wn three feet the water was oozing in fast. He got it down
about four feet and then had to stop, on account of inflow. He took a
bucket and bailed the muddy stuff out right to the bottom, and let it
fill up to be again bailed out. After three bailings the water came in
cold, sweet, and pure as crystal.

"There," said he, "that water is from your pond, but it is filtered
through twenty feet of earth and sand. That's the way to get cool,
pure water out of the dirtiest of swamps. That's an Injun well."

VIII

The Indian Drum

"Oh, that hair of horse and skin of sheep should
Have such power to move the souls of men."

"If you were real Injun you'd make a drum of that," said Caleb to
Yan, as they came to a Basswood blown over by a recent storm and now
showing its weakness, for it was quite hollow--a mere shell.

"How do they do it? I want to know how."

"Get me the axe."

Yan ran for the axe. Caleb cut out a straight unbroken section about
two feet long. This they carried to camp.

"Coorse ye know," said Caleb, "ye can't have a drum without skins for
heads."

"What kind of skins?"

"Oh, Horse, Dog, Cow, Calf--'most any kind that's strong enough."

"I got a Calfskin in our barn, an' I know where there's another in the
shed, but it's all chawed up with Rats. Them's mine. I killed them
Calves. Paw give me the skins for killin' an' skinnin' them. Oh, you
jest ought to see me kill a Calf--"

Guy was going off into one of his autopanegyrics when Sam who was now
being rubbed on a sore place, gave a "Whoop!" and grabbed the tow-tuft
with a jerk that sent the Third War Chief sprawling and ended the
panegyric in the usual volley of "you-let-me-'lones."

"Oh, quit, Sam," objected Little Beaver. "You can't stop a Dog
barking. It's his nature." Then to Guy: "Never mind, Guy; you are not
hurt. I'll bet you can beat him hunting Deer, and you can see twice as
far as he can."

"Yes, I kin; that's what makes him so mad. I'll bet I kin see three
times as far--maybe five times," was the answer in injured tones.

"Go on now, Guy, and get the skins--that is, if you want a drum for
the war dance. You're the only one in the crowd that's man enough to
make the raise of a hide," and fired by this flattery, Guy sped away.

Meanwhile Caleb worked on the hollow log. He trimmed off the bark,
then with the hatchet he cleared out all the punk and splinters
inside. He made a fire on the ground in the middle of the drum-log