"Outchipouac, war is secret. I cannot tell you why I go to Michillimackinac. But trust me. I go on business; I shall return at once, within ten days, unless the wind be foul. Will you furnish me a canoe and a man to paddle?" I stooped and pulled rushes from my pallet, plaited them, and bound them in a ring. "Take this ring; keep it. It is firm, like my purpose, and unending, like my endeavor. I shall replace it with a chain of bright silver when I come to you again. I give it to you in pledge of my friendship." The chief took the ring and handled it loosely. I thought he was about to throw it away, but he did not. He put it in his blanket. "It is well," he said, and left the lodge. I was held on probation. I had a good night and woke with new sinews. I saw that the sun was shining and the sky untroubled. A squaw brought me broth, and I drank it hungrily and tried to see no evil augury in the fact that I was served by a woman. I flattered her, and asked her to summon Pierre. She brought him at once. He thrust himself into the entrance, and I saw dismay written large upon him. "There is a canoe waiting to take the master away," he cried. "I am going, too." Now I was prepared for this battle. "Pierre, you are to stay here. You are to keep near the Seneca camp to help Labarthe and Leclerc. If they escape, go, all of you, to our camp on Sturgeon Cove and guard the stores till I send you word. You understand?" "But the master is sick. I go with him." "You stay here." "I go with the master." "I will not allow it." "Then I follow behind." "You have no canoe, no provision." "I have legs. I can walk. I can eat tripe de roche." The giant was trembling. I could not but respect this rebellion. He had broken the chains of three centuries in his defiance. The thought of his filling his cavernous stomach with tripe de roche--which is a rock lichen, slimy and tasteless--moved me somewhat. "You dare disobey me, Pierre?" "But the master is sick." I shrugged, but the logic held. "Then tell the chief," I capitulated. "And see that I have something to wear." Water was brought by one squaw, and another fetched more broth and bound my shoulder with fresh dressings. Then leggings, robe, and girdle of wolfskin were left for me. I put them on with difficulty, and went to find Outchipouac. I stepped out into a glare of sunshine and stood blinking. The braves were gathered in a group, and a line of squaws barred me from them. I started toward them, but the squaws waved me back; they pointed me to the shore and the waiting canoe. Pierre rolled forward, uneasy and scowling. "The braves will not speak to us; they say our talk means nothing." "Who said that?" "Outchipouac. He showed me a grass ring hanging on a pole by his lodge. He says that when you come again and hang a silver one in its place it will be time for him to listen."