"It is well. He shall read for Moon Eye, when our camp is gained."
This was all that the chief would say, and immediately afterwards Dave was securely bound, his hands being tied behind his back. Then he was placed in charge of four Indians who had been slightly wounded, and the party started westward about noon, having first partaken of such food as the Indians had with them.
It was a rough journey that the youth did not forget for many a day afterward. The trail was through the dense timber, and several small streams had to be crossed. At one stream the Indians stopped to bathe their hurts. Dave begged for permission to do likewise, in the sign language, but they only grinned at him, and one tripped him up, so that he fell into the brook bodily. Then he received a kick, to make him rise, and was ordered forward once more.
That night the party slept in the open air. Fortunately it was warm, so Dave did not catch cold because of the wetting he had received. They rested until dawn, then went on again until noon.
Having gained a fair-sized river, a large canoe was brought forth from under some bushes, and Dave was made to enter. The red men followed, and for two hours they kept on down the stream. Then the barking of dogs reached their ears, and presently they came in sight of an Indian village, and several squaws and children hurried forth to meet them.
As soon as the squaws heard of the results of the battle of Bushy Run they were loud in their laments, and one, who had lost her husband, cut off her hair and tortured herself with a whip.
With scant ceremony, Dave was taken to the center of the Indian village and there tied to a tree. Two Indian boys were set to guard him, and they amused themselves by flipping pebbles into his face. The Indians went off to rest, while their squaws set about washing their wounds and binding them up in salve of their own making.
It was not until two days later that Moon Eye came to the village, and during that time Dave was treated in anything but a friendly fashion. His wounds were totally neglected, and one became exceedingly sore and painful. He was given but little to eat and to drink, and more than one squaw took pleasure in tantalizing him by showing him food and then passing on with it.
Moon Eye brought in news of another encounter with the English, in which the Indians had again been beaten off. He was very bitter, not knowing what to do next, and eyed Dave ominously when he strode up to the captive.
"Knows the English young man anything of the soldiers' plans?" he asked, after a long silence.