Deersfoot and Snake-tongue, who had thus far preserved a perfect silence, now advanced to take part in the conversation:
"My brothers know," said Deersfoot, "that they must give us Canendesha and his squaw, or these pale-faces must die. We have spoken, and so it must be."
"Deersfoot," said Barton, "I cannot believe that you will put them to death. You are now at peace with the Colonies. These men have done you no harm. Even if you have cause for anger with us, these men are innocent. It would be a murder, for which the Colonists would take ample revenge in burning your villages and destroying your people."
"They are pale-faces, and that is all we know. If one pale-face does us harm, we will hurt all the pale-faces we can. We have buried the hatchet with the Colonies, and we will not dig it up. We are not on a war-path; but if we are injured, we will do what hurt we can. I have spoken."
"If you do any harm to these men," said Ralph, "we will punish you, if we have to follow you to your own country. There are men at the settlements who will take up this quarrel."
"Let the pale-faces take care of themselves," said Snake-tongue. "They may boast less, by-and-by. We do not boast, but we will do what we can. Our talk is finished. Let us go."
Deersfoot advanced towards the attorney, who remained as if stupified. "Come!" said he, laying his hand upon him. The attorney shrieked with fear.
"For Heaven's sake, Captain Weston—Mr. Barton, do not let these Indians take us back again."
"We pity you, unfortunate men; but we cannot help you. We wish we could," exclaimed Barton.
At this moment, Ichabod and the Tuscarora were seen issuing from the door of the cottage, with their rifles in their hands. Their faces expressed a determination that was unmistakable but at the same instant, a body of Indians was seen approaching at the opposite extremity of the grove. The Indians had evidently foreseen this result of the consultation, and were now approaching on some mischievous errand. Barton and Ralph immediately departed towards the cottage, into which Ichabod and the Tuscarora also retired, while the attorney and his companion departed in the opposite direction, under guard of the Senecas.