the honor and advancement of our cause. This I not only
say now, but am prepared to state and maintain hereafter, officially
and publicly, and there is my hand on it."

"And I say," cried Donald, "that you are a trump, Bullen, a genuine
trump. Not only do I offer you my sincere friendship from this time
forth, but I hereby pledge all the powers of the Metai--whatever that
may be--so far as I can control them, and of the totem, whose emblem I
wear, to your service!"

The effect of these hearty assurances of faith in him, and of continued
friendship, was such that the little man's overstrained nerves suddenly
gave way. He tried to speak, failed to utter a sound, and sank down
sobbing like a child.

CHAPTER XXIX

DONALD AND THE PAYMASTER ESCAPE

While Donald's fears for Edith's safety were somewhat allayed by the
paymaster's story, he was still very anxious concerning her. He knew
nothing of Pontiac's friendly feeling toward his family, and feared
that the prisoners were only being held on the island until it should
be convenient to remove them to some distant Indian village, where,
beyond the hope of rescue, they would be compelled to endure a life of
slavery. Now, therefore, his desire was to return to the vicinity of
the island, where he hoped to find some opportunity of escaping from
his captors, and of effecting his sister's rescue. In his plans he of
course included Christie and Bullen, whom he counted on for aid,
though, to his chagrin, he was not allowed to communicate with them
after that first interview. During it the leaders of the war-party
also held a council, which resulted in a decision to proceed at once on
their journey. Thus Bullen had hardly concluded his story, when camp
was broken and the westward voyage was resumed. At the same time the
three white men were separated and assigned to different canoes.

In their haste the Indians travelled early and late, with all speed.
Both Christie and Bullen were compelled to assist in paddling, as well
as to labor at the most menial tasks when in camp, receiving as a
recompense only kicks and blows. They had, indeed, become slaves, and
were treated as such, while at all times their tormentors found delight
in assuring them that they would most certainly be burned to death on
reaching the villages near Detroit. Fortunately game was plentiful,
and food was procured in abundance by the hunters, otherwise the two
slaves would have suffered from