“White Fox—white brother—how?” the other of the Redmen exclaimed, and Ree then recognized them as Long Arrow and Beaver Hair, the Mingoes whom he had caught in the act of stealing the canoe he and John had purchased the year before of Captain Pipe. Moreover, he discovered, as he approached, that the fellow in white men’s clothing was wearing the identical suit which he had seen the robber, Duff, wear. It was easy to guess then how Duff had come by the Indian costume he wore on his recent visit to the cabin.
“Tell me where I will find the white brother with whom you traded clothes,” said Ree, as he shook hands with the Indians. “His name is Duff and he now wears the dress of the Mingo for no good purpose.”
“Ugh,” was the only answer the Indians made. They could not understand how the white lad could tell at once with whom the exchange had been made.
“No see Spotted Face—Spotted Face no friend of young brother White Fox,” said Long Arrow, who wore Duff’s clothes.
It was Duff whom he called “Spotted Face,” referring to the marks the smallpox had left.
“Spotted Face ask Long Arrow and ask Beaver Hair to burn house of white brothers,” put in the other Indian. “Say white brother killed Black Eagle.”
Here was news of a very interesting kind. Duff, then, had been trying to turn these two Indians against himself and John, had he? These were Ree’s thoughts.
“Spotted Face say give heap firewater—heap money—for Long Arrow and Beaver Hair to carry off white brother and hide him in cave where Spotted Face has his bed,” Long Arrow said.
This was more interesting news. Duff, it may have been, had kidnaped John, after having failed to prevail upon the Indians to do it.
“And my Mingo friends would not do so,” Ree answered, shaking hands with the savages again. “I thank you both; and Spotted Face—”