“That you will, if they’ll spare him to you.”
“We cannot spare him altogether,” replied Mr Campbell, “but he shall visit you, if you wish it.”
“Well, that’s a promise; and I won’t go so far as I thought I would. He has a good eye; I’ll come for him.”
The old man then rose up and walked away, John following him, without exchanging a word with any of the party.
“My dear Campbell,” said his wife, “what do you intend to do about John? You do not intend that the hunter should take him with him?”
“No, certainly not,” replied Mr Campbell; “but I see no reason why he should not be with him occasionally.”
“It will be a very good thing for him to be so,” said Martin. “If I may advise, let the boy come and go. The old man has taken a fancy to him, and will teach him his wood craft. It’s as well to make a friend of Malachi Bone.”
“Why, what good can he do us,” enquired Henry.
“A friend in need is a friend indeed, sir; and a friend in the wilderness is not to be thrown away. Old Malachi is going further out, and if danger occurs, we shall know it from him, for the sake of the boy, and have his help too, if we need it.”
“There is much good sense in Martin Super’s remarks, Mr Campbell,” observed Captain Sinclair. “You will then have Malachi Bone as an advanced guard, and the fort to fall back upon, if necessary to retreat.”