Page:Nattie Nesmith (1870).pdf/184

 distant, and were, so the Indian girl had represented, much more to be dreaded than the red man. The surrounding forest had come into the possession of a company of Yankee pioneers, who were moving in these French to cut it down, and help transport the lumber to market.

Before the squaws could escape from the woods, they were seen by a scout of French, sent out to make a circuit in that direction. The men at once set up a cry of:

"Indian squaws! Indian squaws! Come on, boys; there is a wigwam somewhere not far off. Let us give them a call, and get some hot succotash to go with our cold lunch."

The party of Canadians rushed on, at the top of their speed, and gained the opening before the cabin just as the squaws were disappearing within the doors. Nattie was sitting at the table where Augustus Reid had left her half an hour before. She had taken from a drawer some strips of cloth, and was thinking which color to