Neal, the Miller: A Son of Liberty — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Neal, the Miller: A Son of Liberty
John Stuart Mill · en
The Indian did not continue the conversation, although Walter gave him
every encouragement, and at an early hour the tired boy sought the
repose to be found in slumber.
When he set out for work next morning the Indian accompanied him, and
during the day laboured faithfully hewing trees, or gathering rocks
which were to form the foundation of the proposed mill.
"I didn't fancy having an Indian for a companion at first, but it
begins to look as if finding him under that tree would be a fortunate
thing for me. We are getting this place into shape very fast, and when
it is possible for me to raise the money, it won't be necessary to
spend very much time making ready for the more serious portion of the
work."
During the week which followed, with the exception of the Sabbath, the
two laboured industriously, save at such tittle as one or the other
spent in hunting, and Walter could see the outlines of the structure he
intended one day to build.
A large pile of rocks had been rolled together to form the lower walls,
huge timbers were hewn and roughly "squared" for the framework, and a
road from the riverbank to the highway, four miles distant, was
"blazed" a goodly portion of the way.
During all this time, while he had laboured as industriously as if it
was some project of his own, the Indian remained comparatively silent.
He had told the rescuer his name was Sewatis; that he was a member of
the Penobscot tribe, and acquainted with "Jim Albert," but never a word
regarding the reason for being in that vicinity.
There had been no scarcity of food; the forest teemed with game, and if
the labourers fancied deer, bear or birds, it was only necessary to go
a short distance from the encampment in order to get it.
Almost unconsciously Walter had explained to his assistant what it was
he hoped to do. There had been many times when it seemed positively
necessary he should speak with some one, and to the silent Indian the
boy talked freely. It was as if thinking aloud, because no reply was
made unless one was absolutely required; and it is quite possible the
young messenger would have been greatly surprised had some one been
there to tell him he had confided more fully in Sewatis than in any
other person except his mother.
More than once had Walter suggested that there was no reason why the
Indian should remain if he had business elsewhere.
"I suppose you think because I pulled you from under that tree you must
stay here and work, but it is all a mistake. You have already repaid me
ten-fold, and I don't want you to believe there is any necessity of
stopping with me."
"Me wait," Sewatis would say, whenever the conversation touched upon
this subject, and by the end of a week Walter would have felt decidedly
lonely without his silent companion.