"
"He made no conditions?"
"No."
I frowned at that and thought it over.
"What do you make of it?" Cadillac questioned.
But I could only say I did not know. "Pemaou is skillful about using
us as his jailers," I went on. "That may be his object now. He
evidently finds some opposition in the Huron camp, or you would have
had massacre before this."
"You think the Senecas are here for conquest?"
"From all I could overhear, they are here to look over the situation
and exchange peace belts with the Hurons. If they can command a
sufficient force, they will fall on us now; if not, they will rejoin
the main camp and come to us later."
Cadillac fingered his sword. "It is rather desperate," he said
quietly, and he smiled. "But we are not conquered yet. We shall have
some scalps first."
I shook my head. "Your sword is ever too uneasy. We may hold off an
outbreak. They have been here three days, and they have not dared act.
You wish to call a council?"
"If you will interpret."
"Give me a day first to see what I can learn. I shall be out at
daybreak. What does Starling say?"
"He talks of nothing but safe conduct home. He sticks to his tale
well. He is a simple-hearted, suffering man who has found his cousin
and whose mission is over.
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