I would not horrify my young readers by describing the orgies that took place at some of those dreadful fêtes. The little I have said will surely suffice to make them thank God they are born in a favoured land, and to pray the Father to hasten the time when the dark continent shall be opened up to commerce, and all such dreadful scenes become things of the gloomy past.
But this chief, when he found that Harry was determined to go, turned his back upon him, and went and shut himself up for a whole day in his tent.
The wanderer well knew what this meant. He knew the chief would send for him next day and give him an ultimatum, and on his refusing compliance therewith would at once slay his followers and put Harry in chains.
But Harry determined to take time by the forelock, and to escape that very evening.
He communicated his intentions to his people, and all were ready. No one slept, though all pretended to.
The night was very dark; a storm was brewing; the sky was covered with a deep, solid canopy of slowly moving clouds, but never a star was visible.
About midnight, when all was still in the camp, Harry arose and touched his men. They knew the signal. He then crawled to the back of the tent and with his knife cut a hole in it and crept out. On their hands and their knees they glided along till they came to the palisade, which they proceeded to mount one by one.
Here lay the greatest danger, and this was soon apparent enough, for the last man stumbled, and slight though the sound he made was, it was quite sufficient to awake the whole camp.
As the fugitives bounded away to the forest Harry thanked Heaven for the darkness of that dismal night.
They could soon hear the yells of the foe as they pressed onwards in pursuit.