e he did not care to offer another deadly
challenge, by way of a feeler he offered, some days after the peace,
to try a friendly throw for scalps.

"Fists left out!" Just what Beaver wanted, and the biggest boy was
sent flying. "If any other Boiler would like to try I'd be pleased
to oblige him," said Yan, just a little puffed up, as he held up the
second scalp he had won from Blackhawk.

Much to his surprise, Bluejay, the city boy, accepted, and he was
still more surprised when the city boy sent _him_ down in the
dust.

"Best out of three!" shouted Woodpecker quickly, in the interest of
his friend, taking advantage of an unwritten law that when it is not
stated to be in one try, usually called "sudden death," it is "best
two out of three" that counts.

Yan knew now that he had found a worthy foe. He dodged, waiting for an
opening--gripped--locked--and had him on the hip, he thought, but the
city boy squirmed in time, yielding instead of resisting, and both
went down tight-gripped. For a minute it was doubtful.

"Go it, Yan."

"Give it to him, Bluejay."

But Yan quickly threw out one leg, got a little purchase, and turned
the city boy on his back.

"Hooray for Little Beaver!"

"One try more! So far even!" cried Blackhawk.

They closed again, but Yan was more than ever careful. The city boy
was puffing hard. The real trial was over and Cy went down quite
easily.

"Three cheers for Little Beaver!" A fourth scalp was added to his
collection, and Sam patted him on the back, while Bluejay got out a
pocket mirror and comb and put his hair straight.

But this did not help out in the matter of leadership, and when the
Medicine Man heard of the continued deadlock he said:

"Boys, you know when there is a doubt about who is to lead the only
way is for all Chiefs to resign and have a new election." The boys
acted on this suggestion but found another deadlock. Little Beaver
refused to be put up. Woodpecker got three votes, Blackhawk four, and
Guy one (his own), and the Sangers refused to stand by the decision.

"Let's wait till after the 'hard trip'--that will show who is the real
Chief--then have a new election," suggested Little Beaver, with an eye
to Woodpecker's interest, for this hard trip was one that had been
promised them by Caleb--a three-days' expedition in the Long Swamp.

This swamp was a wild tract, ten miles by thirty, that lay a dozen
miles north of Sanger. It was swampy only in parts, but the dry