d and hung meat
for thee to last through all popanow (winter). A young maid is lonely
till she follows her brave--all this I came to the village of Japezaws
to pipe to thee. Now I have run wounded through the forests and swum the
black stream to tell it to thee, and thou bidst me turn back alone. But
if thou hast no wish to enter Claw-of-the-Eagle's lodge let him at least
escort thee safely to the wigwam of thy father."

"I thank thee, Claw-of-the-Eagle, for all thou hast done," she
whispered, "and all thou wouldst do for me. There is no braver warrior
in the thirty tribes and no better hunter since Michabo. But I have
listened to my manitou and he hath said to me, 'Remember the word thou
gavest to thy white Brother.'"

Claw-of-the-Eagle knew that it was useless to plead and yet he pleaded:
"Come back with me, Matoaka; what are the white men to thee and me?"

But she whispered: "Go, Claw-of-the-Eagle, go quickly ere the sailors
awake. Hasten back to old Wansutis that she may bind up thy wound, and
to Powhatan and tell him that he must buy Pocahontas's freedom from the
English by returning their men he holdeth prisoners."

While she was still speaking the young brave's mind was working rapidly.
At first the respect he owed her as the daughter of the great werowance
was uppermost and he thought he must needs do her bidding and leave her.
Little by little, however, he began to think of her as a young maiden,
strong and courageous, but not so strong as a man, who now stood in need
of the help of a brave. He hated the English more than ever, and
Pocahontas's promise to aid them seemed to him only a girlish
foolishness. Let them all perish on their island or return across the
sea whence they had come. Why should she go with them? Why should he let
her go? Who knew what treatment she would receive away from her own
people? If he should rescue her and bring her back to her father, would
he not thus win great favor in the eyes of Powhatan, who would not
refuse her to him as his squaw? If she would not come willingly, he
would carry her off against her will for her good.

Rescue Pocahontas! And in addition--kill the hated white men! Had they
not wounded him and carried her off? There were not many of them and
they were all asleep. While he and Pocahontas had talked he had pulled
himself out of the water and thrown his legs over the stern. Now he
rose and whispered:

"Before I go I would know what their canoe is like. Be not