Washington; "you will do
your part if you carry my pack."

"But it is not safe to encamp here," the Indian added, "for Ottawa
Indians hunt in these woods, and they will scalp an Englishman wherever
they find him. But if you will go to my cabin you are safe."

"And where is your cabin?" inquired Gist.

"So near that we could hear a gun if fired there now," the Indian
replied.

Although strongly suspicious of his designs, both followed him for a
distance, steering in a more northerly direction. Gist grew uneasy, and
stopping, said, "I will go no farther."

"A whoop could be heard at my cabin now," the Indian insisted. "We shall
soon be there."

They traveled two miles farther, when Washington remarked:

"I shall stop at the next place we find water, and you must stop, too,"
addressing the Indian. This was said in a decisive manner. In a few
moments they emerged from the woods into a long meadow. The Indian was
three or four rods in advance of them. Suddenly stopping and turning
about, the treacherous savage aimed his gun at Gist, and fired.

"Are you shot?" cried Washington, rushing forward to his companion.
"Are you shot?"

"No; but it is what I feared from the time we employed the rascal to
guide us," answered Gist. The shot missed.

The Indian ran behind a large white oak, Washington and Gist following
after him. Approaching the tree, they discovered that he was reloading
his gun.

"You rascal!" exclaimed Gist, raising his musket to give the Indian its
contents.

"No; that won't do," said Washington to Gist, pushing aside his gun. "We
are worse off when you have killed him than we are now." He thought the
tribe would avenge his death by killing them.

"The villain deserves a bullet through his heart," shouted Gist, "and I
can put one through with good relish."

"Very true," answered Washington with the most astonishing coolness,
"but it is not good policy for us to take his life now."

Washington took away the Indian's gun and compelled him to walk ahead.
At the first run of water he ordered him to build a camp fire, as if he
designed to encamp there for the night. When this was done Gist said to
him:

"I suppose you were lost, and fired your gun."

"No, I was not lost," answered the savage, "I know where my cabin is,
and it is not far away."

"Well, then," continued Gist, "do you go home, and here is a cake of
bread for you, and you must provide meat for us in the morning."

The Indian was g