ucks who's doo to dance sets about one side of the Round
House on a board bench; the squaws--not bein' in on the proposed
activities--occupies the other half, squattin' on the ground. Some of
'em packs their papooses tied on to a fancy-ribboned, highly beaded
board, an' this they makes a cradle of by restin' one end on the ground
an' the other on their toe, rockin' the same meanwhile with a motion of
the foot. Thar's a half hoop over the head-end of these papoose boards,
hung with bells for the papoose to get infantile action on an' amoose his
leesure.

"The bucks settin' about their side of the Round House, still wrops
themse'fs in their blankets so as not to dazzle the squaws to death
preematoor. At last the music peals forth. The music confines itse'f to
a bass drum--paleface drum it is--which is staked out hor'zontal about a
foot high from the grass over in the centre. The orchestra is a decrepit
buck with a rag-wropped stick; with this weepon he beats the drum,
chantin' at the same time a pensive refrain.

"Mebby a half-dozen squaws, with no papooses yet to distract 'em, camps
'round this virchuoso with the rag-stick, an' yoonites their girlish
howls with his. You-all can put down a bet it don't remind you none of
nightingales or mockin' birds; but the Injuns likes it. Which their
simple sperits wallows in said warblin's! But to my notion they're more
calc'lated to loco a henhawk than furnish inspiration for a dance.

"'Tunk! tunk! tunk! tunk!' goes this rag-stick buck, while the squaws
chorus along with, 'Hy-yah! hy-yah! hy-yah-yah-yah! Hy-yah! hy-yah!
hy-yah-yah-yah!' an' all grievous, an' make no mistake!

"At the first 'tunk!' the bucks stiffen to their feet and cast off the
blankets. Feathers, paint, an' bells! they blaze an' tinkle in the
moonlight with a subdooed but savage elegance. They skates out onto the
grass, stilt-laig, an' each buck for himse'f. They go skootin' about,
an' weave an' turn an' twist like these yere water-bugs jiggin' it on the
surface of some pond. Sometimes a buck'll lay his nose along the ground
while he dances--sleigh bells jinglin', feathers tossin'! Then he'll
straighten up ontil he looks like he's eight foot tall; an' they shore
throws themse'fs with a heap of heart an' sperit.

"It's as well they does. If you looks clost you observes a brace of
bucks, and each packin' a black-snake whip. Them's
kettle-tenders,--floor managin' the _baile_ they be; an' if a buc