white men that had not hesi- 
 
A SUXPRISE. 245 
 
 tated to attack double their number. But the 
 tables were turned with a vengeance. Hardly had 
 the fight opened when one of the warriors was slain, 
 a second wounded, and their canoe upset. This 
 culmination of calamities left the Ottawas nothing 
 to do but to get out of the scrape as best they 
 could, and it need not be said that they lost little 
 time in doing so. 
 
 The one first struck sank from sight, but the sec- 
 ond swam ashore, arriving directly behind the chief 
 and the other, who assisted him to his feet. Then 
 they quickly passed in among the trees, for all were 
 in dread of another shot, which was not fired, 
 though Jo Spain indulged in a tantalizing whoop of 
 triumph, which did not tend to soothe the feelings 
 of the defeated hostiles. 
 
 *' It 's a pity," remarked Ashcr, " that your first 
 shot was not aimed at Pontiac." 
 
 The ranger had finished reloading his gun and had 
 taken up his paddle. He abruptly stopped while in 
 the act of dipping it, and looked inquiringly at his 
 nephew. 
 
 " What are you drivin* at, younker ? " 
 
 " You must have heard what I said." 
 
 " Was Pontiac in that canoe ? " 
 
 " That was he sitting in the stern, and he fired 
 the first shot at us." 
 
 •• Well, I '11 be skulped ! " exclaimed Jo, dis- 
 
246 PONTIAC, CHIEF QF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 gustedly. " Do you know, younker, that I did n't 
 obsarve the aforesaid fact ? I had my eyes on the 
 one in front, but since all the varmints was in a line, 
 that don't excoos me. After this, when folks are 
 huntin' for the biggest fool in all creation, please 
 ask 'em to jine my name with.yourn. What a pity 
 I did n't wipe him out when I had such a chance! " 
 
 It was an extraordinary oversight on the part of 
 the ranger, who lost on that day the opportunity of 
 striking the most effective blow possible for Detroit, 
 and, it must also be maintained, failed to do the 
 Indians themselves an immeasurable service. 
 
 Pontiac showed his resolution by not returning to 
 his village after this decisive defeat. He moved up 
 the bank until he found a suitable canoe, into which 
 he and his unwounded warrior entered, the chieftain 
 taking the rifle of the wounded one, who had to 
 limp homeward as best he could. With this boat, 
 the leader started anew to visit the Pottawatomie 
 village ; but it is to be recorded that he kept to the 
 eastern bank until he had reached a point opposite 
 his destination. Even then before heading across he 
 surveyed the river to make sure that that terrible 
 craft and its occupants were not lying in wait for 
 him. 
 
 This time he suffered no molestation. He re- 
 ceived cordial welcome among his allies, but ex- 
 changed only a few words, when he noted disturbing 
 
A SURPRISE. 247 
 
 signs. Several months had passed since the open* 
 ing of the siege, and the Pottawatomies were grow- 
 ing discontented. The hope of success was less 
 than at first, and one of the leaders intimated that 
 if matters did not soon improve he would withdraw. 
 
 The Ottawa brought with him the cure for this 
 discouragement. He had received several hundred 
 reinforcements within the last twenty-four hours, 
 besides which many more were on their way. In a 
 few weeks, at the furthest, there would be enough 
 hostiles gathered around Detroit to render its posi- 
 tion hopeless. If it was deemed unwise to risk life 
 by an assault (and the American Indian generally 
 looks upon that style of fighting as unwise), they 
 could shut off all supplies and thus starve Major 
 Gladwyn and the garrison into submission. 
 
 Pontiac presented this view of matters with so 
 much force that the ardor of the Pottawatomies was 
 renewed, and they became eager to stay and take 
 part in the general jollification that would follow 
 the addition of Detroit to the other western posts 
 that had already fallen into the power of the Ind- 
 ians. So it was that the chieftain felt that he had 
 done a good and necessary work by his visit. 
 
 When Pontiac, late the same evening, entered his 
 lodge, It seemed to have been prepared for his com- 
 ing. The night was quite cool, so that the bright 
 fire which illuminated the interior gave out a 
 
248 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 warmth that was not ungrateful. The wife, as if 
 she divined what was coming, was absent at one of 
 her neighbor's, for the female members of the 
 aboriginal race of this country are as fond of gossip 
 and chat as are their civilized kindred. 
 
 There was an air of tidiness in the tepee out of 
 keeping with the usual appearance of such rude 
 dwellings. The sticks intended for the fire, as they 
 might be needed, were piled near it; a long bow 
 and quiver of arrows leaned against one of the furry 
 sides ; the rifle of the chieftain was in another place, 
 with the powder horn and bullet pouch lying on 
 the ground near the base, while several articles of 
 primitive wearing ipparel, partly belonging to the 
 chieftain and to his wife, were suspended from 
 the supporting saplings, which in turn supported 
 the buffalo robes that constituted the walls of the 
 dwelling. 
 
 The heart of Pontiac must have throbbed ? little 
 more quickly when he saw the familiar form of the 
 maiden seated on the robes at the other side of the 
 tepee, with her shawl wrapped about her shoulders 
 and covering most of her figure. But she did not 
 look up as he entered. She sat with her face toward 
 him, but it was covered by the shawl held in posi- 
 tion by her hands, while her wealth of luxuriant 
 I'^ack hair fell in masses over the face, shutting out 
 from view all except a small portion of the forehead. 
 
A SURi XISE, 249 
 
 He paused for a moment, as if uncertain of the 
 proper course for him. Then advancing toward 
 her, he asked in a softened voice : 
 
 " Will not Morning Light look up au greet 
 Pontiac ? " 
 
 She did not stir or give evidence that she heard 
 him. 
 
 " Pontiac is king of all the tribes. Soon he will 
 be the only king in the country, and Morning Light 
 shall be his queen ! She shall be the proudest of all 
 women ! ' * 
 
 Unable to restrain his impatience, he stepped for- 
 ward and placed his hand upon her head. 
 
 " Let Morning Light look up to Pontiac " 
 
 At that instant the shawl and enveloping hair 
 were flung aside, and the girl looked up, as she was 
 besought to do. 
 
 But it was not Madge Linwood who did so, but 
 Catharine, the Ojibwa maiden. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 THE PLOT. 
 
 WHEN Catharine, the Ojibwa, ceased her con- 
 versation with Pontiac on that memorable 
 afternoon, she knew that if her beloved friend was 
 to be saved, it must be effected before the rise 
 of the morrow's sun. The chieftain would not 
 plague her with his presence until evening, but 
 the imperial savage would accept no refusal, when 
 he went a-wooing. She must consent to become 
 his queen, or, in other words, his squaw. He would 
 know that she would have learned before that time 
 that the youth for whom she had interceded had 
 been liberated by Pontiac, and rot only that, but 
 that he was safe beyond any further harm from the 
 Ottawas or the other tribes in the neighborhood. 
 
 It has been told that Catharine imparted the 
 thrilling tidings to Madge, who was overjoyed. In 
 the midst of her rejoicing the Ojibwa reminded her 
 that the time had come for her to think of herself. 
 
 The scheme formed by these two plotters was a 
 simple one, being merely, as the reader has sur- 
 mised, the exchange of places by the two girls, a 
 
 3$0 
 
THE PLOT. 251 
 
 scheme which even a century ago was not original, 
 though this one possessed some original features. 
 
 " When it is dark you will go forth as Catharine 
 or Ooroa, while I shall stay to meet Pontiac. ' ' 
 
 " But," protested Madge, ** he will punish you, 
 and I cannot agree that you shall suffer on my 
 account." 
 
 There was a peculiar smile on the face of the 
 dusky maiden, as she drew her knife from the girdle 
 about her waist and handed it to the wondering 
 Madge. 
 
 " Now do as I tell you. Raise the knife high, as 
 if you meant to strike me. Tell me I must obey 
 you or you will slay me." 
 
 Reading the meaning of the words and panto- 
 mime, the half -am used Madge followed instruc- 
 tions. Then she handed the weapon back to her 
 friend, who shook her head. 
 
 " Keep it; you may need it." 
 
 At this point in the programme, the wife of Pon- 
 tiac unexpectedly entered the lodge and business 
 was suspended for the time, but, sitting down 
 beside each other, the two conversed in low tones 
 and reached a full understanding. 
 
 As the afternoon wore away, the squaw stirred 
 the fire and prepared the evening meal in her aborig- 
 inal fashion. She had brought with her a couple of 
 plump fish, procured from some one on the outside, 
 
252 PONT I AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 which were already dressed and cleaned for the coals 
 upon which they were placed. Madge was in such 
 a flurry over the crisis close at hand, that she had 
 no appetite, but urged by Catharine, she forced her- 
 self to eat, for, as was said to her, there was no tell- 
 ing when she would gain the chance to partake of 
 food again. 
 
 Night had no more than fairly set in when the 
 Ojibwa took the second step in the daring plot. 
 She told the wife of Pontiac that the chief would 
 return before long and wished to see the two girls 
 alone. Like an obedient and well-trained helpmate, 
 the squaw passed out, with the certainty that she 
 would stay away for a good while, though the pos- 
 sibility of her coming back and overturning every- 
 thing remained to disturb the plotters. 
 
 This act on the part of Catharine was a dangerous 
 one, for when it should come to the knowledge of 
 the chieftain, as was certain to be the case, she 
 would have hard work to reconcile it with her inno- 
 cence. All the same, she took the risk without 
 hesitation. 
 
 When Madge left her home some nights before in 
 the company of Pierre Muire, her attire was such as 
 was common with her sex on the frontier at that 
 time. The dark brown dress was of coarse, home- 
 spun material, while the dainty feet and lower limbs 
 were inclosed more with a view of comfort than 
 
THE PLOT. 253 
 
 appearance, though none of these could conceal the 
 graceful contour of her figure. She wore a dark 
 hat, not wholly unlike those sometimes seen to- 
 day, except that it was devoid of all ornamentation. 
 This was her usual dress, but the thoughtful mother 
 wrapped her own plain, dull-colored shawl about 
 her shoulders. 
 
 " You do not need it to-night, but you may before 
 your return," was the explanation of the parent. 
 
 Aside from her own fair complexion, it will be 
 seen that this attire would identify the girl any- 
 where. She could not pass outside the lodge, by 
 day or night, without being recognized at once. 
 Pontiac had given the most positive orders that 
 while she was at liberty to leave her lodge whenever 
 she wished, yet she was never to be permitted to go 
 out of sight or beyond the bounds of the village. 
 To fully a dozen persons he threatened death, if 
 this command was disregarded, and all thus warned 
 knew he would keep his word. So, although it may 
 seem to the reader that an absurd degree of liberty 
 was allowed the captive, yet, in point of fact, she 
 was as securely guarded as was Asher Norris while 
 in the tepee of Wa-mo-aka. 
 
 Catharine, the Ojibwa, as has been told, was a 
 little older than Madge Linwood, though the differ- 
 ence was hardly manifest in their appearance. They 
 were ot about the same height and each was favored 
 
254 PONT I AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 with an abundant mass of dark hair, which generally 
 hung loose about her shoulders. 
 
 While these were the few points of resemblance, 
 there was much variance between them. The Ojib- 
 wa had the barbaric fondness of her race for gaudy 
 ornaments and show. From the crown of her luxuri- 
 ant hair projected two stained eagle feathers, whose 
 points, curving over, added to her striking beauty. 
 Her chest was protected by a close-fitting jacket or 
 deerskin, which reached to her neck and covered 
 her arms to the wrists, the latter as well as the neck 
 being encircled by rows of bright colored beads. 
 Her skirt descended but a few inches below her 
 knees, and the fringe was stained with almost as 
 many hues as the rainbow. The leggings and moc- 
 casins were brilliantly ornamented in the same man- 
 ner, so that it may be said that Catharine, the 
 Ojibwa, was a typical Indian belle of a century ago. 
 
 Now it will be perceived that if these two girls 
 effected a complete change of costume, their per- 
 sonality would undergo, to a large extent, the same 
 transformation, provided their environments con- 
 tributed to the deception. Had Madge Linwood 
 walked out from the lodge when the (Sun was shin- 
 ing, clothed in the dress of Catharine, even to the 
 drooping eagle feathers, she would not have gone a 
 dozen steps before recognition, but to venture forth 
 in the darkness of night, skilfully avoiding the glare 
 of the fires, wherever they reached the outside, and 
 
THE PLOT. 255 
 
 conducting herself with discretion, she had the best 
 of reasons for hoping for success. 
 
 And that was the plan agreed upon by the two. 
 A complete exchange of costume was effected, 
 Catharine insisting upon an attention to detail that 
 seemed superfluous to her friend. When com- 
 pleted, the metamorphosis was striking. Even 
 Catharine was delighted. 
 
 ' * Your father and mother will not know you, ' ' said 
 the Ojibwa, her black eyes sparkling with pleasure. 
 
 " Suppose that, while I am walking through the 
 village, a warrior speaks to me ; what shall I do ? 
 What shall I say ? " 
 
 '• Do not talk with him." 
 
 *' But I shall have to make some response, or he 
 will become suspicious. * ' 
 
 " Say that you are sad; you cannot speak." 
 
 Madge laughed. 
 
 " But it will not do to say that in English, for 
 then he will know that something is wrong. ' ' 
 
 " Do not I speak in English ? " 
 
 " Not to an Ottawa when he addresses you in his 
 own tongue." 
 
 Catharine saw the difficulty, and bent her head 
 in thought. Her quick wits speedily solved the 
 problem. 
 
 " I will teach you to say the words in Ottawa. 
 Now listen! " 
 
 She uttered a jumble of sounds which to Madge 
 
256 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAlVAS. 
 
 had no meaning, but she quickly committed them 
 to memory, catching the accent and intonation with 
 a skill that Catharine pronounced perfect, though 
 the other could not help a misgiving. 
 
 "If any one addresses you that reply means that 
 you are sad in heart and do not wish to talk. Now 
 let me hear it again. If you should forget it hold 
 your peace, but you will not forget it." 
 
 Every now and then as they talked and examined 
 the details of their disguises, Catharine would sud- 
 denly turn upon her companion and ask her to 
 repeat the sentence. Before long Madge found the 
 task so easy that she believed she would incur no 
 risk in using it with any of the Ottawas. 
 
 It having been settled as to what the course of 
 Madge Linwood should be, the latter now insisted 
 upon knowing what means her friend intended to 
 take to protect herself from the wrath of the terrible 
 Pontiac, who would not spare any one that dared 
 to cross his path. Catharine made light of the 
 request and begged Madge to give it no thought, 
 but it was characteristic of the chivalrous girl that, 
 despite the momentous question at stake, she reso- 
 lutely refused to take advantage of her friend's 
 goodness until some assurance was received that no 
 harm was likely to befall her. 
 
 " You remember," said Catharine, with a pecul- 
 iar smile, " that you took my knife from me, that 
 
THE PLOT. 257 
 
 you raised it over your head, that you said you 
 would slay me unless I did as you commanded; is 
 not that enough ? " 
 
 " Will Pontiac believe you ? Why did you not 
 cry out ? " 
 
 " Through fear of that knife." 
 
 " Why did you send his wife away ? " 
 
 " Because I knew he would wish her away when 
 he returned ; I intended to go also when he came 
 back, for he would see you alone." 
 
 Madge was still in doubt, seeing which the Ojibwa 
 added : 
 
 " Have no fear. Pontiac believes Ooroa, he will 
 not doubt her." 
 
 " I will try to believe you, my dear Catharine, 
 but, if harm comes to you because of this, I shall 
 never forgive myself." 
 
 " The Great Spirit will protect me; let my sister 
 now go." 
 
 Madge tenderly embraced and kissed her devoted 
 friend, who had proved her love by the dreadful risk 
 she had incurred for her sake alone, and then she 
 nerved herself for the ordeal before her. 
 
 As she drew aside the skin that served for a door 
 she uttered a prayer to heaven, and began conning 
 the words that had been taught her by the Ojibwa, 
 for instinctively she felt that the occasion would 
 soon arise for their use. 
 
258 rONTlAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTaH^AS. 
 
 It was comparatively early in the evening, and 
 dark figures were flitting here and there among the 
 trees and tepees. It was a proof of the close sur- 
 veillance to which the Ottawas subjected the pale- 
 face captive, that the moment she appeared several 
 warriors, one after the other, approached quite close 
 and scrutinized her suspiciously; but her dress, 
 dimly seen in the obscurity, and the downcast face, 
 hardly seen at all, were sufficient, and she moved 
 slowly onward without halt or question. 
 
 It was a curious feature of this curious proceeding 
 that the hardest task for Madge Linwood was to 
 restrain herself from breaking into a dash among 
 the trees and into complete darkness. The distance 
 between her and perfect security was so brief that 
 she felt as though she must change her deliberate 
 walk into a headlong run, which in all probability 
 would have proved fatal. 
 
 Suddenly some one struck her a sharp blow on 
 the shoulders. She turned like a flash, with a half- 
 uttered expression, and saw a figure darting off in 
 the gloom. It was a mischievous youth, who had 
 stolen up behind her and administered the blow in 
 sport with the palm of his hand and then darted off 
 before he could be recognized. Understanding its 
 meaning, Madge was quite content to suffer the tem- 
 porary pain for the sake of the sense of additional 
 security it brought. 
 
THE PLOT. 259 
 
 On the outer verge of the tepees she came face to 
 face with two Indians. One passed on as if he saw 
 her not, but the second stopped directly in front of 
 her and addressed a remark in the Ottawa tongue. 
 Madge had the proper reply pat, and uttered it in a 
 low tone, with downcast face ; but who shall imag- 
 ine her fright when she recognized the voice of the 
 Indian as that of Pontiac ? It was the redoutable 
 chieftain himself returning to meet her in his own 
 lodge. 
 
 It was natural that next to Madge, he should 
 wish to speak to the Ojibwa and learn how he stood 
 with the fair captive. So, instead of permitting her 
 to pass on, Pontiac stepped before her again, as she 
 would have moved aside, and addressed another 
 remark to her. 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 OUT IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 MADGE LINWOOD'S lessons in Ottawa had 
 enabled her to master but the single express- 
 ion, and it was fortunate that such was the fact, 
 for had she branched out, assuredly she must have 
 fallen and betrayed the secret upon whose keep- 
 ing her life depended. She, therefore, did the 
 best thing possible by repeating her remark in a 
 feigned voice and turning aside once more as if to 
 pass on. 
 
 Pontiac hesitated. Ooroa must have knowledge 
 he was eager to acquire, and her declaration that 
 she was sad and did not wish to speak only whetted 
 his curiosity, but Ooroa was his friend, and might 
 still be of service to him. He would not offend 
 her. So he stood motionless, and gazed after the 
 dim figure which quickly faded in the gloom. Then 
 he resumed his walk toward his own lodge, never 
 doubting that he would find Morning Light await- 
 ing him. 
 
 Unable to resist that yearning to break into a run, 
 Madge fled at a speed that was unsafe in the gloom, 
 
 ate 
 
OUT IN THE NIGHT, 261 
 
 even though she had now reached a more open 
 part of the country into which the moonlight found 
 its way. Glancing frequently behind her, and 
 making sure that she was not followed, she breathed 
 more freely, and changed her pace to a walk. 
 
 Perhaps it was natural, after all, that this exceed- 
 ingly narrow escape should occur. Catharine, the 
 Ojibwa, acted upon the belief that Pontiac would 
 not return for an hour or more, and yet he arrived 
 at the lodge within fifteen minutes after the flight of 
 Mddge Linwood, who shuddered when she recalled 
 by what a narrow margin she had gained her start 
 from the royal residence. 
 
 In their discussions of the scheme the girls had 
 neglected no contingency likely to arise. Though 
 it would be an immeasurable gain for Madge to 
 shake herself free of the village and its people, and 
 though her prospects of fully eluding Pontiac were 
 good, it remained for her to cross the river and reach 
 Detroit before she would be really safe. Catharine 
 cautioned her friend to keep clear of the French 
 settlement, for, while she was liable to meet some 
 of the Ottawas or Ojibwas, who were always there, 
 she was equally sure of encountering treacherous 
 white men, like Jean Chotean, who, to curry favor 
 with Pontiac, would betray her into his hands. 
 
 The understanding was that Madge should con- 
 tinue up the right bank of the stream until clear of 
 
262 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 the settlement and the Indian village. When there 
 was no doubt of that fact she was to approach the 
 river opposite the small island lying closer to the 
 eastern than the western shore. The problem of 
 crossing the stream and then making her way to 
 Detroit remained, but that was not insurmountable. 
 If she could find no canoe nestling along the bank, 
 she would not hesitate to swim. She was an ex- 
 pert, and not afraid to enter a natatorial contest 
 against Asher Norris himself. 
 
 Catharine promised that if she could safely do so 
 she would follow her friend and endeavor to meet 
 her in the neighborhood, but, unless overtaken 
 by unexpected danger, Madge was not to wait 
 for her. 
 
 The fugitive did not lag. Pausing only long 
 enough to make sure that the most northern cabin 
 of the French settlement was a considerable distance 
 to the rear, she changed her course to the left, and, 
 carefully picking her way through the partlj^ wooded 
 and partly open country, finally saw with a relief 
 indescribable, the reflection of the moonlight on the 
 calmly flowing river a short distance away. 
 
 She would have preferred greater darkness, for 
 when she reached the open it seemed that a score of 
 demon eyes were peeping from the gloom on every 
 hand. Even the shore to which she directed her 
 steps was without any undergrowth or trees, so that 
 
OUT m THE MIGHT. 263 
 
 if any one were near he would assuredly observe 
 her. It was this belief that made her extremely 
 anxious to cross to the other side. Once there, 
 although still in peril, she would feel that little 
 cause for fear remained. 
 
 A devout expression escaped her when she caught 
 sight of a canoe, drawn up the bank and directly in 
 front of her, so that she was not forced to diverge 
 to the right or left to reach it. 
 
 " Heaven has been kinder to me than I deserve," 
 she murmured; " I expected no such good fortune 
 as this." 
 
 She hurried to the little craft, and, as she ex- 
 pected, found nothing lacking. It was large enough 
 to buoy two or three persons, and the paddle lay 
 inside, as if the owner expected soon to return. 
 Madge placed her hand on the prow to shove it 
 clear, but at that moment some one called : 
 
 ** Helloa, there! what are you doing ?" 
 
 The nerves of the girl were so highly strung that 
 she leaped back as if from the warning of a rattle- 
 snake, and glanced affrightedly around. The figure 
 of a man emerged from the wood and strode toward 
 her. 
 
 " I am sad ; I do not wish to talk." 
 
 This was the expression taught to her by Catha- 
 rine, the Ojibwa, but in her panic hearing herself 
 addressed in English, she uttered the words in the 
 
264 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 same tongue. The man who was approaching 
 broke into hearty laughter, which continued until 
 he stood at her side. 
 
 " Why, Catharine, there is no cause to be scared 
 — sacre ! what does this mean ? " 
 
 He had caught sight of the pale affrighted face 
 and saw his mistake. 
 
 "It is not Catharine — it is you, Madge! What 
 sort of a masquerade have you started on that you 
 have borrowed the plumes of the Ojibwa girl ? " 
 
 It was Jean Chotean who addressed her thus, 
 and, though relieved to recognize him, Madge Lin- 
 wood was not wholly freed from fear. 
 
 " Jean, I am fleeing from Pontiac. You know I 
 have been held a prisoner in his village. I took 
 Catharine's dress from her and slipped away without 
 being noticed. I must get across the river and back 
 to Detroit before it is too late. Will you not lend 
 me your boat, that I may make haste ? " 
 
 The Frenchman shrugged his shoulders. He had 
 known of the girl's captivity and did not doubt that 
 she was telling him the truth. 
 
 " This will be bad for Catharine, when Pontiac 
 finds it out, but, my dear girl, there is no cause for 
 haste, since the Ottawa cannot know which course 
 you took." •'^^ 
 
 " But he will search for me. He is doing so now. 
 His warriors will soon be here." 
 
OUT IN THE NTGHT. 265 
 
 " I repeat you have no cause for fear. He can- 
 not know you are here, so why will he come here ? " 
 
 " Jean, why do you trifle with me ? Has he not 
 a hundred warriors who come at his beck ? He will 
 be enraged and will set them hunting for me." 
 
 " The river will soon be full of his canoes. It 
 will not be in your power to reach the other side. 
 It will be true wisdom for you to go home with me 
 and stay with my wife. We will hide you, and 
 when it is safe to do so, take you across the river." 
 
 " No, no, no! I cannot stay on this side. The 
 only hope for m.e is to lose not a moment. Will 
 you take me across ? " 
 
 ' * Follow my advice, Madge, and do as I say " 
 
 The girl wpiS standing so close to the canoe that 
 her dress touched the prow, while Jean Chotean was 
 several paces distant. Like a flash, Madge seized 
 the prow and ran towards the water, shoving the 
 craft before her. The impulse carried it a number 
 of yards out upon the surface, she leaping into it at 
 the instant it was leaving shore, and, while it was 
 still going, she caught up the paddle. 
 
 The Frenchman was astounded and angered. He 
 brought his gun to a level, exclaiming : 
 
 ** I have a right to shoot a thief! " 
 
 ' ' Shoot, if you wish ! I cannot help myself ! " 
 
 The weapon remained poised for a moment, but 
 the scoundrel was not equal to the great crime. He 
 
266 PONTtAC, CHtElP OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 lowered the gun with a muttered execration and 
 watched the figure of the boat and its occupant, as 
 it headed towards the island, not far distant. The 
 moonlight was so clear that he could follow it with 
 his eye, until he saw it pass around the lower end of 
 the island, still making for the mainland. By that 
 time, it had become so dim because of the obscurity 
 and shadows that he could trace it no farther. 
 
 If the act of Madge Linwood needed any proof of 
 its wisdom, it was furnished the next minute, when 
 two Ottawa warriors emerged from the wood, in a 
 state of excitement unusual with their race. 
 
 It proved as Madge had declared. They were 
 already hunting for her and in such numbers, too, 
 that some of them came to the right spot. Had she 
 turned about to accompany Jean Chotean to his 
 home, they would have met these very Indians 
 before going a hundred yards, and had they arrived 
 but a brief while sooner they must have seen her in 
 the canoe passing around the lower end of the island. 
 
 The Frenchman displayed his treachery again, by 
 failing to make any attempt to shield the fugitive. 
 He said that he had come to the spot just in time 
 to see his boat disappearing on the river. There 
 was a woman in it, whom he supposed to be Catha- 
 rine the Ojibwa, until he heard the story of the 
 Ottawas. 
 
 Jean added what was almost the truth: 
 
OUT IN THE NIGHT, 267 
 
 4« 
 
 Had I known that it was the pale face in her 
 dress I would have slain her, at the first oppor- 
 tunity." 
 
 This was important news for the Ottawas, who 
 indulged in a series of signals which demonstrated 
 that Pontiac was using every possible means for 
 securing the fugitive before she could reach her 
 home. They whooped in their own peculiar way, 
 and were immediately answered by similar calls from 
 down-stream, showing that their signals were under- 
 stood. Then they emitted the same calls, and this 
 time the answers came from the direction of the 
 other shore. Pontiac already had his boats on the 
 river, if not on the other bank. This was quick 
 work, though it was possible that those particular 
 men were already there, when the flight of the 
 fugitive began. 
 
 * ' She cannot get away ! She is sure to be re- 
 taken," was the gleeful exclamation of Jean Cho- 
 tean, who saw that no suspicion attached to him ; 
 ' ' it will serve her right for stealing my boat ! " 
 
 Meanwhile, Madge Linwood was conducting her- 
 self like the brave girl she was. She would have 
 allowed the Frenchman to shoot before going to his 
 home with him, for the story told her by Asher 
 Norris left no room for doubt that he intended to 
 betray her into the hands of Pontiac. 
 '•"' When the fellow lowered his gun, she knew there 
 
268 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 was no call for further thought of him. As is the 
 fashion in paddling a canoe, she faced in the direc- 
 tion of the craft, her bright eyes glancing in every 
 direction, for she believed the assertion of the 
 Frenchman that the Indians were abroad on the 
 river as well as in the woods. 
 
 The position of the moon in the heavens threw a 
 ribbon of shadow along the lower part of the island 
 and the western shore. It was this protecting 
 gloom that received and shut her from the sight of 
 the indignant Jean Chotean, and caused him to 
 believe she was paddling with all speed for the 
 mainland beyond — a belief which he impressed 
 upon the two Ottawas, and caused them to make 
 use of it in the signalling in which they indulged. 
 
 As a result of this a canoe was observed coming 
 up stream, soon followed by another, while almost 
 at the same moment a third shot into sight, round- 
 ing the southern part of the island and heading 
 toward the two warriors who from their station on 
 land seemed to be issuing orders right and left. 
 
 " Sacre! " was the exultant exclamation of Jean. 
 
 ** They must have seized her, for they are coming 
 over the very course she took, and it was only a 
 few minutes ago that she passed that way. They 
 met face to face. It serves her right. " 
 
 But as the boat drew near and grew more distinct, 
 he failed to discern his own smaller craft trailing 
 
our IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 269 
 
 after it. There were six brawny warriors swaying 
 their paddles with a vigor that showed they under- 
 stood the value of time and the important crisis at 
 hand. 
 
 Even before the larger boat ran its prow against 
 the bank, it was clear that it contained no one be- 
 side the warriors themselves. Furthermore, a few 
 brief words made it plain that none of the same 
 warriors had caught a glimpse of the canoe, and the 
 girl who had left the same spot but a few minutes 
 before. 
 
 
 *<, 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 THE CLEW. 
 
 FOR once in his life, Pontiac, chief of the Gtta- 
 was, war struck dumb with amazement. 
 Never dreaming of the possibility of mistake, he 
 placed his hand upon the head of her whom he 
 supposed to be Madge Linwood and asked Morning 
 Light, as he poetically termed her, to look up and 
 greet him. The girl who did so was Catharine, the 
 Ojibwa maiden. 
 
 The sachem leaped back, as if struck a sharp 
 blow. Then comprehending the trick that had been 
 played upon him, his soul flamed with irrestrainable 
 wrath. But Catharine saw the brow of thunder, 
 and her cunning did not desert her. Bounding to 
 her feet, with every appearance of terror, she said 
 in a tremulous voice : 
 
 " O mighty Pontiac, save me! Save me from 
 the pale-face woman ! " 
 
 His iron fingers gripped her arm like a vise, and 
 in a voice of a deadly anger and hate, he said : 
 
 " Ooroa has played me false and shall die! " 
 
 It had been her intention to follow a different 
 
 370 
 
THE CLEW. 271 
 
 course, had the arrival of the chief been delayed. 
 She meant to wait until Madge Linwood was safe 
 beyond the village and then make haste to follow 
 her. Why should the Ojibwa remain behind to 
 meet and try to placate the savage chieftain, when 
 she intended to stand by her friend until she was 
 safe within the walls of Detroit ? 
 
 She could make more than one change in her 
 attire, and perhaps confound herself with her seem- 
 ing self that had gone before, so that with a little 
 shrewdness she would escape unpleasant attention, 
 but the unexpected arrival of the sachem changed 
 all this. Catharine's fear was that her friend had 
 not gained enough start to serve her, and her act in 
 dropping and veiling her head was for the purpose 
 of securing more time for her. The trifle gained, 
 however, was of no account, and when she saw that 
 exposure must come, she remained as subtle as ever. 
 The part she played was that she had been terror- 
 ized by the white girl into obeying her, and that 
 she was in a state bordering on collapse, when the 
 chief entered, and did not recognize him until his 
 hand was laid upon her head. 
 
 Pontiac grasped the knife at his girdle, and half 
 drew it. His piercing eyes were fixed upon the girl 
 before him, and evidently he was asking himself : 
 
 " Is she deceiving me ? Is this real, or is it 
 acting ?" 
 
272 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 And Catharine the Ojibwa stood on the very 
 verge of death. Not only that, but she knew it, 
 and not for an instant did her wonderful nerve 
 desert her. She played out her part with a per- 
 fection scarcely credible. Changing her appeals for 
 protection, as she seemed to realize that the dread- 
 ful prisoner had departed, she suddenly threw her- 
 self with the same energy upon another tack. 
 
 " Let the great Pontiac hasten! He may bring 
 her back! Let him go quickly, or he will be too 
 late!*' 
 
 " Which way went Morning Light ? " asked the 
 crafty chieftain, his hand still on his weapon. If 
 she answered wrongly then he would know of a 
 surety that she was playing him false, and he would 
 strike her dead. If she answered rightly, then — ^he 
 would doubt and wait for further proof. 
 
 " Through the door and that way," replied the 
 Ojibwa, who, though she had not seen her friend 
 after she passed outside the lodge, yet knew the 
 course she followed. Catharine indicated the right 
 direction. 
 
 Pontiac shoved his knife back in his girdle. He 
 was not yet convinced, but he would wait a brief 
 
 while. 
 
 The chieftain knew that he had met and ex- 
 changed words with the girl not many rods distant. 
 He was ignorant of her knowledge of Ottawa, and 
 
THE CLEW, 273 
 
 was not surprised, therefore, by the few words she 
 spoke. Moreover, she could not be far off, and he 
 might yet overtake her. He hurried with all speed 
 to the spot of meeting and some way beyond, but 
 the eager eyes caught not the first shadowy glimpse 
 of her. The fugitive, as the reader has learned, 
 made too good use of her opportunity to be caught 
 that easily. 
 
 But Pontiac lost no time. He quickly summoned 
 a number of warriors and made known that the 
 white captive had escaped a short time before, and 
 that she would undoubtedly seek to cross the river 
 as soon as possible. By his directions many hast- 
 ened off to enter canoes and start out to intercept 
 her. For himself he took another course. 
 
 Aware that Madge would devote every effort to 
 reaching Detroit, he kept with him a dozen of his 
 best men, the party filling two canoes, and headed 
 almost directly for the fort at Detroit. Reaching 
 that point with all speed, the Ottawas separated, so 
 as to form a thin line in the woods, which com- 
 pletely surrounded the stockade. Through this line 
 the fugitive would have to pass, and since the war- 
 riors, skilled in woodcraft, would hide themselves in 
 the dense undergrowth, he believed it would be im- 
 possible for her to approach her home without dis- 
 covery. What a bitter woe for her to fail when on 
 
 the threshold of success ! 
 ii 
 
274 ' PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 Meantime, the other Ottawas were fully as busy 
 as their chief. The boat that came into shore where 
 Jean Chotean was standing, no sooner learned by 
 what a narrow chance they had missed the fugitive 
 than they took up the pursuit. The warriors dipped 
 their paddles deep and sped away with utmost speed. 
 
 They had hardly started when one of the other 
 boats arrived. In this were four Ottawas, who, 
 being told that the girl had fled in the canoe belong- 
 ing to the Frenchman, asked him to join in the 
 search. He eagerly did so, and it is hardly to be 
 supposed that the ardor he displayed was pretended. 
 He knew he could be of help, and would be able 
 instantly to identify his boat, which, being similar 
 to many others, might be mistaken by the Indians. 
 
 When the craft containing Jean Chotean passed 
 the lower point of the island the one that had pre- 
 ceded it was out of sight. The leader in the first 
 canoe called to the other to follow him, and, press- 
 ing onward, the larger crew was found at rest under 
 the shadow of the bank. 
 
 A short consultation was held and the course 
 of action agreed upon. If Madge Linwood had 
 crossed the river her canoe must be somewhere near 
 at hand, for it was not to be supposed that in her 
 haste she would throw away precious time by pro- 
 pelling her boat for any distance up- or down-stream, 
 nor would she, after landing, pause to draw the frail 
 
THE CLEW. 275 
 
 craft up out of sight. It was agreed, therefore, that 
 the two larger canoes should separate, one going up- 
 and the other down-stream, and carefully examining 
 the shore for the missing boat. 
 
 This plan was immediately followed. Like a 
 couple of huge shadows the boats crept silently 
 along the wooded bank, and drew directly away 
 from each other. One man in each wielded the 
 paddle, keeping as close as he could to land, while 
 the others parted* the undergrowth, carefully peer- 
 ing and groping in the darkness. This could not be 
 made thoroughly effective, so several landed from 
 each boat, and kept pace with it, thus making the 
 search so close and minute that if the missing boat 
 was anywhere in the neighborhood discovery was 
 inevitable. 
 
 When the two canoes were a furlong apart they 
 paused, and the Ottawas held another council. 
 They had not discovered the first sign of the craft 
 in which Madge Linwood had left the eastern shore. 
 If she had really crossed, she had landed at a higher 
 or lower point. Had she done so ? 
 
 That was the question which occupied the thoughts 
 of the hostiles engaged upon the remarkable hunt. 
 Among them were some of the craftiest scouts of 
 the Ottawa tribe, who, from the first, had been 
 reasoning out the problem, and now began to see 
 that another solution was probable. 
 
276 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 By questioning the voluble Jean Chotean, those 
 in the larger canoe learned that at the moment she 
 passed around the southern end of the island they 
 must have been on the river, coming from the west- 
 ern bank beyond, and in almost a direct line for her. 
 If, therefore, she had kept on, she could not have 
 escaped detection by them. But they had not so 
 much as caught the first glimpse of her. 
 
 The conclusion was inevitable ; she had not 
 crossed the river, but taking advantage of the band 
 of shadows, had passed up the side of the island, 
 and was at that moment in hiding either on the 
 island or somewher.*^ along its wooded banks. When 
 this decision was made known to the others, they 
 were surprised that it had not occurred to them 
 before. 
 
 Inasmuch as there were two boats with which to 
 prosecute the hunt, it could be made thorough, by 
 their taking opposite directions and pursuing them 
 until they met. In that way every part of the shore 
 of the not very extensive island would pass under 
 scrutiny and the small canoe, if hiding anywhere, 
 was sure to be found. 
 
 The crafts parted at the lower end of the island, 
 one going to the right and the other to the left. 
 The former had slight expectation of. finding the 
 boat, for there was little reason to suppose the fugi- 
 tive would approach that side of the island. It was 
 
THE CLEW. 277 
 
 not only under full glow of the moon's rays, but 
 was behind the girl, so that, figuratively speaking, 
 she would be following the back trail, and she was 
 too anxious to reach home to do anything of that 
 nature. 
 
 Jean Chotean was in the boat which, passing 
 around the end of the island, began the cautious 
 ascent of its eastern bank. None of the occupants 
 followed it on shore, as was done on the mainland, 
 for they could press the hunt without doing so. 
 Inasmuch, also, as their task was easier than the 
 other's, they made better progress. Thus they 
 completed their course along the side, rounded the 
 upper end and began descending the western rim 
 before the other canoe had passed one half the 
 distance. 
 
 One of the company in Jean's boat was about to 
 step ashore when an exclamation from the second 
 canoe arrested his action. The call meant that a 
 discovery was made, and abandoning their own 
 hunt, the second boat was paddled hurriedly 
 toward its companion. 
 
 It was found a few feet from land, while the 
 Ottawa, prowling along shore, was seen in a smaller 
 canoe, paddle in hand, holding his newly-found 
 craft motionless under the bow of the larger boat, 
 of which it seemed to be a tender. All the warriors 
 were scrutinizing the find with eager curiosity, and 
 
278 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 awaiting the arrival of the Frenchman that they 
 might hear his verdict. 
 
 There was hardly a doubt in the minds of any 
 one, but they awaited the settlement of the question 
 by the only one that could speak with absolute 
 certainty. 
 
 The new arrival was swung around to meet the 
 smallest boat, which paddled toward it, and Jean 
 leaned over with his hand on the gunwale and scru- 
 tinized it intently. He scarcely needed to do so, 
 and the Ottawas were not surprised when he straight- 
 ened up with the exclamation : 
 
 " That 's my canoe! That 's the one in which 
 the pale-face girl fled ! ' ' 
 
 Such being the fact, the corollary was established 
 that she was on the island. She must have discov- 
 ered the approach of the large boat from the west- 
 er\? shore in time and turned into the bank of 
 shacJow to wait until it passed and gave her the 
 opportunity to continue her flight. But that oppor- 
 tunity did not come. In its stead she was so hard 
 pressed that she was forced to abandon her canoe 
 altogether and take temporary shelter. 
 
 To Jean Chotean Madge Lin wood was as good as 
 recaptured, for how could she leave the island, now 
 that her boat was gone, and her enemies knew 
 where she had concealed herself ? 
 
 Still, the island, small as it was, possessed enough 
 
THE CLEW. 2^9 
 
 extent to enable her to keep out of sight until 
 morning. Had the Indians been double their num- 
 ber they could not have forced her from cover so 
 long as the night lasted. 
 
 The leader of the Ottawas emitted a series of 
 whoops intended to apprise all within hearing that 
 the fox had been driven to its hole and there was 
 no possibility of its eluding them much longer. In 
 a short time other canoes, whose occupants inter- 
 preted the signals aright, paddled toward the island, 
 where before midnight fully two score were gath- 
 ered, awaiting the coming of morn in order to 
 pounce down upon the hapless fugitive. 
 
 It was perhaps because of the haste with which 
 Pontiac undertook the recapture of Madge Linwood 
 that he failed to tell his warriors two truths which it 
 was important they should have known, though 
 possibly the chieftain himself was not aware of one 
 of the truths. 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 THROUGH FOREST AND RIVER. 
 
 THE two truths which it was important for the 
 searchers to know, and which Pontiac failed 
 to tell them, were, first, that Madge Linwood, 
 in effecting her escape, had done so in the attire 
 of Catharine, the Ojibwa girl; and, second, that 
 the fugitive was a swimmer of exceptional skill. 
 It may have been that the chieftain was not aware 
 of the latter fact, but he knew the former, and, with 
 his well-known sagacity, he should not have forgot- 
 ten to make it known to his followers, since a great 
 deal might hinge upon it. 
 
 This ignorance prevailed among the warriors, who 
 separated and surrounded the fort, but the remain- 
 der, who were keeping watch of the island, against 
 whose shore the missing canoe was discovered, 
 learned the truth from Jean Chotean, so that, as far 
 as they were concerned, the partial disguise of the 
 fugitive could not serve her. 
 
 From the incidents already described something 
 has been learned of the movements of Madge which 
 has not been directly told. It was the fact that in 
 
 280 
 
THROUGH FOREST AND RIVER, 28 1 
 
 passing the lower end of the island she descried the 
 Indian canoe just in time to avoid it. She escaped 
 observation because she was in shadow, while that 
 was in moonlight. She instantly drove her canoe 
 up-stream and close to shore, where, securely hid- 
 den from sight, she silentl}/ waited until the other 
 rounded the lower point of the island, and passed 
 from view in the direction of the eastern shore. 
 
 The incident warned Madge that she could not be 
 too careful. That was not the only canoe abroad 
 that night, and the signals which she heard passing 
 back and forth caused her much misgiving and un- 
 easiness. Her fear was that a second canoe might 
 issue from the shore she was so anxious to reach, 
 and, meeting her in mid-stream or near the main- 
 land, shut off all possibility of eluding it. Still, the 
 chances must be taken, and the longer she stayed 
 where she was the less likely was she to effect the 
 passage of the river. With this conviction, she 
 dipped her paddle once more, but had taken only 
 three strokes when she " back-pedalled " so vigor- 
 ously that the canoe was forced hard against the 
 bank she had just left. 
 
 That which had alarmed her was another canoe, 
 which, like the first, would have discovered her but 
 for the shadow along the shore that had already 
 served her so well. She was now compelled to face 
 the problem of getting across the river in the pre- 
 
282 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 sence of the Ottawas, who seemed to be all around 
 her. Beyond question Pontiac was pressing his 
 hunt with vigor. 
 
 As soon as she dared, she carefully pushed her 
 way up the western side of the island, eager, yet 
 afraid, to venture out on the surface of the broad 
 stream. Foot by foot she moved along, until well 
 toward the upper end, where she again paused, still 
 debating whether it would ever be possible to reach 
 the bank, which was " so near, and yet so far." 
 
 Finally she stepped out of the boat, and, thread- 
 ing her way through the wood and undergrowth, 
 reached the eastern side, half disposed to return to 
 the mainland in that direction, and ascend still far- 
 ther the stream before repeating her effort to get 
 across. But she saw that that was impossible. At 
 the same time she did not need to be told that to 
 stay where she was until morning rendered discovery 
 certain. She might awhile, but not for long. 
 
 While an object the size of her canoe was con- 
 spicuous in the moonlight, she herself would be 
 much less so. A sudden inspiration came to her. 
 
 ** I will swim across.** 
 
 Her dress was suitable for this, and she acted 
 upon the resolution without delay. Returning to 
 the western side, and paying no attention to her 
 boat, she softly entered the water and with a prayer 
 for deliverance, began swimming with smooth, even 
 
THROUGH FOREST AND RIVER. 283 
 
 stroke straight away from the spot of land that had 
 done her so good service. She swam low in the 
 water and avoided all haste. She was favored by 
 the fact that the recent rain had set free a quantity 
 of drift wood, so that she encountered limbs, and 
 now and then trees, drifting slowly past. This 
 made it likely that if any of the lynx-eyed Ottawas 
 observed her, she would be taken for some of the 
 dibris. 
 
 Fully alive to her danger, she glanced on every 
 side of her, and with a shiver of affright, saw one of 
 the dreaded canoes some distance below her. Her 
 relief was in the fact that it was heading across the 
 river, though the fear that it was liable at any mo- 
 ment to turn toward her caused her to drop below 
 the surface and swim as far as she could. When 
 she came up, she was directly beside a large limb, 
 floating down-stream. Grasping it with one hand, 
 she used the other as a paddle, glad that fortune 
 had placed so safe a shield within reach. 
 
 The trouble, however, with this was that it 
 retarded her progress, for it was slow work to propel 
 the float, which carried her steadily down-stream 
 toward her enemies. Finally, she cut loose from it 
 and again struck out for the mainland. 
 
 This time the best of fortune attended her. 
 Although she caught shadowy glimpses of the 
 dreaded canoes and heard the signals passing back 
 
284 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 and forth, as proof of the diligence with which the 
 pursuit and hunt were pressed, she did not waver in 
 her task until she passed beneath the overhanging 
 vegetation, and, grasping a limb above her head, 
 stepped out upon dry land. 
 
 The Detroit river had been crossed, and she 
 believed the most difficult and dangerous part of her 
 work was behind her. But she was mistaken. 
 
 With the same coolness and judgment displayed 
 from the first, she went forward until a considerable 
 distance from the shore, when she turned southward 
 in the direction of the fort. She was now on what 
 might be termed the home stretch. As near as 
 she could judge she had about a mile to traverse 
 before reaching the stockade, but did not dream of 
 the cordon Pontiac had thrown around her city of 
 refuge. 
 
 Fortunately the temperature of the August night 
 was such that the bath was refreshing. Her satu- 
 rated garments clung to her, but caused no discom- 
 fort. Had it been necessary it would not have been 
 inconvenient for her to plunge into the stream again 
 and swim to the other side. 
 
 Curious that with all the craftiness of the pursuing 
 Ottawas, the true method of the fugitive's escape, 
 up to this point, did not appear to occur to them, 
 but so it was. The sagacious redmen, when they 
 came upon the canoe, as already described, took it 
 
THROUGH FOREST AND RIVER. 285 
 
 for granted that she was not far off, and they sat 
 down to wait patiently for daylight, in order to 
 trace her to her hiding-place. 
 
 This was the natural result of the forgetfulness or 
 ignorance of one fact that it was important to know. 
 
 Madge Linwood, her heart filled with thankful- 
 ness and hope, pressed steadily through the wood 
 toward her home. She encountered less under- 
 growth than on the other shore and now and then 
 crossed small natural openings, where the space was 
 lit up by the moon's rays. She always felt a shrink- 
 ing when she came to these, and would have passed 
 around them had it been possible, but since that 
 could not be done, she hurried across and drew a 
 breath of relief when among the shadows of the 
 other side. 
 
 The only weapon she possessed wc 1 the knife, the 
 gift of Catharine, the Ojibwa, and that would have 
 been of slight help when she met her enemies. She 
 had no expectation of doing so, but the fact did not 
 lessen her caution. 
 
 According to her best judgment, she had gone 
 about half the distance when she once more reached 
 an open space, no more than a hundred feet in 
 width. Its course was at right angles to the one 
 she was pursuing. She glanced to the right and 
 left, to learn whether she could flank the exposed 
 tract, but could not. Not a tree was growing on it, 
 
286 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAfVAS. 
 
 and only a few stunted bushes appeared here and 
 there. It suggested that a path had been cut 
 through that portion of the wood by pioneers not 
 long before, and the sprouting vegetation had 
 hardly begun to refill the waste place, or it mfght 
 have been that one of those tornadoes or cyclones, 
 which appear to have been less frequent a century 
 ago than now, had cut its swath, which nature was 
 sluggishly seeking to hide from sight. 
 
 Madge hesitated longer than usual, until the 
 thought that she was throwing away valuable time, 
 spurred her to venture into the opening and to walk 
 rapidly toward the other side. She had nearly 
 reached it when she came face to face with an 
 Ottawa warrior, who seemed to be awaiting her ! 
 
 It was a terrifying sight when the Indian stepped 
 foward from the bank of shadow and addressed some 
 words to her. 
 
 Without a moment's hesitation, and with a 
 supreme mastery of her terror, Madge put her hands 
 to her face, bowed her head and advanced straight 
 upon the mystified Indian. He spoke to her again. 
 
 " My heart is sad ; I cannot talk." 
 
 She uttered the words this time in pure Ottawa. 
 She was dressed like Catharine, and the uncertain 
 light favored her. The warrior stood still and 
 allowed her to pass beyond him and into the woe J 
 
 And once again was shown the result of Pontiac's 
 
THROUGH FOREST AND RIVER. 287 
 
 failure to notify his men of a fact which it was im- 
 portant for them to know. 
 
 But it was an exceedingly narrow escape, and 
 caused Madge a shudder of fear. Her inimitable 
 nerve had served her well, but she had learned an 
 alarming truth : the Ottawas were between her and 
 Detroit, and she must run the gauntlet before 
 attaining safety. 
 
 The phase of the situation that gave her sore mis- 
 giving was that if she reached the open ground sur- 
 rounding the palisades during the night time, she 
 could not be admitted without exposing herself to 
 imminent peril. The gate would not be opened for 
 her until she was recognized as a friend, and that 
 would take so long that if the Ottawas were prowl- 
 ing in the vicinity they would have plenty of oppor- 
 tunity in which to capture her. The prudent part 
 for her seemed to be to remain concealed until morn- 
 ing, when she could readily open communication, 
 bring the needed help, and escape all danger. 
 
 It was a hard task to do this. She was near 
 home, and to remain willingly in the wood^ exposed 
 to ail manner of peril, as the slow hours passed, 
 until the light of the rising sun drove away the 
 shadows, was a trial which it is safe to say few of 
 her sex would have met successfully. 
 
 But Madge Linwood did it. When the bright 
 sunlight filled the forest arches, she was a short 
 
288 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 distance to the northward of Detroit, wakeful, alert, 
 and full of hope. 
 
 It was not the least remarkable feature of that 
 which was remarkable throughout that these weari- 
 some hours were passed within stone's throw of the 
 line which Pontiac had thrown around Detroit, for 
 no other purpose than to intercept her flight to the 
 fort. While she sat on a fallen tree, awaiting the 
 tedious passage of the hours, a warrior sat on a 
 stump only a few rods away, and neither discovered 
 nor suspected the presence of the other. 
 
 That is to say, neither did so, so long as the 
 night lasted. When at last darkness fled and the 
 woods were filled with light, Madge rose from the 
 fallen tree to resume her journey, and, as she did 
 so, she became aware that an Ottawa was standing 
 a little way off, rifle in hand, and intently surveying 
 her. 
 
 It was useless to flee or to attempt to make use 
 of her disguise. The Indian had identified her and 
 was probably wondering at the incongruity of her 
 dress and personality. She was in savage attire, 
 but she was a white person. 
 
 Even in that frightful moment, Madge Linwood's 
 courage did not forsake her. Repressing, so far as 
 she could, her tumultuous emotion, she walked 
 toward her enemy, and, gesticulating excitedly, 
 said : 
 
 
THROUGH FOREST AND RIVER. 289 
 
 " Flee, Ottawa, as quick as you can! Delay 
 not ! The white hunters are about you ! " 
 
 Evic'ently the savage understoood enough English 
 to catch the meaning of these words, but he showed 
 no haste in acting upon the advice. He glanced 
 toward all the points of the compass with the quick- 
 ness of a cat, and then fixed his gaze upon the girl 
 who was now immediately before him. 
 
 " If the Ottawa waits he will be too late! He 
 must run at once! Why does he tarry ? " 
 
 The warrior made a pretence of looking to the 
 right' and left, and then said, with a grin : 
 
 " Where white man ? — me no see him — show him 
 — where debbil he be ? " 
 
 " He is near at hand " 
 
 " Consarn your picter! The gal 's right! Why 
 don't you take her advice ? " 
 
 The question was asked by Jo Spain, who walked 
 forward from somewhere, with his rifle a^ ^uU cock 
 and his finger on the trigger. To put it mildly, the 
 Ottawa was somewhat astonished, for he could no 
 longer doubt the truth of the counsel just given to 
 him. 
 
 »9 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 THE Ottawa warrior was caught under circum- 
 stances similar to those which caused the over- 
 throw of Gray Wolf. In this instance, however, 
 the ranger did not shoot him, not because he was 
 inclined to show him mercy, for the hard school in 
 which he was trained taught him a different creed, 
 but because he knew that the report of his gun 
 would alarm other hostiles in the neighborhood. 
 
 Jo Spain and Asher Norris had learned of the 
 cordon spread around Detroit, and during the night 
 ascertained enough to know that Madge Linwood, 
 by some means, had escaped from the Ottawa vil- 
 lage and was striving to reach home. They set out 
 to give the utmost aid they could, and, guided by 
 Providence, came to the right spot at the right mo- 
 ment ; for the welcome words of the elder were yet 
 in his mouth when the youth also appeared on the 
 scene. The glow on the face of Madge was no 
 brighter than that on his when they approached and 
 spoke to each other. 
 
 The Ottawa was one of those individuals that had 
 
 390 
 
CONCLUSION. 291 
 
 the wit to comprehend when an enemy had scored 
 the " drop " on him, for the ranger supplemented 
 his first greeting and threatening action by the 
 information that if the warrior attempted to run or 
 to emit a single yawp, he would use him as a target 
 for a test of his marksmanship. It was sufficient to 
 cause the Ottawa to stand motionless, glum and 
 silent, but watchful for a chance to get away. 
 
 " Now there *s no time for you two younkers to 
 look soft and talk softer," added Jo, a piece of 
 information altogether superfluous since the two 
 were too sensible and too fully alive to their danger 
 to indulge in any " spooning," " as inasmuch and 
 aforesaid the varmints aie as plenty as leaves on 
 the ground." 
 
 *' What are we to do, Jo ? " asked Madge. 
 
 " Git into the fort if the thing can be done; you 
 and the younker foller me and this sweet lookin* 
 gentleman. 
 
 Addressing the Ottawa in his native tongue, Jo 
 ordered him to walk in the direction of the fort. 
 
 The captive obeyed like a child, but he was as 
 cunning as a serpent, and his captor knew it. 
 
 " The varmint means to try some trick," was the 
 latter* s thought ; "I don't want to waste a bullet 
 on him, but I '11 do it if I hev to." 
 
 Before reaching the edge of the clearing which 
 surrounded the settlement of Detroit, the party 
 
292 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 veered to the right. The Ottawa was directly in 
 front, moving silently and scowlingly, with the hun- 
 ter almost upon his heels and directing him as to his 
 course. Immediately behind the ranger came Asher 
 Norris and Madge Linwood, side by side, but so 
 impressed with the crisis that they hardly exchanged 
 a word or gave attention to each other. 
 
 The walk was a brief one to the margin of the 
 clearing. There all paused, for before them loomed 
 the high stockades, the bastions, and the huge gate 
 which distinguished the defences of the frontier 
 post. It was necessary now to attract the attention 
 of the sentinels, so that the gate would be opened 
 to admit the little party when they made a dash 
 across the open space, with the certainty of being 
 seen by some of the Ottawas prowling in the 
 vicinity. 
 
 Jo Spain gave the prisoner to understand that at 
 the first move on his part the youth behind him 
 would shoot him dead. Turning toward Asher, he 
 added : 
 
 " I 'm goin* to put myself in front of the var- 
 mint, so I won't be able to watch him ; keep your 
 eye on him, younker, and if he tries to raise his 
 gun, let fly and don't miss, for if you do, it 's 
 * good-by. Uncle Jo ' ; but if he does anything else, 
 like startin' to run. don't shoot, but let him go." 
 
 "And why?" 
 
CONCLUSION. 293 
 
 " He won't have 'nough time to do much harm, 
 and you want to save your shot." 
 
 " It shall be as you wish. Have no fear of him." 
 
 Jo was satisfied that he and his friends had not 
 been discovered by any of the other hostiles in the 
 vicinity, though such discovery was likely to occur 
 at any moment. He now boldly stepped forth into 
 view, and not only waved his hat to the sentinels 
 on duty, but signalled to them. 
 
 It seemed an exasperatingly hard task to attract 
 their attention, and while he was trying to do so, 
 the little group received an addition in the person of 
 Catharine, the Ojibwa girl, who slipped out of the 
 wood like a shadow, and running to the side of the 
 delighted Madge, placed her arm around her waist. 
 
 ** I have been hunting you through most of the 
 night, my sister, and my heart is glad that I have 
 found you so near home." 
 
 " And happy and thankful am I, but O Catharine, 
 we are still in great peril." 
 
 Jo Spain, a few paces away, on the edge of the 
 wood, heard the voices and glanced back, but said 
 nothing, nor did he change his position or cease 
 swinging his cap and signalling to the stupid senti- 
 nels. The coming of Catharine disconcerted Asher 
 for the moment, and, though he held his rifle 
 pointed toward the Ottawa, he turned his head for 
 an instant, and smiled to note that the two girls had 
 
294 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 changed costumes, so that unless their faces were 
 seen, they would have been mistaken for each 
 other. 
 
 The Ottawa prisoner took advantage like a flash 
 of this brief diversion. With one bound he was 
 among the trees, running like a deer. Either the 
 ranger or the youth could have brought him down 
 had he wished, despite the clever attempts of the 
 fugitive to disconcert their aim, by whisking and 
 dodging behind the trunks, but neither of them 
 fired. Time had become so precious that the fate 
 of the little party must be determined before this 
 particular hostile could work them evil, and, more- 
 over, the whites valued their ammunition too highly 
 to throw it away. 
 
 At last the ranger caught the attention of the 
 sentinel near the gate, who shouted across the inter- 
 vening space : 
 
 " Look out for the Indians! The woods are full 
 of them ! Make a run for it ! " 
 
 ** Have the gate ready for us! " called back Jo 
 Spain. 
 
 " It is ready! " 
 
 Numerous figures popped up to view on the sup- 
 ports behind the tops of the stockaae, ready to help 
 the fugitives in their brief run for Hfe. 
 
 Jo looked round at his friends, as if to see that aJl 
 were there. 
 
CONCLUSION. 295 
 
 ** The younker and I will lead, and Madge, you 
 and Catharine follow a little way behind us; we '11 
 not run too fast ; come on ! " 
 
 They had grouped themselves together while he 
 was speaking. No one else opened lips. They 
 were pale but determined, for each knew that this 
 was the final crisis. The presence of the Ojibwa 
 with the whites settled her status, and she could no 
 longer trust herself in the power of Pontiac or any 
 of his followers. 
 
 The ranger wasted no time in preliminaries. He 
 had explained his wishes and they were understood. 
 With the last word he stepped once more into full 
 view in the clearing, and broke into a loping run for 
 the large gate of the stockades, Asher Norris main- 
 taining his place at his side. 
 
 Madge waited for them to gain a slight start, 
 when, holding the hand of her friend, she moved 
 forward to follow them. But the Ojibwa held back 
 and did not stir. 
 
 *' Come, Catharine," said the affrighted Madge, 
 tugging at her hand, " we must not delay a mo- 
 ment. ' ' 
 
 ** What does my sister see ? " she asked, pointing 
 to the right of the clearing, from which issued at 
 that moment six or eight Ottawas, with the plain 
 purpose of cutting off the party before they could 
 reach the gate. 
 
296 PONT/AC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS, 
 
 Jo Spain had been equally quick to perceive the 
 new danger. 
 
 " Give 'em a shot, younker," he said to his com- 
 panion ; '* it 's lucky we saved our powder." 
 
 The two stopped abruptly in their flight, brought 
 their guns to a level and discharging them with fatal 
 effect, both striking the Indian at whom they aimed, 
 though it happened that they aimed at the fore- 
 most, so that one shot was thrown away. The 
 Ottawas were checked for the moment, but others 
 followed them from the wood and the party pressed 
 forward again. 
 
 At this juncture the ranger discovered that neither 
 of the girls had obeyed orders and had not yet 
 emerged from the wood. 
 
 " What the is the matter with them ? " he 
 
 angrily demanded, and then deliberately facing 
 about, he called : 
 
 " Come at once, both of you ! " 
 
 Having discharged their weapons, there was no 
 time to reload. Their guns could no longer serve 
 them, except as clubs. 
 
 But the sentinels on the stockades were not idle. 
 Quick to note the peril of the little party, they 
 were shooting as rapidly as they could aim and 
 reload. 
 
 " You lead, younker," said Jo to his nephew, 
 
CONCLUSION, 297 
 
 who, not daring to disobey, bounded in front, while 
 the ranger stood motionless looking toward the 
 wood and boiling with anger that the girls did not 
 appear. 
 
 Suddenly one of them sprang into sight, but it 
 was not Madge. Catharine, the Ojibwa, was run- 
 ning with her head down, as if seeking to hide her 
 face. But for what he had learned before, Jo Spain 
 would have believed that she was Madge Linwood, 
 who was still out of sight. 
 
 " What the blazes is the matter ? " demanded the 
 ranger, puzzled by the strange scene, which was 
 made stranger the next second by the sight of 
 Madge herself issuing from the wood at a point a 
 considerable distance to the left, and hurrying 
 toward the gate that was the destination of all four. 
 
 The ranger's wishes were followed to the extent 
 that the girls were at the rear, leaving the two men 
 to open a way for them. This would have been 
 impossible had not Major Gladwyn observed the 
 extremity of the party, and, throwing open the 
 gate, sent a score of his best men to their help. 
 
 This reinforcement ended the fight before it had 
 fairly begun. Jo Spain and Asher Norris were 
 standing at bay, each with his rifle clubbed, waiting 
 to bring down the stock on the first warrior that 
 came within reach, when there was a general stam- 
 
298 PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWA S, 
 
 pede and scattering to the wood. The charging 
 Ottawas had descried the others coming on a dead 
 run to the aid of the imperilled ones, and the sight 
 was more than they could stand. 
 
 But, as the hostiles reached the edge of the wood, 
 they turned long enough to fire at the whites. One 
 of the soldiers dropped dead, and Catharine, the 
 Ojibwa, with a faint cry, flung up her arms, fell on 
 her face, and lay still. 
 
 " That shot was fired by Pontiac himself! " 
 exclaimed the infuriated Jo Spain. " I seen him 
 take aim ! ' ' with an execration ; and while he was 
 speaking the ranger snatched a gun from the fallen 
 soldier, and wheeled to fire at the chieftain, who 
 whisked out of range. 
 
 Asher Norris had run to the side of the Ojibwa 
 girl, over whom Madge Linwood was kneeling. 
 The place was too dangerous for them to remain 
 th:^re, even though the hostiles had been scattered 
 fw i.he time. They tenderly carried her within the 
 stockades, and to the home of Madge, while the 
 great gate was closed and barred. 
 
 Poor Catharine, the Ojibwa, was dying. The 
 bullet of Pontiac had sped true to its mission, and 
 though the grim sachem had lost the pale-face 
 maiden whom he hoped to make his queen, he had 
 his revenge in the death of the one that was the 
 cause of his loss. 
 
CONCLUSION. 299 
 
 '* Good-by, sister," said Catharine, faintly, as she 
 looked up with a sweet smile into the streaming 
 eyes of Madge Linwood. 
 
 Madge folded her arms around the neck of her 
 ** sister," and holding her face close to her own, 
 murmured : 
 
 " Good-by, my dear Catharine. God will reward 
 you, for you died for me. ' ' 
 
 And it was even so. The Ojibwa had restrained 
 Madge when the new danger broke upon them from 
 an unexpected quarter, and sending her to another 
 point on the margin of the clearing, deliberately 
 ran out in advance of her, seeking to give the im- 
 pression that she was the white girl, so that the 
 Ottawas would fire at her, and thus allow time for 
 her sister to escape. Pontiac alone penetrated the 
 ruse, and he defeated it. 
 
 With their cheeks pressed together, with the soft 
 hand of Madge Linwood smoothing the death damp 
 on the brow of the stricken one, while she mur- 
 mured her loving words, the spirit of Catharine, the 
 Ojibwa, took its flight. 
 
 Pontiac's siege of Detroit is a part of history. 
 The time came when the Indians were compelled to 
 see the hopelessness of the giant task they had 
 undertaken. The different tribes fell away from the 
 great Ottawa, who, yielding to the inevitable, 
 
3CX) PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS. 
 
 signed a treaty of peace and gave up the contest. 
 A few years later, while under the influence of 
 liquor, he was assassinated on the present site of 
 East St. Louis by a Kaskaskia Indian, bribed thereto 
 by an English trader. 
 
 THE END.