"I guess however our friend Jeremiah has got clean slick
off," said Villiers, imitating the tone and language of
that individual, "and he, I take it, is by far the more
formidable of the two. I expect that, before he dies, he
will give one of us a long shot yet, in revenge for the
fall of young hopeful."

"Traitorous and revengeful scoundrel," aspirated Henry
Grantham, as the recollection of the manner of his father's
death came over his mind. "It is, at least, some consolation
to think his villainy has in part met its reward. I
confess I think in the death of young Desborough, less
even because a dangerous enemy has been removed, than
because in his fall the heart of the father will be racked
in its only assailable point. I trust I am not naturally
cruel, yet do I hope the image of his slain partner in
infamy may ever after revisit his memory, and remind him
of his crime."

An exclamation from the Indians now drew the attention
of the officers to a boat that came in sight, in the
direction in which that of Gerald Grantham had long since
disappeared, and as she drew nearer, a white flag, floating
in the stem became gradually distinguishable. Expressions
of surprise passed among the officers, by whom various
motives were assigned as the cause of the return of the
flag of truce, for that it was their own boat no one
doubted, especially, as, on approaching sufficiently
near, the blue uniform of the officer who steered the
boat was visible to the naked eye. On a yet nearer