"If I read the papers, will Moon Eye give me my liberty?"
The chief frowned, and then his face took on a crafty look.
"It may be so. We will first hear what the papers say."
A moment later Dave was left alone once more. He heaved a long sigh, for he felt that the Indian chief would not grant him his liberty no matter what he did to please the red men.
A brief glance at the documents told Dave that they related to certain pieces of land, located on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, partly in Canada and partly in New York. There were a great number of legal terms which he could not comprehend.
"This is worse than Greek," he mused, when suddenly his eye caught a name that surprised him greatly. "Benoit Vascal! Can it be possible these papers belong to that fellow?"
After that Dave read the documents more closely. He saw that Vascal was mentioned in all of them, and also a Maurice Hamilton and an Ezekiel Chalmers. Evidently the land was considered valuable, for in several places the sum of three thousand pounds—about fifteen thousand dollars—was mentioned.
"I reckon this Benoit Vascal would give something for these papers," he reasoned. "Or, maybe, they belong to this Maurice Hamilton or Ezekiel Chalmers."
It was just growing dark, when the young captive heard a commotion at the lake front, and looking from his wigwam saw two canoes approaching. The craft contained several Indians and their squaws, and three white children. The children were dressed in little more than rags.
"White children, as I live!" he muttered, and waited for the canoe to come closer. Then, as the children were made to go ashore his heart gave a wild leap of excitement. "Nell, and the twins, as sure as I live! Nell, and the twins! Thank fortune they are alive!"