As he finished his speech the crowd commenced reciting the virtues of
their deceased Chief, calling for revenge, and insulting the prisoners
with every epithet their wild imagination could suggest. A dissatisfied
"hugh" from the old Sachem caused the first Chief again to rise, when in
an instant all again became quiet, such were the peculiar customs of
these people and the great influence of their Chiefs and Rulers. In a
calm voice he addressed again the old Sachem:

"Thy son has spoken with a brave and cunning tongue; yet he speaks not
to the heart of his Chief. He is ready to strike the enemy. Who carries
more arrows or sharper ones than Black Snake? Whose stone-headed war
club is deadlier? Whose tomahawk is freer on the battle-field? The Black
Snake coils himself under the bushes and springs upon his sleeping
enemy. When they would strike him he is gone, and their club falls where
he once stood. He will be a great warrior when he gathers a few more
years. He needs experience to lead the young braves. Let our father
speak from his heart, that he may hide nothing from his children, then
will they know how to counsel."

Thus called upon, the old Chief rose with a calm brow, and advancing
with great dignity, slowly scanned the faces of his dusky audience. His
eyes beamed with respectful, hopeful submission on his circle of Chiefs,
also upon the women judges, who make the final decision in choosing a
new Chief after hearing the arguments in favor of each candidate.
Glancing towards Black Snake with a stern, unwavering countenance,
regarding the prisoners with unaffected sympathy, and finally resting
with a fond look of painful solicitude upon his daughter, who was seated
on a mossy carpet beneath a large tree, within hearing distance of all
that was said--the wolf, the Fawn's devoted friend, coiled at her feet,
and her neglected wampum carelessly thrown over his glossy neck--in a