THREE MONTHS IN CAPTIVITY.
Eager as he was to leave his new associates, Tom was wise enough to
understand that it must not be thought of at present. He must bide his
time.
Meanwhile he must make himself as agreeable as possible to the young
Indian whose friendly feeling had saved his life. Had Miantonimo
still remained sick, he would have watched by his sick couch, but of
this there was no need. A wonderful change had come over the boy. His
sickness, whatever it was, seemed to have left him all at once. His
strength rapidly returned, and he was able to resume his usual sports.
In these he always wanted Tom to participate, and the white boy was
entirely willing. While he remained in captivity he must pass the time
in some way, and none seemed more agreeable than to share the life and
employments of Miantonimo.
There were some things which the Indian boy could teach him. In the
course of a few weeks Tom became expert with the bow; he even rivaled
his adopted brother, who was remarkably skillful. He learned to ride a
horse bareback, to shoot, to hunt. He also picked up some of the Indian
dialect, so that he and Miantonimo could converse after a fashion.
All this was regarded by Wanuka and his followers with quiet approval.
Tom seemed to become more and more like their people, and they looked
forward to his becoming a great warrior, for his courage and skill were
understood and appreciated by them.
Oftentimes Wanuka, as he sat in silence and watched the two boys at
their sports, congratulated himself that his son had found a friend so
congenial, and one in whose society he seemed to take so much delight.
But how was it with Tom? Was he contented?
At first when under the tutelage of his young Indian friend he was
learning to ride and to shoot, he found these exercises so interesting
that he, for the time being, forgot to regret civilization and all
its advantages and opportunities. But when he had learned all that
Miantonimo could teach, when he could rival his teacher, and there was
nothing to do but repeat from day to day the same routine, life became
monotonous.
For three months he had not read a word of print. Not even a scrap of
newspaper had fallen beneath his eye. Tom was troubled with a sense of
dreariness and mental vacancy. If he could have bought the dullest and
most trivial book he would have regarded it as a literary treasure.
“Must it be always so?” he asked himself, one evening. “Must I live cut
off from all that I have been accustomed to enjoy, eating, sleeping,
and hunting, and with nothing else to look forward to? If this is the
case, I shall not value life much.”
Besides, there were his mother and sister, from whom he seemed forever
separated. Such ties cannot be rent, when the heart is as affectionate
as Tom’s, without great sorrow and pain.
The next day the two boys were riding together.
No one was with them, as no watch was needed when Tom had Miantonimo
with him.
The Indian boy looked wistfully at Tom, whose gravity he had noticed,
and asked:
“Why is my brother sad? Why does he not smile as he did yesterday? Is
he in pain or sorrow?”
“Miantonimo,” said Tom, “far away, near the shores of the ocean, my
mother and sister dwell. They know not where I am. They mourn for me.
Perhaps they think I am dead. Do you wonder that I am sad?”
Miantonimo looked grave.
“Can you not be happy with me?” he asked. “You are like a brother to
me.”
“Dear Miantonimo, I like you. You saved my life. But you cannot take
the place of my mother and sister.”
“Why, then, did you leave them?”
“They are poor. I left home to seek gold, far away by the great western
sea. I wished to bring it home that they might not want.”
Miantonimo looked up, and his face was sad.
“Do you wish to leave me?” he asked.
“I wish you could go with me.”
“I must stay with my people,” said the Indian boy. “But you--if you
wish to go, you can go.”
“Your father will be angry,” said Tom, but his face was lighted up with
new hope.
“I will tell my father that I was willing you should go. Look yonder!
Do you see a line of men and horses winding through the valley?”
“Yes.”
“They are your people. Go and join them, and forget Miantonimo,” said
the Indian boy in sad, reproachful accents.
“I will never forget Miantonimo, but I shall be glad to join the party.”
He brought his horse alongside his companion’s, grasped his hand long
and cordially, and then turning, galloped away.
The Indian boy watched him, sitting motionless upon his horse, with a
sad and wistful look, and then rode slowly back to rejoin his tribe.
“Poor Miantonimo! he is a true friend!” thought Tom. “He will grieve
for me, but I cannot stay with him.”