“Let us set him free!” said Roughgrove.

“Kill him!” cried several.

“No!” exclaimed Mary, “what do you say, Mr. Boone?”

“It would be useless to kill him,” said Boone.

“Let him go, then,” said Glenn.

“No!” said Boone.

“Why?” asked Glenn.

“Because,” replied Boone, “he is a chief, and we may make him the means of securing the settlement against future attacks.  We will confine him in your garrison as a hostage, and send some friendly Indian to the Osages announcing his capture, and informing them that his life will be spared provided they keep away from the settlement for a certain length of time, at the expiration of which he shall be restored to them.”

“I am glad of that,” said Mary, “for I don’t believe he is a bad Indian.  We will treat him kindly, and then I think he will always be our friend.”

“Take him along, and bind him fast in the sled, Sneak,” said Boone; “but see that you do not injure him in the least.”

“I will.  Oh, me and him are purty good friends now.  Gee-whoa-haw,” continued he, taking hold of the string behind, and endeavouring to drive the silent captive like an ox.  The young chief whirled round indignantly, and with such force as to send Sneak sprawling several paces to one side.  He rose amid the laughter that ensued, and remembering the words of Boone, conducted his prisoner away in a more respectful manner.

“Where’s Joe?” at length inquired Glenn, seeing that he alone was missing.

“Oh!  I’m afraid he’s dead,” said Mary.

“If he is, I shall mourn his loss many a day,” said Glenn; “for with all his defects, I would not be without him for the world.”

“Give yourself no uneasiness,” said Boone; “for he is as well at this moment as you or I.”

“I hope so,” said Glenn; “but I have not seen him since we first fired at the Indians.”

“Let us repair to that spot, and there we will find him, for I saw him fall down when he discharged his musket.  I venture to say he has not moved an inch since.”

The party repaired to the place mentioned, and there they found him, sure enough, lying quite still on his face beside the Indian that Sneak had killed.

“He is dead!” said Glenn, after calling to him and receiving no answer.

“We’ll soon see,” said Boone, turning him over on his back.  “I will open a vein in his arm.”

“Bring a torch from the fire,” said Col.  Cooper to one of the men.

“Oh!” sighed Joe, lifting his hands to his head.

“I thought he would soon come to life again,” said Boone, examining his face with the torch that was brought, and then laughing outright.  The spectacle was ludicrous in the extreme.  Joe was besmeared with blood, and, when he opened his eyes and stared at the flaming light, he resembled some sanguinary demon.

“Where in the world did all this blood come from?” exclaimed Glenn.