_ do lak' he tell um. But
de _tamahnawus_ git James Dean. An' he git you--too."

Connie waited for two days after 'Merican Joe returned from the trap
line before he even mentioned returning to
The-Lake-of-the-Fox-That-Yells, as the Indians had renamed Hill Lake.
Then, one evening he began to make up a pack for the trail.

"Were you goin'?" asked 'Merican Joe, eying the preparations with
disapproval.

"It's about time we went down and looked at those fox traps, isn't it?"
he asked casually. "And we ought to get some more out."

The Indian shook his head. "Me--I'm lak' dat better we let de
_tamahnawus_ hav' dem fox trap. We go on som' nudder lak' an' set
mor'."

"Look here!" ripped out the boy, angrily, "if you're afraid to go you
can stay here and snare rabbits like a squaw! I ain't afraid of your
_tamahnawus_, and I'll go alone! And I'll stay till I find out what all
this business is about--and then I'll come back and laugh at you, and at
Pierre Bonnet Rouge, too. You're a couple of old women!" 'Merican Joe
made no answer, and after puttering a bit he went to bed.

When Connie awakened, before daylight the following morning, the fire
was burning brightly in the stove, and 'Merican Joe, dressed for the
trail, was setting the breakfast table. Connie drew on his clothing and
noticing that the pack he had thrown together the night before was
missing, stepped to the door. A pack of double the size was lashed to
the sled, and the boy turned to 'Merican Joe with a grin: "Decide to
take a chance?" he asked.

The Indian set a plate of beans on the table and looked into the boy's
eyes. "Me--I'm t'ink you too mooch _skookum_. Wan tam on Spur Mountain,
I say you good man, an' I say 'Merican Joe, she good man, too. But she
ain' so good man lak you. She scare for _tamahnawus_ mor' as anyt'ing
on de worl'. Rat now I'm so scare--me--dat de knees shivver, an' de hair
com's from de head an' crawl up an' down de back an' de feet is col' lak
de piece of ice, an' de belly is sick lak I ain' got nuttin' to eat in
my life. But, I'm goin' 'long, an' I stan' rat beside you all de tam,
an' w'en de _tamahnawus_ git Connie Mo'gan, by Goss! she got to git
'Merican Joe, too!"

The boy stepped to the Indian's side and snatched his hand into both his
own. "'Merican Joe," he cried, in a voice that was not quite steady,
"you're a brick! You're the best doggone Injun that ever lived!"

"Me--I'm de scarest Injun ever liv'. I bet I lak she was n