"Be satisfied I shall reserve you for an Indian death."
"You must be quick, then, if you wish to avenge yourself," the half-breed said, ironically, "for it will soon be too late."
"I have time enough. Why did you betray us, you miserable wretch?"
"Of what consequence is that to you?"
"I wish to know."
"Well then, be satisfied," the hunter said, after an instant of silence; "the white men, your brothers, were the murderers of all my family, and I wished to avenge them."
"But we had done nothing to you, had we?"
"Are you not white men? Kill me and put an end to all this. I can die joyfully, for numbers of victims will follow me to the tomb."
"Well, since it is so," said the captain, with a sinister smile, "I will send you to join your brothers; you see I am a loyal adversary."
Then pressing his knees strongly on the chest of the hunter, to prevent his escape from the punishment he reserved for him, he cried—