The two met; but no allusion was made to
the manner in which the night had passed. The chief paid his
salutations courteously; and, instead of repairing to his skins, he
joined le Bourdon, seemingly as little inclined to seek for rest, as
if just arisen from his lair. When the bee-hunter left the spring,
this mysterious Indian, for the first time, spoke of business.
"My brother wanted to-day to show Injin how to find honey," said
Peter, as he and Bourdon walked toward the palisades, within which
the whole family was now moving. "I nebber see honey find, myself,
ole as I be."
"I shall be very willing to teach your chiefs my craft," answered
the bee-hunter, "and this so much the more readily, because I do not
expect to pracTYSE it much longer, myself; not in this part of the
country, at least."
"How dat happen?--expec' go away soon?" demanded Peter, whose keen,
restless eye would, at one instant, seem to read his companion's
soul, and then would glance off to some distant object, as if
conscious of its own startling and fiery expression. "Now Br'ish got
Detroit, where my broder go? Bess stay here, I t'ink."
"I shall not be in a hurry, Peter; but my season will soon be up,
and I must get ahead of the bad weather, you know, or a bark canoe
will have but a poor time of it on Lake Huron.
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