Page:Barbour--Metipoms Hostage.djvu/111

Rh bitterly. “This Indian caught and bound me and brought me here.”

The sachem thereupon directed his words to Sequanawah, and the latter made an explanation, a word or two of which David was  able to understand.

Presently the powwow said blandly: “Sequanawah say you come to village where he watch and ask food. He bring you to Great Sachem. Why you lie?”

“I tell no lie,” answered David wonderingly. “I not understand. He capture me yesterday near my home, many leagues  away. He had two others with him. They put cloth between my teeth so that I could  not cry out and bound my hands behind my  back. All night we travel. What story is this he tells?”

“Great Sachem say hold out hands.”

David obeyed.

“They not bound,” said the powwow.

“He released them ere I entered here.”

“Great Sachem say he not believe your story. Great Sachem good friend of English. All his people friends of English people. No would steal you. Great Sachem say maybe you sick in head. You think?”

David looked in puzzlement at the sachem