“More!” he said. “Oh, dat’s your game, is it, you avaricious old cormudgeon?--t’anks to goodness, he can’t understand dat!” said the negro, laughing and taking out another handful of silver. “No, you don’t!” he continued, as the sachem offered to take it. “Not ef dis child know hisself!” “Dollars,” said the Indian, still reaching out his hand. “Corn and meat,” replied Joe. “Money.” “De victuals fust.” The Indian smiled now, and, rising with difficulty, stood shaking a moment, and then pointed to the skins on which he had been sitting. “I see,” said Joe, “but we can’t eat dem.” The chief motioned to the negro to push them aside, and when he had done so, an opening was discovered in the ground about three feet by two, and apparently of considerable depth. In this little cellar was the unskinned carcass of a deer, which had evidently been recently killed, and which had probably been thrown in there in haste when the alarm of invasion had been given. Joe’s mouth watered at the sight, and he took hold of a leg of the venison to lift it out, but the old man shook his head and growled a refusal. He had only shown his wares with a view of eliciting a larger offer of pay. “I will hab it, Mr. Chiefy,” said the negro, jerking the carcass out, “or, at least, half ob it. How muchy for de halfy?” The Indian showed a silver quarter of a dollar, and then held up ten fingers. “All righty,” replied Joe, counting down three half dollars and four quarters; but the chief could not be made to comprehend that he had got his price. There were but seven pieces, and he held up three fingers more. All attempts at explanation were useless, and the ludicrous efforts of the negro to convince the Indian that one “halfy” was equal to two quarters were only responded to by a puzzled look and by renewed shakings of the head. “But I habn’t got any more,” said the black man. “Ess--more--more. Me wise chief.” “It’s my private opinion dat you is an old rip,” replied Joe, smiling and turning his pockets wrong side out, by which means he succeeded in finding one more quarter, which he put into the extended hand of his companion. “See--all goney!” Pending this controversy the old man tottered to the window and looked out, but his visitor supposed it was only in apprehension of the approach of the white men, and continued his negotiations. “Dey shan’t hurty you,” he said. “Don’t be fraidy. All good men. Jest gib me hatchet, ef you please, cap’n, to cut dis in two.” “No un’stan’.” “Little axy--papoose axy--eh? Understan’?” continued the black man, making strange signs by way of elucidation. A shake of the head followed. “You drefful dumb! Habn’t you got leetle tommyhawky?” A distant shout was heard at this moment, and the negro, looking out of the door, saw about thirty armed Indians and half a dozen large dogs, scarcely a quarter of a mile distant, approaching the settlement.