"De Lord bless me! I hopes he nebber will get it, and he nebber will if I can hender dem."
It was now quite dark, and, to the surprise of the Lieutenant, a round, full, bright moon appeared above the forest. The preceding night had been without a moon to light up the cloudy heavens; but there was scarcely a cloud visible now in the sky. Here and there a small fleck floated overhead, like a handful of snow cast there by some giant, while not a breath of wind disturbed the tree-tops. All was silent and gloomy as the tomb.
"When are we to go to the Shawnee village?" asked the Lieutenant.
"Now!" replied the Huron.
"Then why do you linger?"
"Cato go with us?"
"That is just as you say, Oonomoo. If you think it imprudent to take him along, he must remain behind."
"You ain't agoin' to leab me here, be you?"
"Know de way to settlement?" asked the Huron.
"No, no; I (recollecting what he had told the Lieutenant) did know de way once, but, I's afraid I've forgot it. My mem'ry is gittin' poor."