Early Candlelight

VIII

VIII ’SIEU PAGE was able to use Narcisse at the MTraverse. He set off one morning soon after his return, waving his cap at Deedee on the bank, calling out to her that he would get Light Between Clouds to come down and pay her a visit. He was planning to stop at Good Road’s village on his way up the river. H e would arrange it, he said. The old woman wouldn’t mind her coming, with the villain, Narcisse, away. “Look out for her well!” “I promise you, Narcisse!” Deedee threw reassurance into her shout. It was so good to see him starting off in such elation. Narcisse pushed his light bark to the center of the stream. He rounded Msieu Page’s island, threaded those small sandy islets where Indians this morning were hunting turtle eggs, and darted upstream like a dragon-fly in spite of the strong spring current. Through the succeeding days Deedee watched faith. fully. As spring advanced, the DuGays looked down not on the St. Peters but on a sea of treetops. Only here and there was a bit of silver framed in green. At first, every time a canoe flashed past these open spaces, Deedee ran down the hill. But she couldn’t keep that VIII M 'SIEU PAGE was able to use Narcisse at the Traverse. He set off one morning soon after his return, waving his cap at Deedee on the bank, calling out to her that he would get Light Between Clouds to come down and pay her a visit. He was planning to stop at Good Road's village on his way up the river. He would arrange it, he said. The old woman wouldn't mind her coming, with the villain, Narcisse, away. "Look out for her weIll" "I promise you, Narcisse!" Deedee threw reassurance into her shout. It was so good to see him starting off in such elation. Narcisse pushed his light bark to the center of the stream. He rounded M'sieu Page's island, threaded those small sandy islets where Indians this morning were hunting turtle eggs, and darted upstream like a dragon-fly in spite of the strong spring current. Through the succeeding days beedee watched faith. fully. As spring advanced, the buGays looked down not on the St. Peters but on a sea of treetops. Only here and there was a bit of silver framed in green. At first, every time a canoe flashed past these open spaces, Deedee ran down the hill. But she couldn't keep that 82 VIII M 'SIEU PAGE was able to use Narcisse at the Traverse. He set off one morning soon after his return, waving his cap at Deedee on the bank, calling out to her that he would get Light Between Clouds to come down and pay her a visit. He was planning to stop at Good Road's village on his way up the river. He would arrange it, he said. The old woman wouldn't mind her coming, with the villain, Narcisse, away. "Look out for her weIll" "I promise you, Narcisse!" Deedee threw reassurance into her shout. It was so good to see him starting off in such elation. Narcisse pushed his light bark to the center of the stream. He rounded M'sieu Page's island, threaded those small sandy islets where Indians this morning were hunting turtle eggs, and darted upstream like a dragon-fly in spite of the strong spring current. Through the succeeding days Deedee watched faith. fully. As spring advanced, the DuGays looked down not on the St. Peters but on a sea of treetops. Only here and there was a bit of silver framed in green. At first, every time a canoe flashed past these open spaces, Deedee ran down the hill. But she couldn't keep that EARLY CANDLELIGHT 83 up. The St. Peters was soon too heavily laden with keel boats and canoes. And the Mississippi had more than canoes. Early in May Captain Throckmorton brought the steamboat Warrior triumphantly round the bend. The garrison had had word of its coming. A runner from Little Crow’s village had brought the happy tidings, and all the inhabitants of the colony rushed down to the landing to await it. The Indians assembled, too, to see old Walk in the Water, but when it really rounded the point, puffing majestically and proceeding without pole or paddle, those Indians from the inland who were...