l to-morrow, as there is to be a gathering of Indians in the hall
this very day, to have a palaver with Mr Whyte about their grievances,
and Misconna wouldn't miss that for a trifle. But Jacques won't be
likely to recognise him among so many; and if he does, I rely with
confidence on his powers of restraint and forbearance.--By the way," he
continued, glancing upwards, "it is past noon, and the Indians will have
begun to assemble; so we had better hasten back, as we shall be expected
to help in keeping order."

So saying, he rose, and the young men returned to the fort. On reaching
it they found the hall crowded with natives, who sat cross-legged around
the walls, or stood in groups conversing in low tones, and to judge from
the expression of their dark eyes and lowering brows, they were in
extremely bad humour. They became silent and more respectful, however,
in their demeanour when the young men entered the apartment and walked
up to the fireplace, in which a small fire of wood burned on the hearth,
more as a convenient means of rekindling the pipes of the Indians when
they went out than as a means of heating the place. Jacques and
Redfeather stood leaning against the wall near to it, engaged in a
whispered conversation. Glancing round as he entered, Charley observed
Misconna sitting a little apart by himself, and apparently buried in
deep thought. He had scarcely perceived him, and nodded to several of
his particular friends among the crowd, when a side-door opened, and Mr
Whyte, with an angry expression on his countenance, strode up to the
fireplace, planted himself before it, with his legs apart and his hands
behind him, while he silently surveyed the group.

"So," he began, "you have asked to speak with me; well, here I am. What
have you to say?"

Mr Whyte addressed the Indians in their native tongue, having, during a
long residence in the country, learned to speak it as fluently as
English.

For some moments there was silence. Then an old chief--the same who had
officiated at the feast described in a former chapter--rose, and
standing forth into the middle of the room, made a long and grave
oration, in which, besides a great deal that was bombastic, much that
was irrelevant, and more that was utterly fabulous and nonsensical, he
recounted the sorrows of himself and his tribe, concluding with a
request that the great chief would take these things into
consideration--the principal "_things_" being that