What shall we do without
our friend Omas?"
"He have gun." he replied, indicating Ben.
"So have the red men, and there are more of them."
Now, if Mrs. Ripley was skilful in reading the thoughts of the
Delaware, it may be that he, too, suspected the real cause for her
objections. Be that as it may, it was plain he was not satisfied.
He held the Ripley family in too high regard to offend them openly;
but Omas was set in his ways.
He made no reply to the last remark, but stepped a little nearer
the fire and sat down, moody and silent.
"You have said enough, mother," remarked Ben in a low voice; "it
will anger him to say more. I will sit with my head against the
rock; do you lie down on the blanket and let your head rest in my
lap. I think it will be safe for us all."
With some hesitation the mother complied, the Delaware apparently
paying no heed to them. He kept his seat on the ground, looking
gloomily into the fire and in deep thought. A struggle was going
on in his mind, and no one could say whether the good or evil would
win.
Ben Ripley was anxious that his mother should sleep. She had
undergone the severest of trials since early morning, and none had
wrought harder than she. The morrow would make further demands on
her strength.
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