Page:Edward Ellis--Seth Jones.djvu/61

58 "How Yankee like it?" grinned a savage, by his side, stooping and peering fiendishly into his face.

"First rate; goes nice. Say, you, s'posen you try it?" "Ugh! walk faster," and a whack accompanied the word.

"Now, I cac'late I'm going to walk just about as fast as I darned please, and if you ain't a mind to wait, you can heave ahead. Fact, by gracious."

And Seth did not increase his steps in the least. Toward noon, he found he should be obliged to have a short rest or give out entirely. He knew it would be useless to ask, and consequently he determined to take it without asking. So, unloosing the cords which bound the pack to his back, he let it fall to the ground, and, seating himself upon it, again went to whistling!

"Go faster, Yankee—you no keep up," exclaimed one, giving him a stunning blow.

"See here, you, p'raps you don't know who it mought be you insulted in that way. I'm Seth Jones, from New Hampshire, and consequently you'll be keerful of tetching me."

The savage addressed, was upon the point of striking him insolently to the earth, when the chieftain interfered. "No touch pale face—him tired—rest a little."

Some unaccountable whim had possessed the savage, as this mercy was entirely unexpected by Seth, and he knew not how to account for it, unless it might be he was reserving him for some horrible torture.

The resting spell was but a breathing moment, however, and just as Seth had begun to really enjoy it, the chieftain gave orders for the replacement of the load. Seth felt disposed to tamper awhile, for the sake of prolonging his enjoyment, but, on second thought, concluded it the better plan not to cross the chief who had been so lenient to him thus far. So, with a considerable number of original remarks, and much disputation about the placing of the burden, he shouldered it at last and trudged forward.

Seth was right in his conjectures about Ina. Toward the latter part of the day, the three Indians who had been pursued by our other friends, rejoined the main party, bearing her with them She noticed her companion in captivity at once, but