"
"Mr. Nelson," said the boy, half-shyly. "I don't agree with you. I
heard, not long ago, that old Chief Single-Pine said he only kept to
the idol because his people did--that he dared not cross them, but that
after these ten years of your talking with him, he himself believed in
the white man's Christ."
"Oh, Wampum, if I could only believe that! If I could, I would die
happy. Who told you this glorious thing?" cried the encouraged
missionary.
"A Delaware boy," replied Wampum, "but when he told me he spat, like a
snake does venom. He said he and all the tribe hated Single-Pine, for
listening to you."
For a moment the missionary was silent, then he arose, the dawn of a
majestic hope in his face. "They may hate him," he said, "but they will
follow him. He is most powerful. They dare not rebel where he leads. If
we have won Single-Pine to Christianity, we have won the whole tribe,
Wampum. You have never failed me yet; will you stand by me now? Will you
help me in this great work?"
"I will help you, sir," replied the boy, his young face glowing with
zeal.
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