“See?—the devil!” said Earth, “what does he want to see for. I wouldn't give a wasp's nest for all of 'em, for if the water was in good order, and I had one, I could catch a dish of big pickles;—but these here things are good for nothing upon the face of the earth.”
“It is the red man's letter,” said Oloompa.
“Nonsense,” said Earth, “I take up my hand full of mud, and throw it against the house;—does the red man read it?”
“The red man cannot read the white man's letter,” said Oloompa. “What did you give me for the maiden, when you left my mother's wigwam? a piece of paper covered with black marks; Oloompa looked at it, and said ‘nonsense;’—when he gave it to the maiden, it made her heart glad. Listen, Oloompa will read.” The attention of Rolfe and Earth was arrested by the earnestness of his manner, and gazing at the figures before him, he proceeded: “Six men have been here,—see them,” and he touched the six images with his finger.—Then continued: “They have carried away Netnokwa and the two maidens;” and he pointed to the images representing the old woman and the two girls, saying “the men drive the women;—see the men behind, and the women before;—the women look sorry, they do not wish to go. Oloompa showed their tracks on the ground.—Look at their faces, they are turned the same way.”—
“Rolfe,” said Earth, “Oloompa is right; he reads it like a book.”
“Hush! Earth; I am all anxiety to hear something farther.”
“They are going to see a great man,” continued Oloompa, and he pointed to the larger image. “It is the Prophet,—these small pieces of clay are houses,—they form a town,—it is Tippecanoe. This,” pointing to the piece of clay which curved several times, and stretching along, lay near the houses, “is the river. Does Oloompa read? can the white man now see?”
“Yes,” said Earth, “he can. Oloompa is true to his word;” then turning, “Rolfe,—Rolfe, this thing is as plain as day-light. The Prophet has taken them all prisoners, and they are now journeying towards his town.”
“Then Earth, they are to be burned!”
“Oh! God knows,” said Earth, “I wish they were out of his clutches;” then turning to Oloompa, “Can Oloompa make the figures tell when Netnokwa left her lodge?”