Chapter XX.

by James Fenimore Cooper

　　--Therefore, go with me; I'll give the fairies to attend on thee; And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep, --Peas-blossom! cobweb! moth! and mustard-seed, --Midsummer-Night's DreamAs le Bourdon kept moving across the prairie, while the remarks weremade that have been recorded in the preceding chapter, he soonreached the new position where he intended to again set up hisstand. Here he renewed his operations; Peter keeping nearest hisperson, in jealous watchfulness of the least movement he made. Beeswere caught, and scarce a minute elapsed ere the bee-hunter had twoof them on the piece of comb, uncovered and at liberty. Thecircumstance that the cap was momentarily placed over the insects,struck the savages as a piece of necromancy, in particular. Thereader will understand that this is done in order to darken thetumbler, and induce the bee to settle down on the honey so much thesooner. To one who understood the operation and its reason, thewhole was simple enough; but it was a very different matter with menas little accustomed to prying into the habits of creatures asinsignificant as bees. Had deer, or bisons, or bears, or any of thequadrupeds of those regions, been the subject of the experiment, itis highly probable that individuals could have been found in thatattentive and wondering crowd, who could have enlightened the ablestnaturalists on the subject of the animals under examination; butwhen the inquiry descended to the bee, it went below the wants andusages of savage life.

　　"Where you t'ink dis bee go?" demanded Peter, in English, as soon asle Bourdon raised the tumbler.

　　"One will go in this direction, the other in that," answered thebee-hunter, pointing first toward the corner of the woods, thentoward the island in the prairie--the two points toward which two ofthe other bees had flown.

　　The predictions might or might not prove true. If they did, theeffect must be great; if they did not, the failure would soon beforgotten in matters of more interest. Our hero, therefore, riskedbut little, while he had the chance of gaining a very greatadvantage. By a fortunate coincidence, the result completelyjustified the prediction. A bee rose, made its circles around thestand, and away it went toward the island-like copse in the prairie;while its companion soon imitated its example, but taking the otherprescribed direction. This time Peter watched the insects so closelythat he was a witness of their movements, and with his own eyes hebeheld the flight, as well as the direction taken by each.

　　"You tell bee do dis?" demanded Peter, with a surprise that was sosudden, as well as so great, that it overcame in some slight degreehis habitual self-command.

　　"To be sure I did," replied le Bourdon, carelessly. "If you wish tosee another, you may."

　　Here the young man coolly took another bee, and put it on the comb.Indifferent as he appeared, however, he used what was perhaps thehighest degree of his art in selecting this insect. It was takenfrom the bunch of flowers whence one of his former captives had beentaken, and there was every chance of its belonging to the same hiveas its companion. Which direction it might take, should it prove tobe a bee from either of the two hives of which the positions werenow known, it altogether exceeded Boden's art to tell, so hedexterously avoided committing himself. It was enough that Petergazed attentively, and that he saw the insect dart away,disappearing in the direction of the island. By this time more ofthe savages were on the alert, and now knowing how and where to lookfor the bee, they also saw its course.

　　"You tell him ag'in go dere?" asked Peter, whose interest by thistime was so manifest, as to defy all attempts at concealment.

　　"To be sure I did. The bees obey me, as your young men obey you. Iam their chief, and they know me. I will give you further proof ofthis. We will now go to that little bit of wood, when you shall allsee what it contains. I have sent three of my bees there; and here,one of them is already back, to let me know what he has seen."

　　Sure enough, a bee was buzzing around the head of le Bourdon,probably attracted by some fragment of comb, and he cunninglyconverted it into a messenger from the copse! All this was wonderfulto the crowd, and it even greatly troubled Peter. This man was muchless liable to the influence of superstition than most of hispeople; but he was very far from being altogether above it. This isthe fact with very few civilized men; perhaps with no man whatever,let his philosophy and knowledge be what they may; and least of all,is it true with the ignorant. There is too much of the uncertain, ofthe conjectural in our condition as human beings, to raise usaltogether above the distrusts, doubts, wonder, and other weaknessesof our present condition. To these simple savages, the manner inwhich the bees flew, seemingly at le Bourdon's bidding, to this orthat thicket, was quite as much a matter of astonishment, as any ofour most elaborate deceptions are wonders to our own ignorant andvulgar. Ignorant! And where is the line to be drawn that is to placemen beyond the pale of ignorance? Each of us fails in some one, ifnot in very many of the important branches of the knowledge that iseven reduced to rules Among us. Here is seen the man of books, soignorant of the application of his own beloved theories, as to be amere child in practice; and there, again, can be seen the expert inpractice, who is totally unacquainted with a single principle of themany that lie at the root of his very handicraft. Let us not, then,deride these poor children of the forest, because that which was soentirely new to them, should also appear inexplicable andsupernatural.

　　As for Peter, he was more confounded than convinced. His mind was somuch superior to those of the other chiefs, as to render him farmore difficult to mislead; though even he was not exempt from thegreat weaknesses of ignorance, superstition, and its concomitants--credulity, and a love of the marvellous. His mind was troubled, aswas quite apparent to Ben, who watched him quite as narrowly as hewas observed himself, in all he did. Willing to deepen theimpression, our artist now determined to exhibit some of the higherfruits of his skill. The production of a considerable quantity ofhoney would of itself be a sort of peace-offering, and he nowprepared to turn the certainty of there being a hive in the littlewood to account--certainty, because three bees had taken wing forit, and a very distinct angle had been made with two of them.

　　"Does my brother wish any honey?" asked le Bourdon carelessly; "orshall I send a bee across Lake Michigan, to tell the Injins furtherwest that Detroit is taken?"

　　"Can Bourdon find honey, now?" demanded Peter.

　　"Easily. Several hives are within a mile of us. The bees like thisprairie, which is so well garnished with flowers, and I am never ata loss for work, in this neighborhood. This is my favorite bee-ground; and I have got all the little creatures so that they knowme, and are ready to do everything that I tell them. As I see thatthe chiefs love honey, and wish to eat some, we will now go to oneof my hives."

　　Thus saying, le Bourdon prepared for another march. He moved withall his appliances, Margery keeping close at his side, carrying thehoney-comb and honey. As the girl walked lightly, in advance of theIndians, some fifteen or twenty bees, attracted by the flavor ofwhat she carried, kept circling around her head, and consequentlyaround that of Boden; and Peter did not fail to observe thecircumstance. To him it appeared as if these bees were so manyaccompanying agents, who attended their master in order to do hisbidding. In a word, Peter was fast getting into that frame of mind,when all that is seen is pressed into the support of the theory wehave adopted. The bee-hunter had some mysterious connection with,and control over the bees, and this was one among the many othersigns of the existence of his power. All this, however, Bodenhimself disregarded. His mind was bent on throwing dust into theeyes of the Indians; and he was cogitating the means of so doing, ona much larger scale than any yet attempted.

　　"Why dem bee fly 'round young squaw?" demanded Peter--"and fly roundyou, too?"

　　"They know us, and go with us to their hive; just as Injins wouldcome out of their villages to meet and honor visitors."

　　This was a ready reply, but it scarcely satisfied the wily savage towhom it was given. Just then Crowsfeather led Peter a little aside,and began talking earnestly to that chief, both continuing on withthe crowd. Le Bourdon felt persuaded that the subject of thisprivate conference was some of his own former backslidings in thecharacter of conjuror, and that the Pottawattamie would not dealvery tenderly with his character. Nevertheless, it was too late toretrace his steps, and he saw the necessity of going on.

　　"I wish you had not come out with us," the bee-hunter found anoccasion to say to Margery. "I do not half like the state of things,and this conjuration about the bees may all fall through."

　　"It is better that I should be here, Bourdon," returned the spiritedgirl. "My being here may make them less unfriendly to you. When I amby, Peter always seems more human, and less of a savage, they alltell me, than when I am not by."

　　"No one can be more willing to own your power, Margery, than I; butInjins hold the squaws too cheap, to give you much influence overthis old fellow."

　　"You do not know--he may have had a daughter of about my age, orsize, or appearance; or with my laugh, or voice, or something elsethat reminds him of her, when he sees me. One thing I am sure of--Peter is no enemy of mine"

　　"I hope this may prove to be true! I do not see, after all, why anInjin should not have the feelin's you name. He is a man, and mustfeel for his wife and children, the same as other--"

　　"Bourdon, what ails the dog? Look at the manner in which Hive isbehaving!"

　　Sure enough, the appearance of Hive was sufficiently obvious toattract his master's attention. By this time the crowd had gotwithin twenty rods of the little island-like copse of wood, themastiff being nearly half that distance in advance. Instead ofpreceding the party, however, Hive had raised his form in a menacingmanner, and moved cautiously from side to side, like one of his kindthat scents a foe. There was no mistaking these movements; and allthe principal chiefs soon had their attention also drawn to thebehavior of the dog.

　　"Why he do so?" asked Peter. "He 'fraid of bee, eh?"

　　"He waits for me to come up," answered le Bourdon. "Let my brotherand two other chiefs come with me, and let the rest stay here. Beesdo not like crowds. Corporal, I put Margery in your keeping, andParson Amen will be near you. I now go to show these chiefs what abee can tell a man."

　　Thus saying, le Bourdon advanced, followed by Peter, Bear's Meat,and Crowsfeather. Our hero had made up his mind that something morethan bees were to be found in the thicket; for, the place being alittle marshy, bushes as well as trees were growing on it, and hefully expected a rencontre with bears, the creatures most disposedto prey on the labors of the bee--man excepted. Being well armed,and accompanied by men accustomed to such struggles, he had noapprehensions, and led the way boldly, feeling the necessity ofmanifesting perfect confidence in all his own acts, in order tocommand the respect of the observers. As soon as the bee-hunterpassed the dog, the latter growled, showed his teeth fiercely, andfollowed, keeping closely at his side. The confidence and alacritywith which le Bourdon moved into the thicket, compelled hiscompanions to be on the alert; though the first broke through thebelt of hazels which enclosed the more open area within, a fewinstants before the Indians reached the place. Then it was thatthere arose such a yell, such screechings and cries, as reached farover the prairie, and might have appalled the stoutest heart. Thepicture that was soon offered to the eye was not less terrific thanthe sounds which assailed the ear. Hundreds of savages, in theirwar-paint, armed, and in a crowded maze, arose as it might be by oneeffort, seemingly out of the earth, and began to leap and play theirantics amid the trees. The sudden spectacle of a crowd of suchbeings, nearly naked, frightfully painted, and tossing their armshere and there, while each yelled like a demon, was enough toovercome the nerves of a very resolute man. But le Bourdon wasprepared for a conflict and even felt relieved rather than alarmed,when he saw the savages. His ready mind at once conceived the truth.This band belonged to the chiefs, and composed the whole, or aprincipal part of the force which he knew they must have outlyingsomewhere on the prairies, or in the openings. He had sufficientlyunderstood the hints of Pigeonswing to be prepared for such ameeting, and at no time, of late, had he approached a cover, withoutremembering the possibility of its containing Indians.

　　Instead of betraying alarm, therefore, when this cloud of phantom-like beings rose before his eyes, le Bourdon stood firm, merelyturning toward the chiefs behind him, to ascertain if they weretaken by surprise, as well as himself. It was apparent that theywere; for, understanding that a medicine-ceremony was to take placeon the prairie, these young men had preceded the party from the hut,and had, ununknown to all the chiefs, got possession of this copse,as the best available cover, whence to make their observations onwhat was going on.

　　"My brother sees his young men," said le Bourdon, quietly, theinstant a dead calm had succeeded to the outcries with which he hadbeen greeted. "I thought he might wish to say something to them, andmy bees told me where to find them. Does my brother wish to knowanything else?"

　　Great was the wonder of the three chiefs, at this exhibition ofmedicine power! So far from suspecting the truth, or of detectingthe lucky coincidence by which le Bourdon had been led to the coverof their warriors, it all appeared to them to be pure necromancy.Such an art must be of great service; and how useful it would be tothe warrior on his path, to be accompanied by one who could thuscommand the vigilance of the bees.

　　"You find enemy all same as friend?" demanded Peter, letting out thethought that was uppermost, in the question.

　　"To be sure. It makes no difference with a bee; he can find an enemyas easily as he can find a friend.'

　　"No whiskey-spring dis time?" put in Crowsfeather, a littleinopportunely, and with a distrust painted in his swarthy face thatle Bourdon did not like.

　　"Pottawattamie, you do not understand medicine-men. Ought I to haveshown your young men where whiskey was to be had for nothing? Askyourself that question. Did you wish to see your young men wallowinglike hogs in such a spring? What would the great medicine-priest ofthe pale-faces, who is out yonder, have said to that?"

　　This was a coup de maitre on the part of the bee-hunter. Until thatmoment, the affair of the whiskey-spring had weighed heavily in thebalance against him; but now, it was suddenly changed over in thescales, and told as strongly in his favor. Even a savage canunderstand the morality which teaches men to preserve their reason,and not to lower themselves to the level of brutes, by swallowing"fire-water"; and Crowsfeather suddenly saw a motive for regardingour hero with the eyes of favor, instead of those of distrust anddislike.

　　"What the pale-face says is true," observed Peter to his companion."Had he opened his spring, your warrior would have been weaker thanwomen. He is a wonderful medicine-man, and we must not provoke himto anger. How could he know, but through his bees, that our youngmen were here?"

　　This question could not be answered; and when the chiefs, followedby the whole band of warriors, some three or four hundred in numbercame out upon the open prairie, all that had passed was communicatedto those who awaited their return, in a few brief, but clearexplanations. Le Bourdon found a moment to let Margery comprehendhis position and views, while Parson Amen and the corporal were putsufficiently on their guard not to make any unfortunate blunder. Thelast was much more easily managed than the first. So exceedinglysensitive was the conscience of the priest, that had he clearlyunderstood the game le Bourdon was playing, he might have revoltedat the idea of necromancy, as touching on the province of evilspirits; but he was so well mystified as to suppose all that passedwas regularly connected with the art of taking bees. In thisrespect, he and the Indians equally resembled one of those familiarpictures, in which we daily see men, in masses, contributing totheir own deception and subjection, while they fondly but blindlyimagine that they are not only inventors, but masters. This trade ofmastery, after all, is the property of a very few minds; and noprecaution of the prudent, no forethought of the wary, nor anyexpedient of charters, constitutions, or restrictions, will preventthe few from placing their feet on the neck of the many. We mayrevive the fable of King Log and King Stork, as often, and in asmany forms as we will; it will ever be the fable of King Log andKing Stork. We are no admirers of political aristocracies, as athousand paragraphs from our pen will prove; and, as for monarchs,we have long thought they best enact their parts, when mostresponsible to opinion; but we cannot deceive ourselves on thesubject of the atrocities that are daily committed by those who areever ready to assume the places of both, making their fellow-creatures in masses their dupes, and using those that they affect toserve.

　　Ben Boden was now a sort of "gouvernement provisoire" among thewondering savages who surrounded him. He had got them to believe innecromancy--a very considerable step toward the exercise of despoticpower. It is true, he hardly knew, himself, what was to be donenext; but he saw quite distinctly that he was in a dilemma, and mustmanage to get out of it by some means or other. If he could onlysucceed in this instance, as well as he had succeeded in his formeressay in the black art, all might be well, and Margery be carried intriumph into the settlements. Margery, pro haec vice, was hisgoddess of liberty, and he asked for no higher reward, than to bepermitted to live the remainder of his days in the sunshine of hersmiles. Liberty! a word that is, just now, in all men's mouths, butin how few hearts in its purity and truth! What a melancholymistake, moreover, to suppose that, could it be enjoyed in thatperfection with which the imaginations of men love to cheat theirjudgments, it is the great good of life! One hour spent in humbleveneration for the Being that gave it, in common with all of earth,its vacillating and uncertain existence, is of more account thanages passed in its service; and he who fancies that in worshippingliberty, he answers the great end of his existence, hugs a delusionquite as weak, and infinitely more dangerous, than that which nowcame over the minds of Peter and his countrymen, in reference to theintelligence of the bee. It is a good thing to possess the defectiveand qualified freedom, which we term "liberty"; but it is a graveerror to set it up as an idol to be worshipped.

　　"What my brother do next?" demanded Bear's Meat, who, being asomewhat vulgar-minded savage, was all for striking and wonder-working exhibitions of necromancy. "P'raps he find some honey now?"

　　"If you wish it, chief. What says Peter?--shall I ask my bees totell where there is a hive?"

　　As Peter very readily assented, le Bourdon next set about achievingthis new feat in his art. The reader will recollect that thepositions of two hives were already known to the bee-hunter, bymeans of that very simple and every-day process by which he earnedhis bread. One of these hives was in the point of wood alreadymentioned, that lay along the margin of the prairie; while the otherwas in this very copse, where the savages had secreted themselves.Boden had now no thought of giving any further disturbance to thislast-named colony of insects; for an insight into their existencemight disturb the influence obtained by the jugglery of the latediscovery, and he at once turned his attention toward the other hiveindicated by his bees.

　　Nor did le Bourdon now deem it necessary to resort to his usualmeans of carrying on his trade. These were not necessary to one whoknew already where the hive was to be found, while it opened the wayto certain mummeries that might be made to tell well in support ofhis assumed character. Catching a bee, then, and keeping it confinedwithin his tumbler, Ben held the last to his ear, as if listening towhat the fluttering insect had to say. Having seemingly satisfiedhimself on this point, he desired the chiefs once more to followhim, having first let the bee go, with a good deal of ceremony. Thisset all in motion again; the party being now increased by the wholeband of savages who had been "put up" from their cover.

　　By this time, Margery began to tremble for the consequences. She hadheld several short conferences with le Bourdon, as they walkedtogether, and had penetrated far enough into his purposes to seethat he was playing a ticklish game. It might succeed for a time,but she feared it must fail in the end; and there was always therisk of incurring the summary vengeance of savages. Perhaps she didnot fully appreciate the power of superstition, and the sluggishnessof the mind that once submits to its influence; while her woman'sheart made her keenly alive to all those frightful consequences thatmust attend an exposure. Nevertheless, nothing could now be done toavert the consequences. It was too late to recede, and things musttake their course, even at all the hazards of the case. That shemight not be wholly useless, when her lover was risking so much forherself--Margery well understanding that her escape was the onlyserious difficulty the bee-hunter apprehended--the girl turned allher attention to Peter, in whose favor she felt that she had beendaily growing, and on whose pleasure so much must depend. Changingher position a little, she now came closer to the chief than she hadhitherto done.

　　"Squaw like medicine-man?" asked Peter, with a significance ofexpression that raised a blush in Margery's cheek.

　　"You mean to ask me if I like to see medicine-men perform," answeredMargery, with the readiness of her sex. "White women are alwayscurious, they say--how is it with the women of the red men?"

　　"Juss so--full of cur'osity. Squaw is squaw--no matter what color."

　　"I am sorry, Peter, you do not think better of squaws. Perhaps younever had a squaw--no wife, or daughter?"

　　A gleam of powerful feeling shot athwart the dark countenance of theIndian, resembling the glare of the electric fluid flashing on acloud at midnight; but it passed away as quickly as it appeared,leaving in its stead the hard, condensed expression, which theintensity of a purpose so long entertained and cultivated, hadimprinted there, as indelibly as if cut in stone.

　　"All chief have squaw--all chief have pappoose--" was the answerthat came at last. "What he good for, eh?"

　　"It is always good to have children, Peter; especially when thechildren themselves are good."

　　"Good for pale-face, maybe--no good for Injin. Pale-face glad whenpappoose born--red-skin sorry."

　　"I hope this is not so. Why should an Injin be sorry to see thelaugh of his little son?"

　　"Laugh when he little--p'raps so; he little, and don't know whathappen. But Injin don't laugh any more when he grow up. Game gone;land gone; corn-field gone. No more room for Injin--pale-face wantall. Pale-face young man laugh--red-skin young man cry. Dat how itis."

　　"Oh! I hope not, Peter! I should be sorry to think it was so. Thered man has as good a right--nay, he has a better right to thiscountry than we whites; and God forbid that he should not alwayshave his full share of the land!"

　　Margery probably owed her life to that honest, natural burst offeeling, which was uttered with a warmth and sincerity that couldleave no doubt that the sentiment expressed came from the heart.Thus singularly are we constructed! A minute before, and noexemption was made in the mind of Peter, in behalf of this girl, inthe plan he had formed for cutting off the whites; on the contrary,he had often be-thought him of the number of young pale-faces thatmight be, as it were, strangled in their cradles, by including thebee-hunter and his intended squaw in the contemplated sacrifice. Allthis was changed, as in the twinkling of an eye, by Margery's honestand fervent expression of her sense of right, on the great subjectthat occupied all of Peter's thoughts. These sudden impulses in thedirection of love for our species, the second of the high lessonsleft by the Redeemer to his disciples, are so many proofs of thecreation of man in the image of his maker. They exert their poweroften when least expected, and are ever stamped by the sameindelible impression of their divine origin. Without theseoccasional glimpses at those qualities which are so apt to liedormant, we might indeed despair of the destinies of our race. Weare, however, in safe and merciful hands; and all the wonderfulevents that are at this moment developing themselves around us, areno other than the steps taken by Providence in the progress it issteadily making toward the great and glorious end! Some of theagencies will be corrupt; others deluded; and no one of them all,perhaps, will pursue with unerring wisdom the precise path thatought to be taken; but even the crimes, errors, and delusions, willbe made instrumental in achieving that which was designed before thefoundations of this world were laid!

　　"Does my daughter wish this?" returned Peter, when Margery had thusfrankly and sincerely given vent to her feelings. "Can a pale-facesquaw wish to leave an Injin any of his hunting-grounds?"

　　"Thousands of us wish it, Peter, and I for one. Often and often havewe talked of this around our family fire, and even Gershom, when hishead has not been affected by fire-water, has thought as we all havethought. I know that Bourdon thinks so, too; and I have heard himsay that he thought Congress ought to pass a law to prevent whitemen from getting any more of the Injin's lands."

　　The face of Peter would have been a remarkable study, during the fewmoments that his fierce will was in the process of being brought insubjugation to the influence of his better feelings. At first heappeared bewildered; then compunction had its shade; and humansympathy came last, asserting its long dormant, but inextinguishablepower. Margery saw some of this, though it far exceeded herpenetration to read all the workings of that stern and savage mind;yet she felt encouraged by what she did see and understand.

　　While an almighty and divine Providence was thus carrying out itsown gracious designs in its own way, the bee-hunter continued benton reaching a similar end by means of his own. Little did he imaginehow much had been done for him within the last few moments, and howgreatly all he had in view was jeoparded and put at risk by his owncontrivances--contrivances which seemed to him so clever, but whichwere wanting in the unerring simplicity and truth that render thosethat come from above infallible. Still, the expedients of le Bourdonmay have had their agency in bringing about events, and may havebeen intended to be a part of that moral machinery, which was now atwork in the breast of Peter, for good.

　　It will be remembered that the bee-hunter habitually carried a smallspy-glass, as a part of the implements of his calling. It enabledhim to watch the bees, as they went in and came out of the hives, onthe highest trees, and often saved him hours of fruitless search.This glass was now in his hand; for an object on a dead tree, thatrose a little apart from those around it, and which stood quite nearthe extreme point in the forest, toward which they were allproceeding, had caught his attention. The distance was still toogreat to ascertain by the naked eye what that object was; but asingle look with the glass showed that it was a bear. This was anold enemy of the bee-hunter, who often encountered the animal,endeavoring to get at the honey, and he had on divers occasions beenobliged to deal with these plunderers, before he could succeed inhis own plans of pilfering. The bear now seen continued in sight butan instant; the height to which he had clambered being so great,most probably, as to weary him with the effort, and to compel him tofall back again. All this was favorable to le Bourdon's wishes, whoimmediately called a halt. The first thing that Bourdon did, whenall the dark eyes were gleaming on him in fierce curiosity, was tocatch a bee and hold it to his ear, as it buzzed about in thetumbler.

　　"You t'ink dat bee talk?" Peter asked of Margery, in a tone ofconfidence, as if a newly-awakened principle now existed betweenthem.

　　"Bourdon must think so, Peter," the girl evasively answered, "or hewould hardly listen to hear what it says."

　　"It's strange, bee should talk! Almos' as strange as pale-face wishto leave Injin any land! Sartain, bee talk, eh?"

　　"I never heard one talk, Peter, unless it might be in its buzzing.That may be the tongue of a bee, for anything I know to thecontrary."

　　By this time le Bourdon seemed to be satisfied, and let the bee go;the savages murmuring their wonder and admiration.

　　"Do my brothers wish to hunt?" asked the bee-hunter in a voice soloud that all near might hear what he had to say.

　　This question produced a movement at once. Skill in hunting, next tosuccess on the war-path, constitutes the great merit of an Indian;and it is ever his delight to show that he possesses it. No soonerdid le Bourdon throw out his feeler, therefore, than a generalexclamation proclaimed the readiness of all the young men, inparticular, to join in the chase.

　　"Let my brothers come closer," said Ben, in an authoritative manner;"I have something to put into their ears. They see that point ofwood, where the dead basswood has fallen on the prairie. Near thatbasswood is honey, and near that honey are bears. This my bees havetold me. Now, let my brothers divide, and some go into the woods,and some stay on the prairie; then they will have plenty of sweetfood."

　　As all this was very simple, and easily to be comprehended, not amoment was lost in the execution. With surprising order andaptitude, the chiefs led off their parties; one line of darkwarriors penetrating the forest on the eastern side of the basswood,and another on its western; while a goodly number scatteredthemselves on the prairie itself, in its front. In less than aquarter of an hour, signals came from the forest that the battue wasready, and Peter gave the answering sign to proceed.

　　Down to this moment, doubts existed among the savages concerning theaccuracy of le Bourdon's statement. How was it possible that hisbees should tell him where he could find bears? To be sure, bearswere the great enemies of bees--this every Indian knew--but couldthe bees have a faculty of thus arming one enemy against another?These doubts, however, were soon allayed by the sudden appearance ofa drove of bears, eight or ten in number, that came waddling out ofthe woods, driven before the circle of shouting hunters that hadbeen formed within.

　　Now commenced a scene of wild tumult and of fierce delight. Thewarriors on the prairie retired before their enemies until all oftheir associates were clear of the forest, when the circle swiftlyclosed again, until it had brought the bears to something like closequarters. Bear's Meat, as became his appellation, led off the dance,letting fly an arrow at the nearest animal. Astounded by the greatnumber of their enemies, and not a little appalled by their yells,the poor quadrupeds did not know which way to turn. Occasionally,attempts were made to break through the circle, but the flight ofarrows, aimed directly at their faces, invariably drove thecreatures back. Fire-arms were not resorted to at all in this hunt,spears and arrows being the weapons depended on. Several ludicrousincidents occurred, but none that were tragical. One or two of themore reckless of the hunters, ambitious of shining before therepresentatives of so many tribes, ran rather greater risks thanwere required, but they escaped with a few smart scratches. In oneinstance, however, a young Indian had a still narrower squeeze forhis life. Literally a squeeze it was, for, suffering himself to getwithin the grasp of a bear, he came near being pressed to death, erehis companions could dispatch the creature. As for the prisoner, theonly means he had to prevent his being bitten, was to thrust thehead of his spear into the bear's mouth, where he succeeded inholding it, spite of the animal's efforts to squeeze him intosubmission. By the time this combat was terminated, the field wasstrewn with the slain; every one of the bears having been killed byhunters so much practised in the art of destroying game.