"Not exactly that," answered Woodchuck; "and as to its being a horrible association or not, that's as folks use it. It may be for bad and it may be for good, and there are good men amongst them. I am a sort of half-and-half member, and I'll tell you how it happened. I went once, in the winter, up into the woods to hunt moose, by a place where there's a warm spring, which melts the snow and keeps the grass fresh, and the big beasts come down to drink, and mayhap eat, too. Well, as soon as I got there, I saw that someone had been before me, for I saw tracks all about, and a sort of stable in the snow, made for the moose, such as hunters often make to get a number together and to shoot them down when they herd it. There were moose tracks, too, and some blood on the snow; so I thought that the Ingians had killed some and scared the rest away. I was going back by another trail when I came upon an old man, lying partly against a basswood tree, just as quiet as if he was a corpse, and I should have thought he was as dead as a statue if I hadn't seen his shining eyes move as I passed. Never a word did he say, and he'd have lain there and died outright rather than call for help. But I went up to him, and found the old critter had been poked terribly by a moose, all about his chest and shoulders. So I built up a little hut for him with boughs, and covered it over with snow, and made it quite snug and warm. I took him in and nursed him there, and as I was well stocked with provisions, parched corn, and dry meat, and such like, I shared with him. I couldn't leave the poor old critter there to die, you know, my lord, and so I stayed with him all the time, and we got a couple of deer, and fine venison steaks we had of them; and at last, at the end of five weeks, he was well enough to walk. By that time we had got quite friendly together, and I went down with him to his lodge, and spent the rest of the winter with him. I had often enough remarked a blue line tattooed upon his arm, and sometimes he would say one thing about it and sometimes another; for these Ingians be like parrots. But at last he said he would tattoo a line on my arm; and when he had done it he told me it was the best service he could render me in return for all those I had rendered him. He said that if I ever met any of the Five Nations tattooed like that, and spoke a word which he taught me, they would help me against their own fathers. He told me something about them and about their set, but he would not tell me all. I was quite a young lad then, and the old man died the next year, for I went to see him, and found him just at the last gasp. I have heard a good deal about those people, however, since, from other Ingians, who all have a dread of them, and call them the children of the devil; so I take care not to show my devil's mark amongst them; and I have never had need to use it till now."
"How will it serve you now?" asked Lord H----, not at all liking or confiding in the support of such men.
"Well, if I can get speech of one of them, even for an instant," replied Woodchuck, "I can get together a band of the only men who will go against the superstitions of their people and help me to set the poor boy free; and they will do it, whether they be tortoises, or bears, or wolves, or snipes, or stags."
"What! what!" exclaimed Lord H----, in utter amazement. "I do not understand what you mean!"
"Only names of their totems, or tribes, my lord," answered Brooks. "These Ingians are queer people. You must not judge of them, or deal with them, as you would other men; and these are the only critturs amongst them I could get to help me, if their habits came in the way the least bit. Now, you know, though I may do something by myself, I may not be able to do all. If I am to get the boy out of the hole where they have doubtless hid him, I have to find it out first, and to make sure that we are not followed and overtaken afterward. I would fain save my life if I can, my lord," he continued, looking up in the face of his noble companion with a sort of appealing look. "I think a man has a right to do that if he can."
"Assuredly," replied Lord H----. "The love of life is implanted in us by God himself; and all which can be expected of us by our country or our fellow man is a readiness to sacrifice it when called on to do so. But now, my good friend, I have another plan to propose. It is probable that hostilities have ceased for this year, and since I saw you last night a small party of the scouts which you know we always have in pay, has been put at my disposal for the very purpose we have in view. They are all acquainted with wood warfare, with Indian habits, and with the art of tracking an enemy or a friend. Would it not be better for you to have these six men with you, to give you assistance in case of need? Your own life, at all events, would be more secure."
"I think not," answered Woodchuck, musingly; "they might cumber me. No, my lord, I had better go alone. As for my own life, I may as well tell you at once, I have made up my mind to save the boy or lose it. The devil put it hard to me that it was no fault of mine he was trapped; that my life was as good to me as his was to him, and a great deal more; but, knowing it does not do to stand parleying with that gentleman, I said: 'Peter Brooks, it is your fault; for if you had not shot the Ingian, Walter would never have been taken. Your life is not as good to you or anybody else as his is to him and all the world. He's quite a lad, and a young lad, too, with many a bright year before him. You'll never see forty-eight again; and what's your fag-end worth to anyone?' 'Not a stiver,' answered conscience; and so I resolved to go. Now, as to these men, some of them are capital good fellows, and might help me a good deal when once I'm in the thick of the business; but seven men can't get altogether into the Oneida country without being found out. But I'll tell you what, my lord, if you'll let me place them where I want, one by one, in different places, and they slip into the country quietly, one at a time, they may do good service, and not be discovered."
"Will it not be dangerous so to divide your force?" asked Lord H----.
"Ingian ways with Ingian people," answered Woodchuck. "But I don't think you understand the thing, my lord. You see, through a great part of this Ingian territory, we English have built a little fort here, and a little fort there, all the way up to the shores of Ontario, where they made sad work of it last year at Oswego. Well, if I stow away these scouts at different posts, the nearest I can to Oneida Creek, they will be only at arm's length, and can stretch out their hand to help whenever they're called upon. They'll be able to get in one by one, too, quite easily, for I've a great notion some of these Ingians have got a spite at Walter, and are not very likely to look for anyone in his place. If they caught me, they'd be obliged to have me; and if the scouts went all together, they'd stop them, for they don't like their number; but one at a time they'll pass well enough, if they understand their business, which is to be supposed."
"I see your plan now," said Lord H----, "and perhaps you are right. You can concentrate them upon any point very rapidly. They shall be sent for, and put under your command this very day."