ss Hester, who,
he understood, had accompanied the elder lady on her western trip.

"I am sorry to say," replied Gladwyn, "that she is held prisoner by
Pontiac in company with her father the major, and Ensign Hester her
brother. He was with Bullen, you know, and sacrificed himself to warn
the schooner _Gladwyn_ of her danger the other night. It was a fine
thing to do, and I would gladly give up the schooner, valuable as she
is to me, if by so doing he could be restored to us. Madam Rothsay was
also held prisoner by the redskins until it fortunately occurred to
them to offer her in exchange for a villanous Ojibwa chief, whom we
happened to have on hand. Of course I was only too glad to make the
exchange, and wish I had a dozen more like him to offer for the
Hesters."

"By Jove!" cried Captain Dalzell, "it is horrible to think of the grand
old major and his lovely daughter, and that fine son of his, all in the
power of those devils. Can't we do something toward their rescue,
Gladwyn? Surely we are strong enough now to take the offensive. I
should be only too happy to lead a night attack on Pontiac's camp. We
could make it a complete surprise, and my fellows are simply spoiling
for a fight. It does seem as though the time to strike a decisive blow
had come, and every day that we postpone it only increases the peril of
the Hesters. What do you say, major? Won't you consider the
proposition seriously?"

So the dinner party was turned into a council of war, and, before it
broke up, an attack on Pontiac's camp had been arranged for the
following night.

CHAPTER XXXIV

AH-MO, THE DAUGHTER OF PONTIAC

The day just concluded had been one of unhappiness and anxiety for the
great Ottawa chieftain. The rumored defection of his Wyandot allies
was proved true. The safe arrival at the fort of Dalzell's expedition
was the most deadly blow yet struck at his cherished project. To crown
all, he was not on the best of terms with his sole remaining allies,
the fierce and warlike Ojibwas. These had no more desire than the
Wyandots to fight on a losing side; and, moreover, they had a private
grievance of long standing against Pontiac. It arose from the capture
of one of their chiefs by the English, and the refusal of Pontiac to
offer Major Hester in exchange for him.

Firm in his belief that Detroit must eventually fall into his hands,
and that every soul within its walls would be killed, the Ottawa chief,
inten