Having complied with the request of Maggie Brainerd, Golcher felt authorized to approach her with a statement of his own proposition. Accordingly, he walked to the farther end of the log, and motioned for her to join him. She thought it best to comply, and did so, sitting down within a foot or two of him.
"You see," he said, with his smirk, "I've done what you axed me to do."
"You have, and I thank you for it."
"That's all right; there ain't nothin' mean about me, for all some folks choose to slander me. Now, I s'pose you'd like to have your father and the rest of them folks let go?"
"I have been praying for that ever since the Indians captured us."
"Wall, I've been thinking 'bout settin' you all loose to take care of yourselves."
"Oh, if you do, Mr. Golcher—"
"Thar, thar," he interrupted, with a wave of the hand; "call me 'Jake' when you speak to me."
"I'll be grateful to you, Jake, as long as I live, and so will they."
"That's all very well; but gratertude ain't going to do me much good," said Jake, with another grin. "I orter have some reward, Maggie."