Let us not, then,
deride these poor children of the forest, because that which was so
entirely new to them, should also appear inexplicable and
supernatural.
As for Peter, he was more confounded than convinced. His mind was so
much superior to those of the other chiefs, as to render him far
more difficult to mislead; though even he was not exempt from the
great weaknesses of ignorance, superstition, and its concomitants--
credulity, and a love of the marvellous. His mind was troubled, as
was quite apparent to Ben, who watched HIM quite as narrowly as he
was observed himself, in all he did. Willing to deepen the
impression, our artist now determined to exhibit some of the higher
fruits of his skill. The production of a considerable quantity of
honey would of itself be a sort of peace-offering, and he now
prepared to turn the certainty of there being a hive in the little
wood to account--certainty, because three bees had taken wing for
it, and a very distinct angle had been made with two of them.
"Does my brother wish any honey?" asked le Bourdon carelessly; "or
shall I send a bee across Lake Michigan, to tell the Injins further
west that Detroit is taken?"
"Can Bourdon find honey, NOW?" demanded Peter.
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