pture him and drag him back. He was very
sullen, and not so noisy as the other time, evidently less scared.
The Chiefs talked of fire and torture and of ducking him in the pond
without getting much response. Then they began to cross-examine the
prisoner. He gave no answer. Why did he come to the camp? What was he
doing--stealing? etc. He only looked sullen.

"Let's blindfold him and drive a Gyascutus down his back," said Yan in
a hollow voice.

"Good idee," agreed Sam, not knowing any more than the prisoner what a
Gyascutus was. Then he added, "just as well be merciful. It'll put him
out o' pain."

It is the unknown that terrifies. The prisoner's soul was touched
again. His mouth was trembling at the corners. He was breaking down
when Yan followed it up: "Then why don't you tell us what you are
doing here?"

He blubbered out, "I want to play Injun, too."

The boys broke down in another way. They had not had time to paint
their faces, so that their expressions were very clear on this
occasion.

Then Little Beaver arose and addressed the Council.

"Great Chiefs of the Sanger Nation: The last time we tortured and
burned to death this prisoner, he created quite an impression. Never
before has one of our prisoners shown so many different kinds of
gifts. I vote to receive him into the Tribe."

The Woodpecker now arose and spoke:

"O wisest Chief but one in this Tribe, that's all right enough, but
you know that no warrior can join us without first showing that he's
good stuff and clear grit, all wool, and a cut above the average
somehow. It hain't never been so. Now he's got to lick some Warrior of
the Tribe. Kin you do that?"

"Nope."

"Or outrun one or outshoot him or something--or give us all a present.
What kin you do?"

"I kin steal watermillyons, an' I kin see farder 'n any boy in school,
an' I kin sneak to beat all creation. I watched you fellers lots of
times from them bushes. I watched you buildin' that thar dam. _I
swum in it 'fore you did_, an' I uster set an' smoke in your teepee
when you wasn't thar, an' I heerd you talk the time you was fixin' up
to steal our Birch bark."

"Don't seem to me like it all proves much _fortitude_. Have you
got any presents for the oldest head Chief of the tribe?"

"I'll get you all the Birch bark you want. I can't git what you cut,
coz me an' Paw burned that so you couldn't git it, but I'll git you
lots more, an' maybe--I'll steal you a chicken once in awhile."