ugh I could hear their voices, I
could not understand a word that was said.

After talking for some time, one of them, whose back, however, was
towards me, got up and addressed his companions. He spoke at some
length, and I would have given much to know what he was saying. His
spear he held with one hand; with the other he pointed, now to the sky,
now to some unseen distant object, now he waved it in the air. The
other Indians gazed up at his countenance, as if greatly moved by his
address; but whether he was pleading for us or advocating our death, I
could by no means discover. In vain I listened to catch any words I
might understand.

At last he brought his address to a conclusion, and sat down; when
another slowly rose and commenced a harangue which was equally
unintelligible to me. Still, I felt very sure that the discussion was
one on which our lives depended; and, judging from the countenances of
the Indians, I was nearly certain that they intended to kill us.

The next speaker was even more long-winded than the first. I thought
that he would never bring his address to a conclusion.

A fourth man got up. His face was also turned away from me. His action
was more vehement than that of his predecessors, and the tones of his
voice afforded me but very little hope of mercy from his hands.

While he was speaking, another Indian, whom I had not hitherto seen,
stalked into the circle, and regarding the speaker with a fixed and, as
I thought, somewhat contemptuous look, sat himself down among the
others. His appearance evidently created a considerable amount of
astonishment, little as the natives are accustomed to show their
feelings. So soon as the last had ceased speaking, he rose and
addressed the assembly. As he did so, it struck me that he bore a
strong resemblance to Manilick, though he was much more gaudily dressed
than I had ever seen that young chief.

All eyes were turned towards him as he spoke, and scarcely had he
commenced when I heard a voice whisper in my ear, "Trust to me!" At the
same moment I felt that the thongs which bound me were being cut, and
the next instant I was at liberty; but, recollecting my sprained ankle,
I feared that it would not avail me. To my surprise, however, when I
tried to move I found that I could do so without much pain.

I slipped round the tree, when I felt my hand grasped by that of my
deliverer, who, discovering that I could move but slowly, stooped down
a