ry of the slain hunter's bones was described one of those three
stepped forward and laid the dead man's weapons on the ground before the
chief. As Yuara went on he touched his bandaged arm and pointed to McKay
and Knowlton. And as he concluded he motioned toward Lourenco.

Ignorant of the Indian language, but guessing the nature of his talk
from his motions, the Americans stood patiently awaiting the next move.
For a time all three of the chiefs remained silent; but all of them
studied McKay, standing bolt upright with arms folded and the
belt-wrapped knife partly concealed in the hollow of one elbow. Though
it was evident that Yuara had given the captain full credit for saving
his life, the faces of the head men showed no sign of friendliness. In
fact, their expressions were distinctly ominous.

At length the chief turned his eyes to Lourenco. The veteran bushman
promptly stepped forward and said his say. At the end he turned, took
from McKay the knife, unrolled the belt, and dangled the weapon before
the eyes of the rulers. They stared at it in obvious ignorance of its
character. Not until the Brazilian drew the blade from its sheath and
the glint of steel struck their vision did they show recognition. Then
Chief Suba grunted, his little eyes lit up, and he reached for it.

For a few minutes he sat gloating over the gift, admiring the bone
handle, hefting the weight of the long blade, while the subchiefs gazed
in envy. When he looked up his face was beaming. But then the sour-faced
subchief at his left hand muttered something, and Suba's visage
darkened. His eyes rested again on McKay, went to the bandaged arm of
Yuara, dropped to his knife--the first steel knife ever owned by him or
any man of the Suba tribe--and rose again to the black-bearded captain.
Abruptly then he spoke out.

Lourenco stared in blank astonishment. After a puzzled moment he shook
his head as if unable to believe he had heard aright. Suba, scowling,
repeated what he had said. Lourenco shook his head again, this time in
vehement denial, and began to talk. But Suba, rising with surprising
agility for a man of his weight, stopped him imperiously and spoke with
finality. Slowly the Brazilian nodded and turned to his captain.

"I do not understand this, Capitao. But these are the words of the
chief:

"'The white man with the black beard tries a trick, but it does not
deceive the free men of the forest. The thing which he thinks to be
hidden in h