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Page 15
CHAPTER VI
THE JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF FOOD
As the paddles flashed brightly in the moonshine, and the light craft
in which R�n� and Has-se were seated moved swiftly and silently down
the broad river, the former related to his companion all the
particulars of his leaving the fort, and the delays that had detained
him past their appointed time of meeting. As he concluded his story,
Has-se, who until then had remained silent, said,
"Thou hast done well, Ta-lah-lo-ko, and thy success at the outset is
proof to me that the Great Spirit favors our undertaking."
R�n� was not so convinced of this as his companion, for he was not at
all certain that he was acting rightly; but he did not seek to disturb
the other's confidence, and only said,
"Now tell me of thy escape, Has-se; for I must confess that I would
have deemed it impossible, and am not a little concerned to find Fort
Caroline such a sieve as thy easy leave-taking would seem to prove it."
Has-se was silent for some minutes, and then he said,
"I would have no secrets from thee, my brother, and would gladly tell
thee that thou askest; but I may not now, though at another time my
tongue may be loosed. For the present I am bound not to reveal that
which must needs be known were the manner of my escape described to
thee."
R�n� felt somewhat hurt at this answer, which seemed to imply a want of
confidence in him; but he knew his friend's character too well to press
the subject further, and so, smothering his curiosity, he turned the
conversation to other things.
After they had travelled for several miles down the river, Has-se
turned the bow of the canoe into a sluggish bayou, that wound, with
innumerable turnings, amid vast limitless expanses of salt-marsh. This
stream led into others that formed such a maze that it seemed to R�n�
impossible that they should ever discover a way out of it.
As Has-se kept the canoe to its course, never for an instant hesitating
as to which way he should turn, they startled from their resting-places
myriads of water-fowl and strange birds, that flew away with harsh
notes of alarm. These were answered from the distant forest by the
melancholy howlings of wolves and the cries of other night-prowling
wild beasts, that sounded very fearful to R�n�'s unaccustomed ears.
At length their craft was run ashore at the foot of a small shell mound
that formed quite an elevation amid the wide levels of the marshes, and
Has-se said they would rest there until sunrise. After hauling the
canoe well up out of the water, he led the way to a small hut, thatched
with palmetto-leaves, that stood half-way up the side of the mound. In
it was piled a quantity of long gray moss, that formed a most
acceptable bed to the tired boys; and throwing themselves down on it,
they were in a few minutes fast asleep.
It seemed to R�n� that he had but just fallen asleep when he was
awakened by a light touch upon his forehead. Springing to his feet, he
found Has-se standing smiling beside him, and saw that the sun had
already risen. Running down to the beach, he bathed his face in the
cool salt-water, used a handful of moss as a towel, and turned to the
breakfast that Has-se had spent an hour in preparing.
When R�n� saw what a luxurious repast the ingenuity of the young Indian
had provided, he opened his eyes wide in astonishment. He knew that a
bag of parched corn and several gourds of fresh water had been brought
along, and upon this simple fare he had expected to break his fast.
Now, in addition to the parched corn, he saw fish, oysters, eggs, and a
vegetable, all smoking hot, cooked to a nicety, and temptingly spread
on some freshly cut palm-leaves.
The fish were mullet, that Has-se had speared from the canoe as they
swam in the clear water. He had cleaned them, wrapped them in fresh,
damp leaves, raked aside a portion of the fire that he had kindled when
he first arose, buried them in the hot sand beneath it, and covered the
spot with live coals.
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