Part 7 (1/2)
”Her mother? And what did she say?”
”Oh! she and Missis Helen kinder laughed, and showed all dar white teef, and dey didn't try to persuade her to go, 'cause dey _knowed_ dar wan't no use ob tryin' to do nuffin' like _dat_. She lubs the Leftenant altogeder too much. Yah! yah!” and Cato kicked up his heels, hugely delighted.
”Have you told me when you built this house of yours?”
”T'ought I hahd. Done dat ar workmans.h.i.+p dis mornin', arter all de Injines had gone. T'ought dar'd be somebody 'long dis way afore long.”
”There has been nothing saved,” said the Lieutenant, looking around and speaking apparently to himself.
”Noffin' but dis poor n.i.g.g.e.r, and I don't know what will become of him now dat he's all alone,” said Cato, with a woe-begone demeanor.
”Have no anxiety upon that account. You shall be attended to. Captain Prescott and all his family are living, and, depend upon it, you will not suffer if he can prevent it.”
”But de house am gone--de horses--de corns--eberyt'ing but me.”
The young soldier continued musing for a moment and then asked:
”How far from here is the settlement to which Mrs. Prescott has gone?”
”Ten, fifteen or forty miles.”
”Can't you tell me more precisely than that?”
”Somewhere atween ten and forty or fifty--dat's all I can tell.”
”Have you ever been there yourself?”
”Offin--horseback.”
”You know the way?”
”Jes' as well as did from de house to de barn.”
”How would you like to go there?”
”What! alone?” asked Cato, the old look of terror coming back to his countenance.
”Certainly--you have been there and back you said, didn't you?”
”Yes, but bress your soul! de Injines wan't about den.”
”I guess there were as many as there are this minute.”
”Oh! gracious! I don't want to go alone. What made ye ax me dat queshun?”
”Why, I thought this, Cato. You see I expect Oonomoo to return to this place by nightfall, when I intend to accompany him to the Shawnee village where Miss Mary is held captive----”
”Goin' to git her?”
”We hope to. I was going to propose that you should make your way to the settlement and carry the news of this sad affair to Mrs. Prescott and her daughter, a.s.suring her that the Huron and myself will do all we can to rescue Mary. They must have seen the light, last night, and no doubt are dreadfully anxious to learn whether it was their mansion or not. Besides, I doubt whether the Huron will be willing that you should accompany us.”