16 Magua’s Prisoners

CHAPTER 16 Magua's Prisoners Life went on as usual at the Delaware village that morning. By the time Magua arrived, the sun was bright in the sky. He walked around and greeted everyone warmly. The Delaware chief shook his hand. "Has my prisoner given you any trouble, Tamenund?" Magua asked. "She has given us no trouble—she is with the other prisoners." answered the chief. "Have you had good hunting?"

"Very good, yes." "I come with gifts," Magua said. He handed over some of the jewelry he had taken from Cora and Alice. "We thank you. You are welcome here," Tamenund said. "There is a man among you, one who has been hurting your people," Magua said. "We call him Hawkeye. He may be hiding with the other prisoners." "Why would he hurt my men?" Tamenund asked. "Hawkeye has long been an enemy of your people. He kills with no thought to honor," Magua replied. At that, Tamenund stood up and called out to the villagers, who started to assemble in the main lodge. The great chief told his people the terrible news—that Hawkeye had been hurting their people.

Meanwhile, Cora and Alice huddled together in the group of prisoners. Duncan stood just behind them. Hawkeye had been right. The Delawares had taken them prisoner without harming them. Now the group was surrounded on all sides by Delaware warriors. Tamenund stepped forward and said, "Which one of you is Hawkeye?" Neither Duncan nor the scout, who stood nearby, answered. Hawkeye had crept into the camp earlier that morning. Uncas was not there —he was hiding in the woods. Duncan looked around and saw Magua. He knew at once that the Huron had told Tamenund lies. "It is me you are looking for," Hawkeye said. "I am the one they call Hawkeye."

"No," Duncan said. "It is me. I might not look like a scout to you—but I assure you, I am Hawkeye." The chief looked from Duncan to Hawkeye, confused that both had come forward to call themselves Hawkeye. "Our brother, Magua, says that a snake had crept into this camp." Tamenund turned to Magua and asked, "Which one is Hawkeye?" Magua pointed to the scout. "And you believe a wolf like him?" Duncan shouted. The chief turned to Duncan. "You look more like a soldier than a scout. I can see that clearly now—this man is Hawkeye." He pointed to the scout standing just behind Duncan. "We will hear what Magua has to say." Magua stepped up from the crowd. He quickly looked all of the prisoners up and down. Then he began his speech. It was very convincing, but the old chief still wanted to know why Magua was

there. "Justice," he answered. "The Delaware have the prisoners who have harmed my brothers." Tamenund nodded. "Justice is important. Take your prisoners and go. We need no more of your speeches." Five of Magua's warriors came out of the crowd and grabbed Duncan, Cora, Hawkeye, and Alice. "Wait!" Cora shouted, "You are a kind and just chief, Tamenund. Please, do not believe the lies of this man." She threw herself down on her knees. "By letting him take us, you put our lives in great danger." Tamenund looked kindly at the pretty young woman. "I ask not that you save me," Cora said, "but spare my sister. She is the daughter of an aging father. Do not let this beast take her away from him. Are you not a father? Do you not understand?" "I am a father of this nation," Tamenund said.

"Then, please, let a member of another tribe speak for us. Maybe he can make you understand the truth before you let Magua take us away." Tamenund nodded. "Let him come," he said. But the only sound they heard was the wind blowing through the leaves as they waited for Uncas to arrive. Moments later, Uncas appeared in the middle of the circle. He walked slowly forward and sat down in front of Tamenund. They spoke together for a long time, but Uncas could not make the old chief understand all that had happened. A scuffle broke out, and some of Tamenund's men accidentally pulled off Uncas's shirt. The men stopped fighting as soon as they saw Uncas's tattoo of a small turtle, a symbol of the