But men in the situation of the travellers have neither time nor inclination for moralising.  The fall of the tree only served to alarm the weaker members of the party, to some of whom, perhaps, it appeared as an inauspicious omen.  Apparently, however, it woke certain mournful recollections in the brains of both little Peter and his master, the former of whom, as he passed it by, began to snuffle and whine in a low and peculiar manner; while Nathan immediately responded, as if in reply to his counsellor’s address, “Ay, truly, Peter!—­thee has a good memory of the matter; though five long years is a marvellous time for thee little noddle to hold things.  It was under this very tree they murdered the poor old granny, and brained the innocent, helpless babe.  Of a truth, it was a sight that made my heart sink within me.”

“What!” asked Roland, who followed close at his heels, and over heard the half-soliloquised expressions; “were you present at the massacre!”

“Alas, friend,” replied Nathan, “it was neither the first nor last massacre that I have seen with these eyes.  I dwelt, in them days, in a cabin a little distance down the river; and these poor people, the Ashburns, were my near neighbours; though, truly, they were not to me as neighbours should be, but held me in dis-favour because of my faith, and ever repelled me from their doors with scorn and ill-will.  Yet was I sorry for them, because of the little children they had in the house, the same being far from succour; and when I found the tracks of the Injun party in the wood, as it was often my fate to do, while rambling in search of food, and saw that they were bending their way towards my own little wigwam, I said to myself, ’Whilst they are burning the same, I will get me to friend Ashburn, that he may be warned and escape to friend Brace’s Station in time, with his people and cattle.’  But, verily, they held my story light, and laughed and derided me:  for, in them days, the people hardened their hearts and closed their ears against me, because I held it not according to conscience to kill Injuns as they did, and so refused.  And so, friend, they drove me from their doors; seeing which, and perceiving the poor creatures were in a manner besotted, and bent upon their own destruction, and the night coming on fast, I turned my steps and ran with what speed I could to friend Bruce’s, telling him the whole story, and advising that he should despatch a strong body of horsemen to the place, so as to frighten the evil creatures away; for, truly, I did not hold it right that there should be bloodshed.  But, truly and alas, friend, I fared no better, and perhaps a little worse, at the Station than I had fared before at Ashburn’s; wherefore, being left in despair, I said to myself, I will go into the woods, and hide me away, not returning to the river, lest I should be compelled to look upon the shedding-of the blood of the women and little babes, which I had no power to prevent.  But it came into my mind,