“And yet none other than I expected,” said Winthrop, whose generous design in allowing the chief to exculpate himself in his own way was only now understood.  “Gentlemen,” he added, desirous to take advantage of the favorable impression produced by the Sagamore’s reply, “what remains but to remand our prisoner, unless it be your intention to discharge him in consideration of the provocation, and that he can hardly be said to be as fully amenable to our laws as they who understand what these laws are.”

“I desire to express my hearty astonishment,” exclaimed Deputy Dudley, “at the extraordinary proposition of the Governor.  The consequences which lie hid therein are horrible.  Are our friends, engaged in the execution of our orders, to be slaughtered with impunity, and thus others to be encouraged to like atrocities?”

“Blood for blood,” thundered Endicott.  “If that of Abel fell not to the ground unavenged, though the slayer knew no law, save that written in his heart, to forbid the deed, so now may not this savage escape.  Besides, the example were impolitic, as hath been already set forth.”

Similar opinions were uttered by almost all of the Assistants, being none other than anticipated by the wily Governor, who meant not what he said, but desired to mitigate the severer counsels of his associates.

During these remarks, a conversation in a low tone had been passing betwixt the Sagamore and Samoset.

“Has the heart of Samoset turned white?” asked the Pequot.

“Samoset is an Indian,” replied the interpreter, “and his heart is red.”

“Has he forgotten the time when, with Sassacus and his Paniese, he drank of the Shetucket, where it bounds into the river of the Pequots, when he was thirsty with driving the Narraghansetts over the hills, like leaves chased by the wind?”

“Samoset has not forgotten.”

“Does he powah with Owanux, or is he true to the faith of his fathers?”

“The feet of Samoset will chase the deer and the bear over the happy hunting grounds, whither his fathers have gone.  He would not know what to do in the heaven of Owanux.”

“Then is not Samoset my brother, and lies he not close to the heart of Sassacus, as a pappoose nestles up to its mother?”

“Samoset will do the bidding of the great Sagamore,” said the interpreter, anticipating what was to follow.

“Go then, my friend, my brother, terror of the Narraghansetts, praise of the valiant Pequots, and find Soog-u-gest.  Tell him that the blood of Sassacus is running away, like water from an overturned vessel, and that soon all will be spilled, unless he comes to set up the vessel.  Tell him to come quickly, and deliver the great Sagamore of the Pequots, and his sister, and the young man with eyes like the sky.”

“The feet of the blue eyes are free,” said Samoset.  “I saw him only a little while ago.”

“Good!” said the chief.  “Then seek first my young friend, for he loves Sassacus, and tell him, and do what he says.  But if they cannot help, fly, like the swallow over the hills and streams, to the hunting grounds of my tribe, and say to my people that their Sachem is a wolf in a trap, and Neebin a slave to Owanux.”