“You ask question—­you answer.  Don’t know, ’less he take a good many scalps.  Hear he do take all he can find—­den hear he don’t.”

“But you take all you can find, Pigeonswing; and that which is good in you, cannot be so bad in Peter.”

“Don’t take scalp from friend.  When you hear Pigeonswing scalp friend, eh?”

“I never did hear it; and hope I never shall.  But when did you hear that Peter is so wicked?”

“S’pose he don’t, ‘cause he got no friend among pale-face.  Bes’ take care of dat man?”

“I’m of your way of thinking, myself, Chippewa; though the corporal and the priest think him all in all.  When I asked Parson Amen how he came to be the associate of one who went by a scalping name, even he told me it was all name; that Peter hadn’t touched a hair of a human head, in the way of scalping, since his youth, and that most of his notions and ways were quite Jewish, The parson has almost as much faith in Peter, as he has in his religion; I’m not quite sure he has not even more.”

“No matter.  Bes’ always for pale-face to trust pale-face, and Injin to trust Injin.  Dat most likely to be right.”

“Nevertheless, I trust you Pigeonswing; and, hitherto, you have not deceived me!”

The Chippewa cast a glance of so much meaning on the bee-hunter, that the last was troubled by it.  For many a day did le Bourdon remember that look; and painful were the apprehensions to which it gave birth.  Until that morning, the intercourse between the two had been of the most confidential character; but something like a fierce hatred was blended in that look.  Could it be that the feelings of the Chippewa were changed? and was it possible that Peter was in any way connected with this alteration in looks and sentiments?  All these suspicions passed through le Bourdon’s mind, as he finished his cache; and sufficiently disagreeable did he find it to entertain them.  The circumstances, however, did not admit of any change of plan; and, in a few minutes, the two were in the canoe, and on their way to join their companions.

Peter had dealt fairly enough with those who accompanied him.  The Pottawattamies were nowhere to be seen, and Gershom led the corporal to the place where his household goods had been secreted, in so much confidence, that both the men left their arms behind them.  Such was the state of things when le Bourdon reached the north shore.  The young man was startled, when his eyes fell on the rifles; but, on looking around, there did not really appear to be any sufficient reason why they might not be laid aside for a few minutes.

The bee-hunter, having disposed of all his honey, had now a nearly empty canoe; accordingly, he received a portion of Gershom’s effects; all of which were safely transported from their place of concealment to the water side.  Their owner was slowly recovering the use of his body and mind, though still a little dull, from his recent debauch.  The females supplied his place, however, in many respects; and two hours after the party had landed, it was ready again to proceed on its journey into the interior.  The last article was stowed in one of the canoes, and Gershom announced his willingness to depart.