Page:Barbour--Metipoms Hostage.djvu/135

Rh to the squaw. When he returned he said, “Squaw say ‘pequas.’”

“Pequas” meant fox, and David considered the matter for a minute. He had heard of foxes being eaten by the Indians: even on  occasion by the English settlers, though not  from choice; but it seemed to him that to  have turned up his nose at dog-meat and now  approve of fox-meat was foolish, for, save  that one ran wild and other was tame, there  could be little to choose between them. As a result of his cogitation, he ate little supper,  for the half-boiled beans were both few and  wretched. John ate the meat without demur.

Later they talked again as the darkness crept up the mountain and the scattered fires  made orange-hued glows about the village. The talk was halting, however, and difficult, and before long David went to his hard couch  and John, drawing his skin cloak about his  bronze shoulders, squatted without the doorway and smoked. David’s thoughts that night were wistful of home and his father,  but not for long since sleep soon came to  his still wearied body.