The interest was tense and every face was startled at this calm statement of their immediate danger. Dave and Lydia looked triumphant at this proof of their trust, but old Jerome burst out:
“Why did you have to escape from the council—and from the Shawnees?” The boy felt the open distrust and he rose proudly.
“At the council I told the Indians that they should be friends, not enemies, of the Americans, and Crooked Lightning called me a traitor. He had overheard my talk with Kahtoo.”
“What was that?” asked Dave quickly.
“I told Kahtoo I would fight with the Americans against the British and Indians; and with you against him!” And he turned away and went back to the cabin.
“What’d I tell ye!” cried Dave indignantly and he followed the boy, who had gone to his bunk, and put one big hand on his shoulder.
“They thought you’d turned Injun agin,” he said, “but it’s all right now.”
“I know,” said the lad and with a muffled sound that was half the grunt of an Indian and half the sob of a white man turned his face away.
Again Dave reached for the lad’s shoulder.
“Don’t blame ’em too much. I’ll tell you now. Some fur traders came by here, and one of ’em said you was goin’ to marry an Injun girl named Early Morn; that you was goin’ to stay with ’em and fight with ’em alongside the British. Of course I knowed better but——”