lder and wiser than thyself."

Blushing furiously at this rebuke, Rene sat down, while his uncle
continued: "I am also of the opinion that this young savage should be
courteously entreated and set at liberty. Thus shall we win favor with
his tribe, with whom it behooves us to remain on friendly terms."

The others of the council did not, however, agree with this, but
thought the better plan would be to retain the Indian lad as a hostage,
and demand of his tribe a great quantity of provisions as his ransom.

As they were in the majority, Laudonniere hesitated to act contrary to
their counsel, and finally said that they would hold him for at least
one day, and that in the mean time Rene should visit him, and endeavor
to extract from him the desired information regarding the movements of
his people.

When Rene, armed with his uncle's authority for so doing, passed the
sentinel and entered the guard-house, he found the Indian lad seated on
a rude bench in one corner, with his face buried in his hands. He
sprang to his feet at Rene's approach, and stood silently regarding
him, not knowing but what he too had become an enemy. Carefully
closing the door behind him, the impulsive French boy stepped quickly
over to where the other stood, and embraced him, saying, as he did so,
"Surely, Has-se, my brother, thou canst not think that I am aught but
thy friend?"

Thus reassured, Has-se returned the embrace, and said, "I know thou art
my friend, Ta-lah-lo-ko, and I did wrong to doubt thee for a moment;
but it maddens me to be thus caged, and I am become like Nutcha the
hawk when restrained of his liberty, suspicious of all men."

Then both boys sat down on the bench, and Rene questioned Has-se
regarding the sudden departure of the Indians, and why he was there
alone.

Has-se replied that while he had no secrets that all men might not
know, he would have died rather than answer the questions of those who
held him a prisoner, and as such commanded him to speak. To his friend
Ta-lah-lo-ko he would, however, talk freely and with a straight tongue.
He said that after the destruction of the storehouse containing their
supply of provisions for many months, Micco, their chief, had decided
that it would be best for his people to remove to the land of the
Alachus, their friends, who had provisions in plenty, and remain there
until the next season of corn planting. He caused their departure to
be made secretly, for fear that the wh