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Page 49
Having thus resigned all care of his own affairs, and placed them with
the only One who could bring him peace and strength, the boy felt
greatly comforted, and as though he should bear bravely whatever
tortures might be devised for him.
His cheerfulness astonished the guard who brought in his supper of
sof-ka (soup) and koonti-katki (starch-root), and he thought within
himself, "He cannot know what awaits him on the morrow; but he will
wear a different face when he sees the stake."
R�n� had hardly finished eating with a good appetite his rather scanty
meal, when the guard again entered and loosened his bonds, and he was
led forth from the hut for the first time since his arrival in the
village. Guarded by a tall warrior on either side, he was forced to
head a sort of triumphal procession, and, accompanied by the sound of
the rattles and the kas-a-lal-ki, to march through and around the
village, to be gazed at and taunted by its entire population.
The lad walked with a firm tread, in spite of his painfully swollen
ankles, that had been cruelly bound for so long a time that they now
hardly supported him. His head was proudly lifted, and his youthful
countenance bore so brave and fearless a look that all who saw him
marvelled at it. It also caused them great joy, for they said one to
another, "He is so brave that the tortures must be many and long before
he will cry out, and we shall have rare sport with him on the morrow."
As this noisy procession passed on that side of the village nearest the
end of the trail that led away from the island through the swamp, it
attracted the attention of the warrior who was there on guard. So
great was his curiosity to see what was going on that he allowed it to
carry him a few yards from his post to a point where he could obtain a
better view.
While he thus stood, neglecting his duty for a moment and with his back
turned to the trail, three dark figures, hardly distinguishable from
the twilight shadows, glided noiselessly and swiftly from it. An
instant later they had vanished in the little thicket from which E-chee
had flung his billet of wood into the water on the night of his escape
from the Seminoles.
The procession passed on, and the careless sentinel returned to his
post, filled with thoughts of what was to take place on the morrow, but
as utterly unconscious of the three pairs of eyes that regarded him
from the thicket as though no human beings save himself existed. Could
he have seen them, he would have instantly known them for those of
enemies, for he would have recognized E-chee, though Has-se and
Yah-chi-la-ne were strangers to him.
It was indeed these three friends and would-be rescuers of R�n� de
Veaux, who had thus been fortunate enough to gain the island without
opposition and without bloodshed. From the time of their starting they
had made no stop until they had reached the head of the little lagoon
and taken to the trail through the swamps. Under E-chee's guidance
they had followed it safely and without meeting a soul, so taken up
were the Seminoles with their festivities. Within a short distance of
the island Yah-chi-la-ne had halted his men, and bade them remain where
they were while he, with Has-se and E-chee, approached more closely to
the village, to discover the best mode of operation.
Unperceived, they had stolen close up to the warrior who guarded the
end of the trail, and for some time they lay hidden within bow-shot of
him, discussing in the lowest of whispers how they should pass him.
The timely approach of the procession, with R�n� at its head, had, by
diverting his attention for a few moments, offered an opportunity too
good to be neglected. They had seized it, slipped past the
unsuspecting guard, and thus safely accomplished the first stage of
their difficult undertaking.
As they lay concealed in the thicket, awaiting a later hour of the
night, and for the revellers in the village to seek their lodges,
fortune again favored them. Dense black clouds gradually spread over
the sky, one by one the stars disappeared, the air grew thick and
heavy, until at length, with a blinding flash, a terrific thunder-storm
burst upon the village. Taking advantage of the intense darkness, the
three made their way swiftly, but with every precaution against
discovery, among the now silent lodges until, guided by E-chee, they
reached the rear of the palmetto hut in which R�n� was confined.
The lightning revealed to them the motionless figure of a warrior
standing in front of it, and E-chee, lying flat on the wet ground, with
a keen-headed arrow fitted to the string of his bow, was left to watch
him. Upon the slightest alarm being given, the arrow would have found
its way to his heart, and the three, taking R�n� with them, would have
attempted a desperate flight. As long, however, as all remained quiet
and they could work undisturbed, they were to try another plan.
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