Produced by Al Haines [Frontispiece: Arrival of Admiral Ribault's Fleet] THE FLAMINGO FEATHER BY KIRK MUNROE Author of "SNOWSHOES AND SLEDGES," "THE PAINTED DESERT," "WAKULLA," ETC. ILLUSTRATED HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON THE FLAMINGO FEATHER COPYRIGHT, 1887, BY HARPER & BROTHERS COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY KIRK MUNROE PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA L-Y CONTENTS CHAPTER I. RENE DE VEAUX II. A WONDERFUL DELIVERANCE III. CHITTA'S REVENGE IV. HAS-SE IS HELD PRISONER V. THE ESCAPE OF HAS-SE AND RENE VI. THE JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF FOOD VII. CHITTA BECOMES A SEMINOLE VIII. ON THE TRAIL IX. A TRAP AVOIDED AND FRIENDS DISCOVERED X. MUTINY AT FORT CAROLINE XI. RENE'S RETURN XII. ABANDONING THE FORT XIII. ARRIVAL OF JEAN RIBAULT XIV. A NIGHT OF TERROR XV. RENE IN THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES XVI. HAS-SE RECEIVES THE TOKEN XVII. DEATH OF HAS-SE (THE SUNBEAM) XVIII. THE FRENCH HAVE COME AGAIN XIX. THE OLD WORLD ONCE MORE ILLUSTRATIONS ARRIVAL OF ADMIRAL RIBAULT'S FLEET . . . Frontispiece RENE SLIPPED QUICKLY THROUGH THE GATE "FAREWELL, TA-LAH-LO-KO!" THE DEATH OF HAS-SE The Flamingo Feather CHAPTER I RENE DE VEAUX On a dreary winter's day, early in the year 1564, young Rene de Veaux, who had just passed his sixteenth birthday, left the dear old chateau where he had spent his happy and careless boyhood, and started for Paris. Less than a month before both his noble father and his gentle mother had been taken from him by a terrible fever that had swept over the country, and Rene their only child, was left without a relative in the world except his uncle the Chevalier Rene de Laudonniere, after whom he was named. In those days of tedious travel it seemed a weary time to the lonely lad before the messenger who had gone to Paris with a letter telling his uncle of his sad position could return. When at length he came again, bringing a kind message that bade him come immediately to Paris and be a son to his equally lonely uncle, Rene lost no time in obeying. He travelled like a young prince, riding a spirited steed, and followed by a party of servants, mounted and armed to protect him against robbers and other perils of the way. Behind him rode old Francois, who had been his father's valet and was now his sole friend and protector. The big tears rolled down the boy's cheeks as he turned for a last look at his home; but as it was shut from view by the trees of the park surrounding it, he brushed them away resolutely, and turning to his companion, said, "Thou hast seen the last of my tears, Francois, and with them goes my boyhood; for hereafter I am to be a man, and men know not how to weep."