The man sat up, rubbed his wrists and ankles and breathed deeply.
"Your papers!" repeated Willet.
"Bring me my pistol, the one that the Indian filched from me while I slept," said Garay.
"Your pistol!" exclaimed the hunter, in surprise.

"Now I'd certainly be foolish to hand you a deadly and loaded weapon!" But Robert's quick intellect comprehended at once.

He snatched the heavy pistol from the Onondaga's belt, drew forth the bullet and then drew the charge behind it, not powder at all, but a small, tightly folded paper of tough tissue, which he held aloft triumphantly.
"Very clever! very clever!" said Willet in admiration.

"The pistol was loaded, but 'twould never be fired, and nobody would have thought of searching its barrel.

Tayoga, give Monsieur Garay the two spare fish and anything else he wants, but see that he eats sparingly because a gorge will go ill with a famished man, and then we'll have a look at his precious document." The Onondaga treated Garay as the honored guest they had been calling him, giving him the whole variety of their breakfast, but, at guarded intervals, which allowed him to relish to the full all the savors and juices that had been taunting him so long.