the west, they invited Canacum, Janno, and Aspinet
to fall upon them from the east, and having slain man and boy to equably
divide the women and other plunder. As earnest of his authority
Wituwamat here presented Canacum with a knife stolen or bought from the
Weymouth settlers, and jeeringly said the coward pale faces had brought
over the weapons that should cut their own throats.

Having thus delivered his message, the Neponset indulged himself in a
burst of self-glorification, boasting that he had in his day killed
both French and Englishmen, and that he found the sport very amusing,
for they died crying and making wry faces more like children than men.

"What is the impudent villain saying, and what means that knife,
Captain?" muttered Howland in the captain's ear, but he shaking his head
impatiently replied,--

"He means violence and treachery of some sort, but what form it takes I
wot not. Be on your guard, John."

The harangue ended, refreshments were served, but the Neponsets were now
treated with so much more courtesy and attention than the white men that
Standish refusing the poorer portion offered to him and his comrades,
rose and indignantly left the cabin, ordering his men to construct a
shelter near the beach, and there cook some of the provisions they had
brought. But they had hardly begun to do this when Kamuso appeared, full
of indignant protests at Canacum's inhospitality, and loudly declaring
that an affront to his friends was an affront to him, and he should
desert the wigwam where the red men were feasting, and share the humbler
fare of his white friends.

"Well, I wish thou hadst brought along a kettle to cook some corn in!"
exclaimed Standish with something of his old joviality of manner, for
his suspicions in falling upon Canacum had in some degree lifted from
Kamuso, who certainly played his part with wonderful skill, and had he
been white instead of red, and civilized instead of savage, might have
left his name on record as a diplomatist beside that of Machiavelli or
Ignatius Loyola.

"A kettle! My brother would like a kettle!" exclaimed he now. "Nay, a
friend of mine hath one which I will buy of him and present to The
Sword. I am rich, I Kamuso, and can make rich presents to those I love."

And rushing back to the wigwams, he presently returned with a good-sized
brass kettle, which he ostentatiously laid at the captain's feet,
refusing the handful of beads Standish offered in return.