ce with England."

'"At any price?" says the man with the rook's voice.

'"At any price," says he, word by word. "Our ships will be searched--our
citizens will be pressed, but--"

'"Then what about the Declaration of Independence?" says one.

'"Deal with facts, not fancies," says Big Hand. "The United States are
in no position to fight England."

'"But think of public opinion," another one starts up. "The feeling in
Philadelphia alone is at fever heat."

'He held up one of his big hands. "Gentlemen," he says--slow he spoke,
but his voice carried far--"I have to think of our country. Let me
assure you that the treaty with Great Britain will be made though every
city in the Union burn me in effigy."

'"At any price?" the actor-like chap keeps on croaking.

'"The treaty must be made on Great Britain's own terms. What else can I
do?" 'He turns his back on 'em and they looked at each other and slinked
off to the horses, leaving him alone: and then I saw he was an old man.
Then Red Jacket and Cornplanter rode down the clearing from the far end
as though they had just chanced along. Back went Big Hand's shoulders,
up went his head, and he stepped forward one single pace with a great
deep Hough! so pleased he was. That was a statelified meeting to
behold--three big men, and two of 'em looking like jewelled images among
the spattle of gay-coloured leaves. I saw my chiefs' war-bonnets sinking
together, down and down. Then they made the sign which no Indian makes
outside of the Medicine Lodges--a sweep of the right hand just clear
of the dust and an inbend of the left knee at the same time, and those
proud eagle feathers almost touched his boot-top.'

'What did it mean?' said Dan.

'Mean!' Pharaoh cried. 'Why it's what you--what we--it's the Sachems'
way of sprinkling the sacred corn-meal in front of--oh! it's a piece
of Indian compliment really, and it signifies that you are a very big
chief.

'Big Hand looked down on 'em. First he says quite softly, "My brothers
know it is not easy to be a chief." Then his voice grew. "My children,"
says he, "what is in your minds?"

'Says Cornplanter, "We came to ask whether there will be war with King
George's men, but we have heard what our Father has said to his chiefs.
We will carry away that talk in our hearts to tell to our people."

'"No," says Big Hand. "Leave all that talk behind--it was between white
men only--but take this message from me to your people--'There will be