The shouts of laughter which greeted this explanation were so contagious that poor Wild-Cat himself was compelled to join in it, and treat his misfortune as a joke.
The suspected Indians, having engaged the services of Judge Doty[[122]] in their defence on their future trial, notice was at length given, that on a certain day they would be brought to the Portage and surrendered to their “father,” to be by him transferred to the keeping of the military officer appointed to receive them.
It was joyful news to poor Wau-kaun-kau, that the day of his release was at hand. Every time that we had been within the walls of the fort, we had been saluted by a call from him, as he kept his station at the guardroom Window:
“Do you hear anything of those Indians? When are they coming, that I may be let out?”
We had endeavored to lighten his confinement by seeing that he was well supplied with food, and his “father” and Paquette had paid him occasional visits, but notwithstanding this, and the kindness he had received at the fort, his confinement was inexpressibly irksome.
On the morning of a bright autumnal day, notice was given that the Chiefs of the Nation would present themselves at the Agency to deliver the suspected persons as prisoners to the Americans.
At the hour of ten o’clock, as we looked out over the Portage road, we could descry a moving concourse of people, in which brilliant color, glittering arms, and, as they approached still nearer, certain white objects of unusual appearance could be distinguished.
General Dodge, Major Plympton,[[123]] and one or two other officers took their seats with Mr. Kinzie on the platform in front of the door to receive them, while we stationed ourselves at the window where we could both see and hear.