Well, dat
council call togedder by ME--you know dat, too, Bourdon?"
"I have heard you say that such was your intention, and I suppose
you did it, chief. They tell me you have great power among your own
people, and that they do very much as you tell them to do."
Peter looked graver than ever at this remark; and one of his
startling gleams of ferocity passed over his dark countenance. Then
he answered with his customary self-command.
"Sometime so," he said; "sometime not so. Yesterday, not so. Dere is
chief dat want to put Peter under his foot! He try, but he no do it!
I know Peter well, and know dat chief, too."
"This is news to me, Peter, and I am surprised to hear it. I did
think that even the great Tecumthe was scarcely as big a chief as
you are yourself."
"Yes, pretty big chief; dat true. But, among Injin, ebbery man can
speak, and nebber know which way council go. Sometime he go one way;
sometime he go tudder. You hear Bough of Oak speak, eh? Tell me
dat?"
"You will remember that I heard none of your speakers on Prairie
Round, Peter. I do not remember any such orator as this Bough of
Oak."
"He great rascal," said Peter, who had picked up some of the
garrison expressions among those from whom he acquired the knowledge
of English he possessed, such as it was.
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