the Englishman. It hit the astounded captain on his leathern doublet,
but did no more than knock the wind out of him.

"Shoot into the trees there," he commanded, still holding on to
Pocahontas.

One of the sailors started to aim into the thicket at an unseen enemy,
when Claw-of-the-Eagle, realizing that the boat was rapidly swinging out
of his range, ran out on to an exposed bluff and notched a second arrow.
Before it left the string, however, the bullet from the soldier's musket
had hit him in the shoulder. As he fell Pocahontas uttered a cry of
horror, for she had seen who her stricken defender was.

[Illustration: Decorative]

CHAPTER XVII

POCAHONTAS LOSES A FRIEND

It was the second night of Pocahontas's captivity. She had suffered no
restraint further than that necessary to keep her from jumping
overboard. Argall and the sailors treated her with all deference, both
from policy and inclination. Yet she was very unhappy and lonely: she
had always been so free to go and come that it was almost a physical
pain to be imprisoned within the narrow limits of the pinnace. Several
times she had tried to evade the vigilance of the sailors; but her
cunning, which on shore would have shown her a way to escape, was
useless on the unfamiliar boat. Her anger at Japezaws and his squaws
flamed up anew every time she dwelt on their treachery. She went over in
her mind the punishment she would beg her father to inflict upon them.

"Wait!" she called out; and the sailors wondered what she was saying as
she stood there looking over the stern in the direction of the
Patowomeke village, her eyes flashing, "wait until Nautauquas brings ye
to my father to be tortured!"

Then before she had grown tired planning their fate, her thoughts flew
to Claw-of-the-Eagle. Was he lying dead there in the forest? What a
playmate and companion he had always been, she thought; how brave, how
strong! Yet now he must be dead or surely he had managed to follow her.

By nightfall the boat was anchored in the centre of the stream, which
here widened out into a small bay. Captain Argall, who had not known
what to make of Claw-of-the-Eagle's attack, did not feel certain that
Japezaws had not played him false. He had therefore made all speed
possible the first night and the following day. Now his wearied men
needed rest and, as no sign of pursuit appeared, he had granted them
leave to sleep. Only one sailor in the bow was left on watch, bu