ke a child.

On the morning of the fifth of June, General Jesup was awakened by an
officer who came hurrying to tell him that the Indians had gone. Surely
enough the great camp had vanished in the night. The captives had fled.
Already they were safe in their marshy fastnesses. Families were
reunited; all had had rest and food and clothes. The coming sickly
season would make it impossible to pursue them till their growing crops
were harvested. The Seminole war with all its difficulties was reopened.

Osceola, who a few months before had been a hunted fugitive with only
three followers, without hope for himself or his people, was again a
powerful war chief. With a brighter outlook his natural cheerfulness of
disposition returned, and he hoped and planned great things for the
coming autumn.

Early in September he learned that his good friend "King Philip" had
been captured with eleven followers by General Joseph Hernandez. King
Philip's son, Wild Cat, came to him, saying he had been to St. Augustine
to see his father, that the palefaces had treated him well and had
allowed him to carry his father's messages to his friends. The old chief
wanted Osceola to come to St. Augustine to arrange for his liberation.

Osceola, always generous and ready to serve a friend, sent back to
General Hernandez a finely wrought bead pipe and a white plume to
indicate that the path between them was now white and safe and to
inquire whether it would be safe for his return.

Wild Cat soon returned to Osceola with presents and friendly messages
from the general. With the hope of gaining the release of King Philip,
Osceola started for St. Augustine with a large attendance of warriors.
Wild Cat went in advance to announce his coming. With a great show of
regard General Hernandez went out to meet Osceola with a store of
supplies. He met his advance guard, and learning that Osceola would not
arrive till evening, left word that Osceola should choose a camping
ground near Fort Peyton, and went back to communicate with General
Jesup.

The next morning General Hernandez rode out dressed in full uniform and
escorted by his own staff and many of the officers of General Jesup's
staff. He found Osceola and Chief Alligator with seventy-one picked
warriors assembled under the white flag for council. The warriors had
brought with them the women of King Philip's family, and about one
hundred negroes to be given up in exchange for the prisoner.

After the