Or may not one of them be of thy tribe, and the other be one of the guests who attended the Feast of Ripe Corn ?" "That is easily answered," replied the young Indian.

"If they were friends who for some reason had been left behind, and were now anxious to rejoin those whom they follow, they could have done so long since.
Their fires burned at the same time with those of my people, and they have visited Micco's camps before the ashes of his fires grew cold.
Besides, in each case their own fires were carefully hidden, so that they could not by any chance be seen by those who were in advance of them." "Who, then, can be following so large a band, and for what purpose?
Surely two cannot harm so many." "That I know not, but I fear them to be of the outlawed Seminoles.[1] If so, they are following my people for the purpose of picking up plunder, or of snatching the prize of a scalp--a thing they could only gain by a cowardly attack upon one defenceless, for they dare not seek it in open fight.

Or it may be that one of them is he who has conceived a bitter enmity against those who never treated him with aught save kindness, and that he has joined with him another equally base." At this thought Has-se's bright face became clouded, and for some time he remained silent.

Finally the silence was again broken by Rene, who asked, "Who are these Seminoles of whom thou dost speak thus contemptuously ?" "Seminole, in my language, signifies a run-away.

They are a band of thieves, murderers, and other bad Indians, who have been driven out of my tribe and other tribes on the north.