"Good for White Buffalo, Nell. He is certainly the kind of a friend to have. I suppose he knew the power of the beads among these redskins when he made you a present of them."
"There were three strings of the beads, and I put one on Tom's neck and one on Artie's," added the little miss. "After that the Indians didn't offer to do any of us harm. But what are you doing here?"
"I'm a prisoner."
"Oh, Dave!" Nell's face grew white. "Are they—they—going—to—to——"
"I hope not, Nell. But they are very angry, for we had a fight, and the Indians were badly whipped. That is why they are leaving their villages in the east and coming out here. They are afraid the English soldiers are after them in force."
No more could be said, for the Indians, standing around in curiosity, now caught hold of Dave and forced him back into the wigwam. Nell, and the twins, who had been smiling in silence at the youth, wanted to follow, but the three were hurried off to another wigwam, some distance away.
It would be hard to analyze Dave's feelings when once more alone. He was overjoyed to know that Nell and the twins were alive and well, but it made his heart sink like a lump of lead in his bosom to remember that they were in the clutches of Moon Eye and his followers.
"Perhaps none of us will ever escape," he thought, with a shiver. "They'll torture me to death, and then adopt Nell and the twins, and do their best to turn them into savages!"
That night Dave slept but little. Only one thought was in his mind. How could he escape from the Indians and take Nell and the twins with him?
He realized the difficulty and the danger of such an undertaking. It would be hard enough to get away alone, how then was he to manage it with three young people in addition? He felt that while the Indians might not harm his sister and the little boys, they would not hesitate to shoot him on sight.