“Like to oblige you, friend,” he said, “for you seem one after my own style; but then you see you’re not my prisoner. White is white, and you’re the right kind. I can see that at a glance, but when the reds capture, the prisoner belongs to them. But I’ll do all I can for you.”
“Who captured me?”
“Black Arrow; there he is.”
“Talk to him for me.”
“All right,” said Blossom. “I’ve took a liking to you, and I’ll stand by you.”
Then he walked away, while two of the Indians securely bound the captured villain, and placed him again on his horse, the animal having sustained but very slight injuries from his sudden fall.
Then the band mounted again, and in a body swam the stream.
For half an hour they rode onward at a moderate pace, for their horses were much fatigued, and then they came to a halt in a pretty grove.
The horses were picketed, Van Dorn was carelessly thrown upon the ground, and then the redskins held a council, the purpose of which was to decide what should be done with the prisoner.
Many of the band had been popped over, and the majority of the dead ones were redskins.