captives being brought before him, he scornfully reproached them
as the dastardly tools of the white men, and as traitors to their own
nation; and he declared his intention of detaining Squanto as a
prisoner, and as a hostage also, in order to ensure the return of
Hobomak to New Plymouth, with the message that be designed for the
Governor. This message consisted of a threat--which Hobomak well knew
he would execute--that if, on being liberated, he proceeded to
Packanokick, instead of returning to the settlement, he would flay the
unhappy Squanto alive, and send his skin and scalp to the white-hearted
English, to show them that the red men scorned their interference, and
knew how to punish it.

Hobomak departed, and reluctantly left his companion in the hands of
the cruel Coubitant. But he had no power to liberate him, and his only
hope of obtaining any effectual succor for him, was in hastening to New
Plymouth, and persuading the Governor to send a well-armed force to cut
off the retreat of the Narragansetts and their leader, and attempt the
rescue of their caked interpreter. Hobomak was fleet of foot, and he
rested not until he had arrived in Bradford's presence, and told him of
the fate that had befallen Squanto. Weak as the colonists were, and
sincerely desirous as they also felt to preserve peace with the
natives, they yet deemed it incumbent on them to show the Indians that
they would not tamely submit to any insult or injury. Captain Standish
was, therefore, immediately dispatched with a body of fourteen men,
well armed and disciplined, who were at that time nearly all the men
capable of bearing arms of whom the colony could boast. Led by Hobomak,
they rapidly traversed the forest, and came upon Coubitant's party soon
after they had left their encampment. The Indian leader had
anticipated, and desired, this result of his conduct; and his heart
swelled with malignant joy when he beheld the hated Rodolph among the
foremost of the assailants. Now he deemed the evil spirit whom he
worshipped was about to repay him for all his abortive schemes and
disappointed efforts, by throwing the very object of his vengeful
hatred into his power.

Forward he sprang, whirling his heavy tomahawk round his head, as if it
had been a child's toy, and preparing to bring it down on the white
man's skull with a force that must have cloven it in two. But Standish
saw the impending blow, and, quick as thought, he drew a pistol from
his b