Here he felt reasonably secure from surprise, and here he
meant to spend the days to come.
There was an old Indian hut in the open space which once had sheltered
some family, and was now abandoned. Pomponio took possession of this.
When daylight came, he went in search of the savages in the forest, and
on finding them, he recounted his adventure and the consequences to
himself. Among the Indians were the larger number of those who had sworn
allegiance to Pomponio, promising to follow him whenever he should
decide for a general extermination of the detested Spaniards. They
welcomed him warmly, and supplied him with food and everything he needed
for his hut. The Indians not included in his band of followers had,
heretofore, looked askance on Pomponio, and had sought to withdraw him
from the mission into their own wild life. This he had refused to do,
contending, with more than usual Indian intelligence, that he would be
able to wreak greater harm to the Spanish if connected with the mission.
This had been the principal reason for his small following.
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