Chapter 5 - Page 2

grace on the heathen, and finally for victory over all their carnal
enemies, let them come whence or in what aspect they might.

Fortified by these additional exercises, old Mark next made himself the
master of all the signs and evidences of the approach of danger, by a more
rigid and minute inquiry into the visible circumstances of the arrest of
the young savage. Content received a merited and grateful reward for his
prudence, in the approbation of one whom he still continued to revere with
a mental dependence little less than that with which he had leaned on his
father's wisdom in the days of his childhood.

"Thou hast done well and wisely," said his father; "but more remaineth to
be performed by thy wisdom and fortitude. We have had tidings that the
heathen near the Providence Plantations are unquiet, and that they are
lending their minds to wicked counsellors. We are not to sleep in too much
security, because a forest journey of a few days lies between their
villages and our own clearing. Bring forth the captive; I will question
him on the matter of this visit."

Until now, so much did the fears of all turn towards the enemies who were
believed to be lurking near, that little thought had been bestowed on the
prisoner in the block-house. Content, who well knew the invincible
resolution, no less than the art of an Indian, had forborne to question
him when taken; for he believed the time to be better suited to vigilant
action, than to interrogatories that the character of the boy was likely
to render perfectly useless. He now proceeded, however, with an interest
that began to quicken as circumstances rendered its indulgence less
unsuitable, to seek his captive, in order to bring him before the
searching ordeal of his father's authority.

The key of the lower door of the block-house hung where it had been
deposited; the ladder was replaced, and Content mounted quietly to the
apartment where he had placed his captive. The room was the lowest of
three that the building contained, all being above that which might be
termed its basement. The latter, having up aperture but its door, was a
dark, hexagonal space, partly filled with such articles as might be needed
in the event of an alarm, and which, at the same time, were frequently
required for the purposes of domestic use. In the centre of the area was
a deep well, so fitted and protected by a wall of stone, as to admit of
water being drawn into the rooms above. The door itself was of massive
hewn timber. The squared logs of the upper stories projected a little
beyond the stone-work of the basement, the second tier of the timbers
containing a few loops out of which missiles might be discharged
downwards, on any assailants that