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Deerfoot inclined his head, as though he understood the explanation, but Ned saw that it was like the assent of the school-boy who doesn't wish his classmates to consider him stupid.
"If I should make a figure on the paper that looked like a deer, and some one should take it to you, and you looked at it, you would know that it was meant for a deer, wouldn't you?"
The Indian nodded emphatically this time: he clearly understood that .
"Suppose I should make some lines and characters which you and I agreed beforehand should mean, 'I am your friend and brother'; when those lines and characters were brought to you on paper, wouldn't you remember what they meant?"
The black eyes of Deerfoot sparkled. He had caught, for the first time in his life, an inkling of the mystery. He saw, as through a glass, darkly, the achievements of the white man who could forward his words hundreds of miles, hidden in a small piece of paper.
"Will my brother teach Deerfoot how to send his thoughts to the Great Spirit?"
There was a wistful expression in the dark eyes of the Shawanoe, which touched Ned Preston. The voice of the lad trembled, as he answered impressively
"You need no such means to reach the Great Spirit, as you must have heard from your own people: our Great Spirit is always looking down in kindness on his children, and his ears are ever open to hear what they have asked him."
"Will my white brother tell Deerfoot of the Great Spirit of the pale faces, that the missionary talks about?"
"I will be glad to do so, for it is what all of your people should know; when we can gain the time, I will teach you how to read books and write letters just as well as any white man can do, for I am sure that one who is so bright as you, will learn it with much ease."
"Deerfoot will never forget his pale-faced brother," said the Shawanoe gratefully.
"And if masser Ned don't got de time, den I'll jes' take you hummin' frough all de knowledge dat you want," said Blossom with an exaggerated idea of his importance.
"It would be well for you to learn how to read and write yourself, before trying to teach others," said Preston.
"I reckon dar aint many dat can beat me 'round de settlements; I can spell 'dog' and 'cat'."
"Let's hear you."
"D-o-a-g, dog; r-a-t, cat no, dat spells something else, I forget what, but I'm dar all de time, jes' de same."
Deerfoot was still holding the letter in his hand and looking earnestly at Ned, without noticing the words of Blossom.
"Can my white brother write on the back of this the words which Colonel Preston can read?"
It flashed upon young Preston that the keen-witted youth was unraveling the plan he had held in mind from the first.
"Certainly I can."
"Write some message on this paper for him."
"But, Deerfoot, I have no pen, nor ink, nor pencil, or I would only be too glad to do so."
The Shawanoe was prepared for this.
"Deerfoot will bring you something that will do."
He moved away from his young friends, with that silence and stealth which seemed a part of his nature, while the delighted and expectant friend turned to Blossom Brown
"Do you understand what his plan is to reach "
Ned did not finish the question, for he saw that his servant, despite the gravity of the situation and the crispness of the air, was lying on his side sunk in a sound slumber. Fortunately his posture was such an easy one
that he did not breathe loud enough to create any danger of being heard.
The Shawanoe was gone only a few minutes, when he reappeared holding in his hand a piece of reddish brown stone, almost as soft as the mineral known as "red chalk," and which he had evidently broken from some crumbling rock.
Ned Preston carefully sharpened it to a point, as though it were a lead-pencil. It could not be said to work very well, when applied to paper, but he found that patience and care would enable him to write considerable that would be legible to any one who understood writing.
Accordingly with much pains and labor he traced the following lines, first consulting Deerfoot as to what should be placed in the communication
"Dear Uncle Hugh:
"Deerfoot, the friendly Shawanoe, Blossom Brown, our servant, and I are along the bank of the river, exactly opposite the front of the block-house. We want to join you, so as to help you fight off the Wyandots, but they are so plenty all around us that we daresn't try it, unless you are prepared to let us in the door, the instant we reach it. When you are ready, wave your hand through the front window, and we'll make the start.
"Your affectionate nephew,"Ned."
CHAPTER VIII OPENING COMMUNICATION
"If the Colonel sees that, then will he read those words you have spoken to me?"
"They will be the same."
"Then he shall see them."
As the young warrior spoke, he extended his hand for the missive, which was given him. He deftly drew an arrow from his quiver and began tying the letter to the missile, doing it with much care, for the task he was about to essay seemed an almost impossible one.