"When?" demanded Deerslayer, whose gorge rose at this cool
demonstration of indifference to human life. "And why not take
them to your wigwams?"
"Road too long, and full of pale-faces. Wigwam full, and scalps
sell high. Small scalp, much gold."
"Well that explains it - yes, that does explain it. There's no need
of being any plainer. Now you know, lad, that the oldest of your
prisoners is the father of these two young women, and the other
is the suitor of one of them. The gals nat'rally wish to save the
scalps of such fri'nds, and they will give them two ivory creaturs,
as ransom. One for each scalp. Go back and tell this to your
chiefs, and bring me the answer before the sun sets."
The boy entered zealously into this project, and with a sincerity
that left no doubt of his executing his commission with intelligence
and promptitude. For a moment he forgot his love of honor, and
all his clannish hostility to the British and their Indians, in
his wish to have such a treasure in his tribe, and Deerslayer was
satisfied with the impression he had made. It is true the lad
proposed to carry one of the elephants with him, as a specimen of
the other, but to this his brother negotiator was too sagacious to
consent; well knowing that it might never reach its destination if
confided to such hands.
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