last--the endin' of it all."

"Have you seen your father?" Sergeant Corney asked, and the lad replied,
triumphantly:

"Ay, an' had speech with him."

"Where is he?"

"In a lodge near Thayendanega's, an' until to-night there has been no
great danger he would be tortured, as I believe because of the sachem's
promise that he shall not be killed."

"How did you get to speak with him?" I asked, in surprise.

"Within three hours after leavin' you I was hereabout, an' saw him. That
night I crept through the village undiscovered, for even the dogs failed
to bark at me, I know not why, an' there talked with my father as I now
talk with you."

"If you got away, why could not he have done the same?" I asked, surprised
that Jacob should have succeeded in making his way among the lodges.

"I urged him to make the attempt, but he claimed that there was no hope we
two could leave the village undiscovered. First he was bound hand an'
foot, an', although I might have cut my way through the lodge to release
him from the fetters, he forbade it because of the risk, sayin' I must not
endanger my life on account of mother, an' insistin' that at some future
time escape would be more easy than then. He ordered me to go home at
once, providin' I could not find you, an' I would have done so this night