nd tying him up, proceeded
straightway to flog him to their hearts' content; and they had just
resolved to intermit the amusement awhile, in favour of their dinner,
when the appearance of his bold deliverers rushing into their camp,
converted the scene of brutal merriment into one of retributive vengeance
and blood.

The discovery that the five human beings he had contributed so much to
destroy, were part and parcel of the very band, the authors of all his
sufferings, the captors of his kinswoman, abated some little feelings of
compunction with which Roland had begun occasionally to look upon the
gory corses around him.

The main body of marauders, with their prisoner, there seemed good reason
to suppose, were yet upon their march to the village, though too far
advanced to leave any hope of overtaking them, were that even desirable.
It is true, that Roland, fired by the thought of being so near his
kinswoman, and having before his eyes a proof of what might be done by
craft and courage, even against overwhelming numbers, urged Nathan
immediately to re-commence the pursuit; the Indians would doubtless halt
to rest and refresh, as the luckless five had done, and might be
approached and destroyed, now that they themselves had increased their
forces by the rescue of Ralph, in the same way: "we can carry, with us,"
he said, "these Indians' guns, with which we shall be more than a match
for the villains;" and he added other arguments, such, however, as
appeared much more weighty to himself than to honest Nathan. That the
main party should have halted, as he supposed, did not appear at all
probable to Nathan: they had no cause to arrest them in their journey,
and they were but a few miles removed from the village, whither they
would doubtless proceed without delay, to enjoy the rewards of their
villany, and end the day in revel and debauch. "And truly, friend," he
added, "it will be better for thee, and me, and the maid, Edith, that we
steal her by night from out of a village defended only by drowsy squaws
and drunken warriors, than if we were to aim at taking her out of the
camp of a war-party. Do thee keep thee patience; and, truly, there is no
telling what good may come of it." In short, Nathan had here, as in
previous instances, made up his mind to conduct affairs his own way; and
Roland, though torn by impatience, could do nothing better than submit.

And now, the dinner being at last despatched, Nathan directed that th