them to the best of his capacity, or
he practically published his mistrust. And yet Mountain assures me the
man's brow was never ruffled. He sat in the midst of these jackals, his
life depending by a thread, like some easy, witty householder at home by
his own fire; an answer he had for everything--as often as not, a
jesting answer; avoided threats, evaded insults; talked, laughed, and
listened with an open countenance; and, in short, conducted himself in
such a manner as must have disarmed suspicion, and went near to stagger
knowledge. Indeed, Mountain confessed to me they would soon have
disbelieved the captain's story, and supposed their designated victim
still quite innocent of their designs; but for the fact that he
continued (however ingeniously) to give the slip to questions, and the
yet stronger confirmation of his repeated efforts to escape. The last
of these, which brought things to a head, I am now to relate. And first
I should say that by this time the temper of Harris's companions was
utterly worn out; civility was scarce pretended; and, for one very
significant circumstance, the Master and Secundra had been (on some
pretext) deprived of weapons. On their side, however, the threatened
pair kept up the parade of friendship handsomely; Secundra was all bows,
the Master all smiles; and on the last night of the truce he had even
gone so far as to sing for the diversion of the company. It was observed
that he had also eaten with unusual heartiness, and drank deep,
doubtless from design.

At least, about three in the morning, he came out of the tent into the
open air, audibly mourning and complaining, with all the manner of a
sufferer from surfeit. For some while, Secundra publicly attended on his
patron, who at last became more easy, and fell asleep on the frosty
ground behind the tent, the Indian returning within. Some time after,
the sentry was changed; had the Master pointed out to him, where he lay
in what is called a robe of buffalo: and thenceforth kept an eye upon
him (he declared) without remission. With the first of the dawn, a
draught of wind came suddenly and blew open one side the corner of the
robe; and with the same puff, the Master's hat whirled in the air and
fell some yards away. The sentry thinking it remarkable the sleeper
should not awaken, thereupon drew near; and the next moment, with a
great shout, informed the camp their prisoner was escaped. He had left
behind his Indian, who (in the fi