"It is well," I replied, and I commanded one of the men to give the Indian his hatchet, promising him another when we reached the ship. The Indian's face lighted up with pleasure as he took it in his hands. "Occom thanks the Eagle," he said, "and shall not forget him." Manteo now spoke: "The Eagle shall have the canoe too," pointing to the unfinished boat. "Many leagues he has to go, and his heart will sing within him, if Occom will but give him the canoe." "'Tis the Eagle's," Occom replied. "We shall follow them by water," Manteo said to me. "In this way we can take two steps to their one." The men had gathered around me, and now one of them spoke respectfully: "Dost thou still follow the trail, captain?" "Yes," I answered, looking at the group about me. "Why askest thou?" He cleared his throat hesitatingly. "The men are fearful, sir. Fifteen days have we followed thee, but it is plain that the colonists are not to be found, and while we still go deeper into these woods, the Governor might sail away and leave us." I turned to the others. "Are ye all of this mind?" I asked. It was plain that they feared to go on, though they cared not to say so. "If there were any hopes of finding them," said one, "but the deeper we go, the fainter are our chances to ever get out alive, and we do but endanger ourselves without helping them. As this is a private enterprise of thine, captain, we have made so bold as to mention this matter," and a chorus of approval went up from his comrades. "So be it," I replied. "As thou sayest, this is a private enterprise of mine, and you can all go back; but I would ask that you first help me with the finishing of the canoe." "Aye! aye!" they answered, and with their axes and hatchets they fell to upon the half finished boat. In an hour it was finished, and putting it on their shoulders, they carried it the few feet that separated us from the river. I made ready to separate from the men. They had put a musketoon with some ammunition and provisions in the canoe, and all was in readiness. I think at the last they felt some remorse of conscience, as I prepared to set out alone far into the unexplored regions that lay in front of us. I shook them all one by one by the hand, as I stepped into the boat, and bade them tell Governor White that they left me sound and well. Then, picking up my paddle, I prepared to push off. Occom had promised to guide the men back to Roanoke Island, and now stood silent and apart, waiting the moment to start. A light foot sounded upon the boat. Manteo had stepped aboard, and picking up one of the paddles was about to dip it into the water. "Manteo," I said, "go back with the others. I go far into the country, and may not come back again." "Manteo will go with his brother," he interrupted me. "What would the Eagle do alone? He could not follow the flight of the beautiful one," and thrusting the paddle against the bank, he gave a shove that sent us far out into the stream.