reproachfully, as he stood upon the bank,
"is it thou, and thou, too, Negabamat, who treat me as an enemy? Why
this violence?"

"Soog-u-gest is wanted among his own people," said Quecheco, who had
possessed himself of the much coveted gun which had fallen into the
water. "Indians will not hurt him."

"Quecheco, thou art a villain," said the Knight; "but if not an
incarnate demon, outrage me not further than is necessary for thy base
purpose."

Thus spoke Sir Christopher, seeing that preparations were made to
confine his arms with withes. The Indians said something among
themselves, and at length Quecheco replied:

"Soog-u-gest always speaks the truth. Let him promise not to run away,
and his arms shall be free."

"I promise," said the Knight, who, in spite of his treatment, could
not but feel pleased at this evidence of the confidence in his truth
with which he had inspired the natives. "Take the powder horn and
bullets," he added, detaching them from his person. "I will attend
you."

At a sign from Quecheco the Indians released Sir Christopher, nor
seemed after that to trouble themselves much with watching him.

An Indian, who had crossed the stream, now returned bearing the slain
buck on his back, and threw it down on the grass, and his companions
with pleased faces gathered around it. Sir Christopher,
notwithstanding the unpleasantness of his situation, could not avoid
smiling.

"Nature's children!" he said to himself, "It would have pained me had
I unfortunately killed one of them. Blessed Jesu, I thank thee for
saving me from bloodshedding."

He threw himself on the ground, and watched their proceedings in
cooking the venison with some interest, for he was hungry, and, when
it was ready, partook of it with them as though they had been a party
of friendly hunters, nor would any one have suspected that he was a
prisoner. Having thus placed himself on terms as little disagreeable
as possible with his captors, Sir Christopher endeavored, while they
were under the influence of the welcome dinner, to dissuade them from
their purpose in regard to himself, but on this point he found
remonstrance useless. The Indians were not inclined to talk about it,
and either preserved a total silence, or simply said that the white
chief at Accomack had sent them. When they had eaten up the buck, they
started with the Knight in the direction of Plymouth.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Well skilled he was in regulating laws,