ffliction; but

[307] "The tear down childhood's cheek that flows,
Is like the dew drop on the rose;--
When next the summer breeze comes by
And waves the bush, the flower is dry."--

When the fire was kindled at night, the supper prepared and offered to
him, all idea of his future fate was merged in their present
kindness; and Henry soon sunk to sleep, though enclosed in horrid hug,
by savage arms.

It was different with John. He felt the reality of their situation.--He
was alive to the anguish which he knew would agitate the bosom of his
mother, and he thought over the means of allaying it so intensely,
that sleep was banished from his eyes. Finding the others all locked
in deep repose, he disengaged himself from the embrace of the savage at
his side, and walked to the fire. To test the soundness of their
sleep, he rekindled the dying blaze, and moved freely about it. All
remained still and motionless,--no suppressed breathing, betrayed a
feigned repose. He gently twitched the sleeping Henry, and whispering
softly in his ear, bade him get up. Henry obeyed, and they both stood by
the fire. "I think, said John, we had better go home now." "Oh!
replied Henry, they will follow and catch us again." "Never fear
that, rejoined John, we'll kill them before we go." The idea was for
some time opposed by Henry; but when he beheld the savages so soundly
asleep, and listened to his brother's plan of executing his wish, he
finally consented to act the part prescribed him.

The only gun which the Indians had, was resting against a tree, at the
foot of which lay their tomahawks. John placed it on a log, with the
muzzle near to the head of one of the savages; cocked it, and leaving
Henry with his finger to the trigger, ready to pull upon the signal
being given, he repaired to his own station. Holding in his hand one
of their tomahawks, he stood astride of the other Indian, and as he
raised his arm to deal death to the sleeping savage, Henry fired, and
shooting off the lower part of the Indian's jaw, called to his
brother, "_lay on, for I've done for this one_," seized up the gun and
ran off. The first blow of the tomahawk took effect on the back of the
neck, and was not fatal. The Indian attempted to spring up; but John
repeated his strokes with such force and so quickly, that he soon
brought him again to the ground; and leaving him dead proceeded on
after his brother.

They presently came to a path which they re