said Dick Varley. “But for Crusoe, that buck would ha’ bin couched in the woods this night.”
“Oh! if it comes to that,” retorted Joe, I’d lay it to the door o’ Fan, for if she’d niver bin born nother would Crusoe. Howsiver, I’ve other things to talk about jist now. Them sodgers that are eatin’ buffalo tongues up at the block-house as if they’d niver ate meat before, and didn’t hope to eat again for a twelvemonth———”
“Ay, what o’ them?” interrupted Mrs. Varley; “I’ve bin wonderin’ what was their errand.”
“Of coorse ye wos. Dame Varley, and I’ve comed here a purpis to tell ye. They want me to go to the Redskins to make peace between them and us; and they’ve brought a lot o’ goods to make them presents withal—beads, an’ knives, an’ lookin’-glasses, an’ vermilion paint, an’ sich like, jist as much as’ll be a light load for one horse—for, ye see, nothin’ can be done wi’ the Redskins without gifts.”
“’Tis a blessed mission,” said the widow; “I wish it may succeed. D’ye think ye’ll go?”
“Go? Ay, that will I.”
“I only wish they’d made the offer to me,” said Dick.
“An’ so they do make the offer, lad. They’ve gin me leave to choose the two men I’m to take with me, and I’ve comed straight to’ ask you. Ay or no, for we must up an’ away by break o’ day to-morrow.”
Mrs. Varley started. “So soon?” she said, anxiously.
“Ay; the Pawnees are at the Yellow Creek jist at this time, but I’ve heerd they’re ’bout to break up camp an’ away west; so we’ll need to use haste.”
“May I go, mother?” asked Dick.
There was evidently a conflict in the widow’s breast, but it quickly ceased.
“Yes, my boy,” she said in her own low, quiet voice; “and God go with ye. I knew the time must come soon, an’ I thank Him that your first visit to the Redskins will be on an errand o’ peace. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.’”
Dick grasped his mother’s hand and pressed it to his cheek in silence. At the same moment Crusoe, seeing that the deeper feelings of his master were touched, rose up and thrust his nose against him.
“Ah, pup,” cried the young man hastily, “you must go too. Of course Crusoe goes, Joe Blunt?”
