Chapter 22 - Page 2

this opinion, though she was too well instructed not to understand
that the monarch, in this, as in a thousand other cases, was
blamed for acts of which he was most probably ignorant. She felt
the justice of the rebuke, therefore, too much to attempt an answer,
and her thoughts naturally reverted to her own situation.

"And what am I to do, June?" she demanded. "It cannot be long
before your people will assault this building."

"Blockhouse good -- got no scalp."

"But they will soon discover that it has got no garrison too, if
they do not know it already. You yourself told me the number of
people that were on the island, and doubtless you learned it from
Arrowhead."

"Arrowhead know," answered June, holding up six fingers, to indicate
the number of the men. "All red men know. Four lose scalp already;
two got 'em yet."

"Do not speak of it, June; the horrid thought curdles my blood.
Your people cannot know that I am alone in the blockhouse, but may
fancy my uncle and the Quartermaster with me, and may set fire to
the building, in order to dislodge them. They tell me that fire
is the great danger to such places."

"No burn blockhouse," said June quietly;

"You cannot know that, my good June, and I have no means to keep
them off."

"No burn blockhouse. Blockhouse good; got no scalp."

"But tell me why, June; I fear they will burn it."

"Blockhouse wet -- much rain -- logs green -- no burn easy. Red
man know it -- fine t'ing -- then no burn it to tell Yengeese that
Iroquois been here. Fader come back, miss blockhouse, no found.
No, no; Indian too much cunning; no touch anything."

"I understand you, June, and hope your prediction may be true;
for, as regards my dear father, should he escape --perhaps he is
already dead or captured, June ?"

"No touch fader -- don't know where he gone -- water got no trail
-- red man can't follow. No burn blockhouse --blockhouse good;
got no scalp."

"Do you think it possible for me to remain here safely until my
father returns?"

"Don't know; daughter tell best when fader come back." Mabel felt
uneasy at the glance of June's dark eye as she uttered this; for
the unpleasant surmise arose that her companion was endeavoring to
discover a fact that might be useful to her own people, while it
would lead to the destruction of her parent and his party. She
was about to make an evasive answer, when a heavy push at the outer
door suddenly drew all her thoughts to the immediate danger.

"They come!" she exclaimed. "Perhaps, June,