"
"There will be two less, when I fasten to my pole the scalps of
those on the other side of the river," answered Peter, with another
of his transient, but startling gleams of intense revenge. "But no
matter, now: my brother knows all I wish him to do. Not a hair of
the head of any of these pale-faces must be touched by any hand but
mine. When the time comes, the knife of Onoah is sure. The
Pottawattamies shall have their canoes, arid can follow us up the
river. They will find us in the Openings, and near the Prairie
Round. They know the spot; for the red men love to hunt the deer in
that region. Now, go and tell this to your young men; and tell them
that corn will not grow, nor the deer wait to be killed by any of
your people, if they forget to do as I have said. Vengeance shall
come, when it is time."
Crowsfeather communicated all this to his warriors, who received it
as the ancients received the words of their oracles. Each member of
the party endeavored to get an accurate notion of his duty, in order
that he might comply to the very letter with the injunctions
received. So profound was the impression made among all the red men
of the north-west by the previous labors of the "Tribeless" to
awaken a national spirit, and so great was their dread of the
consequences of disobedience, that every warrior present felt as if
his life were the threatened penalty of neglect or disinclination to
obey.
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