Having finished this, he began a wild war dance. The boys could not but help watch his maneuvers with interest. Finally he came up to Phil and looked him fixedly in the eye. He took one of Phil's hands and placed it on his own head, humbling himself as if trying to convey to the Boston boy that he was thankful and his slave. Starting back, he began an extravagant and expressive pantomime. His movements were intricate, and Phil had to do a great deal of guessing to get their meaning. An occasional word in English, however, did a good deal towards enlightening him. When the Indian had finished his eccentric explanation, he made as if to draw a hunting knife, and then his hands lifted innumerable imaginary scalps. He uttered what might have been his tribal war cry. He again placed Phil's hand on his head, humbled himself into a squatting position, and finally came back to practical life by getting the bridle and saddle of his horse in order. "I've talked finger talk to the South Sea Islanders," observed Ralph, "but this fellow is too rapid for me. What's he trying to tell, anyhow, Phil?" "Why, as near as I can make it out," said Phil, "he has been sort of friendly with the Tories. They invited him to Boston. He seems to try and tell that they got him to give all kinds of information about various people in the settlements. They gave him plenty of fire-water. Then they turned him loose. He got hanging around the camp, and stole something. The soldiers pounded him, tied him to the horse and started them away from the city. The horse must have swum the Charles River, and had a wild dash of it into the timber and the swamp." "He acts as if he has some pretty hard feeling against the Tories," said Andy. "He has. Oh, he will have revenge! he says," explained Phil. "Poor fellow--I feel sorry for him." Phil handed the Indian some food from the basket, which the man received gladly. He patted Phil's hand and looked him closely in the eye. Then he reached into the breast of his hunting shirt and drew out a buckskin bag. Searching in this, he brought out a piece of very hard wood a few inches square. It was covered with paint--daubed characters and pictures. He handed this to Phil. As he did so, he drew an imaginary circle around Phil. He held up his hands to indicate numbers--of men, Phil thought. Then the Indian made it plain that he had given his rescuer a charm or amulet that would disperse all enemies. "Good-by," said Phil, heartily shaking the hand of the Indian, and the latter mounted his horse, made a threatening gesture towards Boston, and rode away. CHAPTER XX PAUL REVERE'S RIDE "Well!" remarked Andy, as the Indian was lost to view amid the mazes of the forest. "There's plenty of variety on the road to Boston, it seems."