That night, Indiana cooked some of the
parched rice, Indian fashion, with venison, and they enjoyed the novelty
very much--it made an excellent substitute for bread, of which they had
been so long deprived.
Indiana gave them to understand that the rice harvest would soon be ready
on the lake, and that now they had got a canoe, they would go out and
gather it, and so lay by a store to last them for many months.
This little incident furnished the inhabitants of the shanty with frequent
themes for discussion. Hector declared that the Indian corn was the most
valuable of their acquisitions. "It will insure us a crop, and bread and
seed-corn for many years," he said; he also highly valued the tomahawk, as
his axe was worn and blunt.
Louis was divided between the iron pot and the canoe. Hector seemed to
think the raft, after all, might have formed a substitute for the latter;
besides, Indiana had signified her intention of helping him to make a
canoe. Catharine declared in favour of the blanket, as it would make, after
thorough ablutions, warm petticoats with tight bodices for herself and
Indiana.
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