Page 42 - A Hero of Ticonderoga

manage the light craft.

"Yes, they be Injins," said Nathan, "and I wish they’d let my mushrat alone.
But I s’pose there’s enough for them and me."

Presently the Indians passed quite near them, and one, speaking so softly
that the children thought his voice could never have sounded the terrible

war-whoop, accosted them:

"How do? You Beenum boy?"

"Yes," Nathan answered; and then, obeying the Yankee instinct of inquiry,

asked: "Be you gettin’ many mushrat?"

"No ketch um plenty," the Indian replied. "Ol’ Capenteese ketch um mos’
all moosquas," and Nathan understood that he attributed the scarcity of
muskrats to Job, whose fame as a hunter and trapper was known to every

Waubanakee who visited this part of the lake.

"Me come back pooty soon," the Indian said, pointing up the creek with his
paddle. "Den go house, see um Beenum. Buy um some pig eese.[1] S’pose
he sell um lee’l bit?"

[1] Pork

Nathan nodded a doubtful assent, and then, reminded of dinner-getting by
the mention of pork, caught Martha’s hand and hurried homeward, while

the Indians resumed their way upstream.

When the children entered the open door, they were for a moment dumb
with amazement at the confusion that had in so short a time usurped the
tidiness whereof they had left the room possessed. The coverlets and

blankets of one bed were dragged from their place, two or three chairs were
overturned, and the meal barrel was upset and half its contents strewn

across the floor.