llers, who, not without alarm on their own account
at the discovery of such dangerous neighbours, could not view without
emotion a fellow white man and countryman helpless in their hands, and
enduring tortures perhaps preliminary to the more dreadful one of the
stake. They looked one another in the face: the Virginian's eyes sparkled
with a meaning which Nathan could not misunderstand; and clutching his
rifle tighter in his hands, and eyeing the young man with an ominous
stare, he muttered,--"Speak, friend,--thee is a man and a soldier--what
does thee think, in the case made and provided?"

"We are but two men, and they five," replied Roland, firmly, though in
the lowest voice; and then repeated, in the same energetic whisper,--"we
are but two men, Nathan; but there is no kinswoman now to unman me!"

Nathan took another peep at the savages before speaking. Then looking
upon the young man with an uneasy countenance, he said,--"We are but two
men, as thee says, and they five; and, truly, to do what thee thinks of,
in open day, is a thing not to be thought on by men that have soft places
in their bosoms. Nevertheless, I think, according to thee own opinion, we
being strong men that have the wind of the villains, and a good cause to
help us, truly, we might snap the poor man they have captivated out of
their hands, with considerable much damage to them besides, the murdering
rapscallions!--But, friend," he added, seeing Roland give way to his
eagerness,--"thee spoke of the fair maid, thee cousin--If thee fights
this battle, truly, thee may never see her more."

"If I fall," said Roland,--but he was interrupted by Nathan:

"It is not _that_ thee is to think of. Truly, friend, thee may fight
these savages, and thee may vanquish them; but unless thee believes in
thee conscience thee can kill them every one--truly, friend, thee can
hardly expect it?"

"And why should we? It is enough if we can rescue the prisoner."

"Friend, thee is mistaken. If thee attacks the villains, and but one of
them escapes alive to the village, sounding the alarm, thee will never
enter the same in search of the maid, thee kinswoman. Thee sees the case:
thee must choose between the captive there and thee cousin!"

This was a view of the case, and as Roland felt, a just one, well
calculated to stagger his resolutions, if not entirely to abate his
sympathy for the unknown sufferer. As his hopes of success in the
enterprise for which he had already