this method to satisfy
it. Amid the loud and wondering exclamations of the white men, and the
subdued gutturals of the Indians, whose straining eyes betrayed their
interest, the swimmer, with lusty strokes, breasted the green billows
as they came rolling into the bay. When he reached the floating mass
he carefully examined it, and then raised a wail sadder than the cry
of the loon over the dark waves, when it anticipates the coming storm.
It was responded to by his companions on board the ship, in a yell of
mingled rage and grief, that was heard in all parts of the village,
and far over the water.

"What possesses the imps now?" cried the Captain, as two more Indians,
following the example of their tribesman, plunged into the water. "I
wonder what they have found?"

"Send a boat after them, Captain, if thou wilt do me a pleasure," said
Dudley, "It seems to be something wherein they take a great interest,
and it will be only friendly to furnish them assistance."

"O, ho! old bear, canst growl sweetly enough an' it suits thy
purpose," said the Captain to himself. "But it shall never be said
that Jack Sparhawk was an unmannerly lubber. Halloo, half a dozen of
ye," he cried aloud, "run aft and lower the boat. Bear a hand, men;
move quick," he added, as they came running from the bow, where they
had been standing, toward the stern. "Jump in Bill," he continued, as
the keel of the yawl touched the water, "take a couple of men, pull
after them red skins, and bring 'em ashore, with whatever they have
found in the offing."

In a very short space of time the boat was pulling away into the
harbor, and soon reached the object of the search. It turned out to be
an Indian, being no other than the warrior Pieskaret, whose corpse the
wily Sassacus had committed to the river Charles, wearing the unshorn
honors of his scalp, in order to avert suspicion from himself, and fix
it on the whites. For rightly did the sagacious chief judge that no
Taranteen could be induced to believe that an Indian would forbear to
possess himself, if he were able, of the coveted prize, especially
that of so mighty a warrior as Pieskaret. And with regard to the
Pequot in particular, he, of all, after the provocation of yesterday,
would be the last, if he had slain Pieskaret, to be supposed capable
of an act of so great self-denial.

The sailors found the Taranteens around the raft, and pushing it
ashore, In spite of the remonstrances of the savages, whi