Part 35 (1/2)
Big Otter did not reply, but I saw by his grave look that he was not satisfied. After a brief pause he resumed,--”Was the Great Master of Life good to the wicked pale-faces, when He allowed the red-men to slay them in their sins?”
”Yes,” I returned, ”He was good, because the Great Master of Life cannot be otherwise than good. He has made our brains capable of understanding that, and our hearts capable of resting on it. But He is our Father.
Children do not understand all that a father does. Big Otter has touched on a great mystery. But what we know not now we shall know hereafter. Only let the red-man be sure of this, that whatever we come to know in the hereafter will tend more and more to prove that the Great Master of Life is good.”
For a long time the Indian remained silent, and I could not tell by the expression of his grave face whether my reasoning weighed with him or not; I therefore offered up a brief prayer that the Spirit of G.o.d might open his eyes--as well as my own--to see, and our hearts to receive, the _truth_, whatever that might be. Then I said,--”The thoughts of Big Otter are deep, what do they lead to?”
”No,” he replied, ”his thoughts are not deep, but they are confused, for he has heard his pale-face brother call Waboose, Eve. How did he come to know that name? It was only used by Weeum, and seldom by him--never by any one else.”
It struck me that now was as suitable a time as might present itself to let the Indian know about the contents of the packet, so I said,--”Listen, Big Otter, I have something important to tell.”
From this point I went on, and, in as few words as possible, related all that the reader knows about the packet, and the wishes of poor William Liston. I also showed him the miniature, at which he gazed with visible but suppressed emotion.
”Now,” said I, in conclusion, ”what do you think we should do?”
”What Weeum wished must be done,” he replied simply but firmly.
”You were fond of Weeum?” I said.
”Yes, Big Otter loved him like a brother.”
”Don't you think,” said I, after some minutes' thought, ”that it is our duty first to return to the camp of your tribe, and also that I should send Salamander back to Fort Wichikagan to tell where I have gone, and for what purpose? For Salamander is not free like myself. He is still a servant of the fur-traders.”
”No, that is not your duty,” said the Indian decidedly. ”Your duty is to obey the commands of Weeum! My tribe will not die of grief because Waboose does not return. As for Salamander--send him where you please.
He is n.o.body--nothing!”
Although not quite agreeing with Big Otter in his contemptuous estimate of the value of Salamander, I believed that I could get along quite well without him; and therefore resolved to send him back--first to the Indian camp to tell of our safety and intentions, and then to the fort with an explanatory letter to Lumley, who, I knew full well, would be filled with great anxiety on my account, as well as with uncertainty as to how he should act, dest.i.tute as he was of the slightest clue to my fate or my whereabouts.
”And you, my friend,” I said, ”what will your movements be?”
”Big Otter will go and help you to obey the commands of Weeum,” he replied. ”There is no wife, no child, waiting for him to return. He must be a father to Waboose. Muxbee will _be_ her brother. The trail to Colorado is long. Big Otter has been there. He has been a solitary wanderer all his life, and knows the wilderness well. He has crossed the great mountains where the snow lies deep even in summer. He can be a guide, and knows many of the mountain tribes as well as the tribes of the prairie--Waugh!”
”Well, my friend,” said I, grasping the Indian's strong hand, ”I need not tell you that your decision gives me joy, and I shall be only too glad to travel with you in the capacity of a son; for, you know, if you are to be a father to Waboose, and I am to be her brother, that makes you my father--don't you see?”
The grave Indian smiled faintly at this touch of pleasantry, and then rose.
”We have nothing to eat,” he said, as we returned to the place where we had slept, ”and we cannot hunt in the night. Is your bag empty?”
”No,” said I, glancing at the contents of my wallet, ”there is enough of biscuit and pemmican to give us a light meal.”
”That will do,” he returned; ”we need rest more than food just now.”
This was indeed true; for, notwithstanding that I had slept so soundly during that day, I still felt a strong disinclination to rouse myself to action, and an intense desire to lie down again. These feelings being shared by my companions, it was resolved to spend the night where we were, but we took good care to kindle no fire to betray us a second time. We roused Eve and Salamander to take some food, after which we all lay down, and, ere long, were again sound asleep.
This double allowance of rest had the most beneficial effect upon our frames. We did not awake till an early hour the following morning, and felt so much refreshed as to be ready and anxious to set off on our journey, without the delay of breakfasting. This was fortunate, for the sc.r.a.ps that remained in my wallet would only have sufficed for one meal to a man of ordinary appet.i.te; and, as it was important to expedite Salamander on his return journey, these had to be given to him. Poor fellow! he was much cast down on hearing of my decision in regard to him.
”But, sar,” he said, with a sorrowful countenance, ”w'at for I no go vith you?”
”Because you are still a servant of the Fur Company, and not ent.i.tled to break your engagement. Besides, it is desirable that Big Otter's people should know why he and Waboose have left them, and where they have gone; and if you explain matters correctly they will be quite satisfied, for they all respect the memory of Weeum the Good. Moreover, it is important that Mr Lumley should know what has prevented my return, both to relieve his mind, and prevent his sending out to search for me.”
”But sar,” objected Salamander, ”w'at if me meets vid de vite scoundrils?”