“Wal, we won’t speak o’ that now,” said Robbins, good-humoredly. “Ef I hadn’t understood why ye acted that a-way, I should ’a’ knocked ye cl’ar up through the crown o’ yer hat; but I understood parfectly how it wur. Let it pass; it ’mounts to nothin’. Reckon ye’re willin’ to have me take this fur a sign o’ friendship?”
“Certainly, sir; certainly! I am most happy to find a man, of my own color, who partakes of my sentiments with regard to the great injustice offered to the race who first held possession of this land. I should never have suspected that you were such, however, had you not told me. Your disguise is complete, and you are supposed to be a harmless old rover, when in truth you are the deadly enemy of the very ones who have so much faith in your harmlessness.”
“That ’are’s ’bout the long an’ short of it, younker. The Injuns call me a sly old fox, an’ I s’pose the name are a good ’un.”
“You could have no better,” said McCabe, who had already been thrown into a very good humor by this man.
“Wal,” said the hunter, quietly, “I hope we understand each other, anyhow. Shill I perform the part o’ throwin’ the whites off thar guard, or would ye ruther do it yerself?”
He put this question in a careless sort of a way, and, as he spoke, glanced lazily down the river at the island, which lay at least half a mile below the spot where they stood.
“To be sure I am willing that you should perform the duty imposed upon me,” answered McCabe, who was only too glad to have the responsibility taken from his own shoulders. “I believe you are more capable of doing it than I, since you better understand the art of deceiving. You give ample proof of that every day.”
“Ef I’m to do that part o’ the job,” said the hunter, “I jest stays hyur with you till arter noon, an’ then I takes the trip to the island an’ back.”
“Very well. I shall be glad to have you remain here with me, as I detest solitude. But, my friend, since you belong to that band of Indians, perhaps you know where to find their canoes? Girty said they were concealed somewhere in this vicinity—can you tell me where?”