them.

Amid the activities in which Hamilton was engaged--his dealings with
the Indians and the work of reconstructing the fort--he found time to
worry his temper about the purloined flag. Like every other man in the
world, he was superstitious, and it had come into his head that to
insure himself and his plans against disaster, he must have the banner
of his captives as a badge of his victory. It was a small matter; but
it magnified itself as he dwelt upon it. He suspected that Alice had
deceived him. He sharply questioned Father Beret, only to be half
convinced that the good priest told the truth when he said that he knew
nothing whatever on the subject beyond the fact that the banner had
mysteriously disappeared from under his floor.

Captain Farnsworth scarcely sympathized with his chief about the flag,
but he was nothing if not anxious to gain Hamilton's highest
confidence. His military zeal knew no bounds, and he never let pass
even the slightest opportunity to show it. Hence his persistent search
for a clue to the missing banner. He was no respecter of persons. He
frankly suspected both Alice and Father Beret of lying. He would
himself have lied under the existing circumstances, and he considered
himself as truthful and trustworthy as priest or maiden.

"I'll get that flag for you," he said to Hamilton, "if I have to put
every man, woman and child in this town on the rack. It lies, I think,
between Miss Roussillon and the priest, although both insistently deny
it. I've thought it over in every way, and I can't see how they can
both be ignorant of where it is, or at least who got it."

Hamilton, since being treated to that wonderful blow on the jaw, was
apt to fall into a spasm of anger whenever the name Roussillon was
spoken in his hearing. Involuntarily he would put his hand to his
cheek, and grimace reminiscently.

"If it's that girl, make her tell," he savagely commanded. "Let's have
no trifling about it. If it's the priest, then make him tell, or tie
him up by the thumbs. Get that flag, or show some good reason for your
failure. I'm not going to be baffled."

The Captain's adventure with Father Beret came just in time to make it
count against that courageous and bellicose missionary in more ways
than one. Farnsworth did not tell Hamilton or any other person about
what the priest had done to him, but nursed his sore ribs and his
wrath, waiting patiently for the revenge that he meant soon to take.

Ali