14 A Captured Warrior

CHAPTER 14 A Captured Warrior Moments later, David led the way to the main lodge. Duncan followed him and did exactly what he did. They each grabbed a sassafras bunch, and David sat down in the corner. But before Duncan could join him, the men in the lodge formed a circle around him. Someone lit a torch. Duncan could see the faces of the men around him more closely now. Each one looked him up and down, staring at every inch of him. An older, gray-haired man

came forward. He spoke in Huron, which Duncan did not understand. "Does no one speak English?" Duncan asked. When he got no answer, he asked, "Does anyone speak French? The language of Montcalm?" There was a very long pause. Finally the gray-haired man said in French, "Montcalm speaks to us in that language. Who are you? Why have you disguised yourself?" "I have come to see if anyone here is ill. My job is that of a healer. When you meet with men not of your tribe, do you not set aside your buffalo robes so you look more like them?" Duncan asked. The chief laughed and then applauded. But before he could answer, a low, shrill howl came from the forest. The noise scared Duncan and he jumped. Everyone in the lodge ran outside. They were excited because the warriors had returned home celebrating a victory.

The men pushed and prodded Duncan until he was in the middle of a circle. Flames blazed all around him. The warriors had captured a man. They pushed him into the circle, too, until he came face-to-face with Duncan. It was Uncas! Duncan didn't want to risk letting the Hurons know that it was Uncas, so he tried not to look shocked. The women were teasing the Mohican, and the men were laughing at him. It hurt Duncan to see his proud friend treated this way. One of the warriors pulled Uncas's arm and

forced him into the lodge. Duncan was pushed along by the crowd and went inside as well. Another man, a stranger, stood back from the crowd. For a moment, Duncan was afraid to look at him—he thought it might be Hawkeye, and he couldn't stand to see his friend in danger. But that was not the case. By the way this stranger was dressed and the way he wore his hair, Duncan knew he was a Huron. The chiefs took their place inside the large, smoky room. The rest of the men and women filled in the spots around them. Uncas stood calmly in front of them all. The gray-haired chief said to Uncas, "You, stranger, may still prove yourself a man and save your own life. Tonight we give you rest. You may eat. Tomorrow we will decide your fate." Uncas looked straight at the old man and said, "I have no need for food." "Two of our young warriors are on the trail of the other scout," the chief continued.

"Your young men will never catch him," Uncas said. "They caught you," the chief said. "Ha!" Uncas replied. "Your warrior, Reed- that-Bends, is a coward. He was running away from the battle when he caught me by surprise." At that, the gray-haired chief walked past Uncas and stood in front of the stranger. "Reed-that-Bends," he said, "you have brought shame to us. I do not doubt that what this man says is true—you are a coward. Three times you have been called to go into battle and three times you have run away. You are never to been seen here again. Your name has already been forgotten." The young man stood up and looked at the old chief. His eyes watered as he turned on his heel and left the lodge. He didn't look back. As the crowd moved out of the lodge to watch Reed-that-Bends leave the village, Uncas crept up beside Duncan.

"Hawkeye and the general are safe. It will take more than this to scare me. Go outside quickly, before they see us talking," he whispered, and gently pushed Duncan toward the door. The fires outside were dying, as many Huron men and women walked to and fro. Duncan was scared, but he made himself look around the camp for Alice. From hut to hut, he pulled back the blankets and looked inside. He found no trace of her anywhere. Finally he went back to the main lodge to look for David—maybe he could help in the search. Uncas was still there, but David was nowhere to be seen. The chief turned to Duncan and said, "You are a medicine man? From the French? Then you can frighten away the spirit that lives in one of our women. She is so ill that we have kept her away from here, with our prisoners in the caves." "Every spirit is different," Duncan said, secretly pleased to learn where the prisoners