But their most interesting talk, mainly about
plants, had hardly begun when an Indian runner came dashing up to us
with a message.

Long Arrow listened gravely to the breathless, babbled words, then
turned to the Doctor and said in eagle tongue,

"Great White Man, an evil thing has befallen the Popsipetels. Our
neighbors to the southward, the thievish Bag-jagderags, who for so long
have cast envious eyes on our stores of ripe corn, have gone upon the
war-path; and even now are advancing to attack us."

"Evil news indeed," said the Doctor. "Yet let us not judge harshly.
Perhaps it is that they are desperate for food, having their own crops
frost-killed before harvest. For are they not even nearer the cold South
than you?"

"Make no excuses for any man of the tribe of the Bag-jagderags," said
Long Arrow shaking his head. "They are an idle shiftless race. They do
but see a chance to get corn without the labor of husbandry. If it were
not that they are a much bigger tribe and hope to defeat their neighbor
by sheer force of numbers, they would not have dared to make open war
upon the brave Popsipetels."

When we reached the village we found it in a great state of excitement.
Everywhere men were seen putting their bows in order, sharpening spears,
grinding battle-axes and making arrows by the hundred. Women were
raising a high fence of bamboo poles all round the village. Scouts and
messengers kept coming and going, bringing news of the movements of the
enemy. While high up in the trees and hills about the village we could
see look-outs watching the mountains to the southward.

Long Arrow brought another Indian, short but enormously broad, and
introduced him to the Doctor as Big Teeth, the chief warrior of the
Popsipetels.

The Doctor volunteered to go and see the enemy and try to argue the
matter out peacefully with them instead of fighting; for war, he said,
was at best a stupid wasteful business. But the two shook their heads.
Such a plan was hopeless, they said. In the last war when they had sent
a messenger to do peaceful arguing, the enemy had merely hit him with an
ax.

While the Doctor was asking Big Teeth how he meant to defend the village
against attack, a cry of alarm was raised by the look-outs.

"They're coming!--The Bag-jagderags-swarming down the mountains in
thousands!"

"Well," said the Doctor, "it's all in the day's work, I suppose. I don't
believe in war; but if the village is attacked we must h