"
"Humph!"
"The cup was a heavy price to pay," continued the Indian. "I do not
know what great thing it bought."
"Humph!" I said again. "Did you happen to meet Master Edward
Sharpless in the forest?"
He shook his head. "The forest is wide, and there are many trails
through it. Nantauquas looked for that of the werowance of the
Paspaheghs, but found it not. He had no time to waste upon a
white man."
He gathered his otterskin mantle about him and prepared to depart.
I rose and gave him my hand, for I thoroughly liked him, and in the
past he had made me his debtor. "Tell Rolfe he will find me
alone," I said, "and take my thanks for your pains, Nantauquas. If
ever we hunt together again, may I have the chance to serve you! I
bear the scars of the wolf's teeth yet; you came in the nick of time,
that day."
The Indian smiled. "It was a fierce old wolf. I wish Captain Percy
free with all my heart, and then we will hunt more wolves, he and
I."
When he was gone, and the gaoler and Diccon with him, I returned
to the window. The runaway in the pillory was released, and went
away homewards, staggering beside his master's stirrup. Passers-by
grew more and more infrequent, and up the street came faint
sounds of laughter and hurrahing, - the bear must be making good
sport. I could see the half-moon, and the guns, and the flag that
streamed in the wind, and on the river a sail or two, white in the
sunlight as the gulls that swooped past.
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