n any manner to heed him. The cooking and other preparations
for the breakfast proceeded precisely as if no one had entered the
camp. The two who had gone forth to meet the flag alone attended its
bearers, whom they led through the centre of the entire party; stopping
only on the side opposite to the Hut, where there was an open space of
flat rock, which it had not suited the savages to occupy.

Here the four halted, the major turning and looking back like a soldier
who was examining his ground. Nor did any one appear disposed to
interrupt him in an employment that serjeant Joyce pronounced to be
both bold and against the usages of war to permit. The captain thought
the stoicism of the savages amounted to exaggeration, and it renewed
his distrust of the real characters of his visiters. In a minute or
two, however, some three or four of the red-men were seen consulting
together apart, after which they approached the bearers of the flag,
and some communications passed between the two sides. The nature of
these communications could not be known, of course, though the
conference appeared to be amicable. After two or three minutes of
conversation, Robert Willoughby, Strides, the two men who had advanced
to meet them, and the four chiefs who had joined the group, left the
summit of the rock in company, taking a foot-path that descended in the
direction of the mills. In a short time they all disappeared in a body.

The distance was not so great but these movements could easily be seen
by the naked eye, though the glass was necessary to discover some of
the details. Captain Willoughby had planted the instrument among the
palisades, and he kept his gaze riveted on the retiring group as long
as it was visible; then, indeed, he looked at his companions, as if to
read their opinions in their countenances. Joyce understood the
expression of his face; and, saluting in the usual military manner, he
presumed to speak, in the way of reply.

"It seems all right, your honour, the bandage excepted," said the
serjeant. "The flag has been met at the outposts, and led into the
camp; there the officer of the day, or some savage who does the duty,
has heard his errand; and, no doubt, they have all now gone to head-
quarters, to report."

"I desired my son, Joyce--"

"Whom, your honour--?"

The general movement told the captain how completely his auditors were
taken by surprise, at this unlooked-for announcement of the presence of
the maj