osition. Whirlwind
retreated into the forest, desiring that no one should follow him,
where he remained all night--during intervals of which, they heard his
voice alternately in entreaty, command, and supplication.

Chapter Tenth.

Preparations for a grand Pow-wow. The apparent solemnity of Whirlwind.
He dresses himself in the wolf-skin. The Pow-wow. Its effects upon
Sidney. He becomes delirious. Favourable turn in his fever. His health
improves. They proceed on their way. The Indian acknowledges himself
lost. Encamp for the night. Their journey continued. Singular trees
discovered. Preparations for spending the winter.

At noon the next day, the chief returned, carrying in his hand a small
bag made of bark, and filled with something they did not attempt to
ascertain, well knowing the chief would look on such an act as
unpardonable profanity. He had gone into the forest without supper, and
had taken no breakfast, yet he refused anything to eat. They did not
urge him, for they had never seen such an expression of humility and
meekness on the chief's features before as they wore then; and Jane and
Edward felt rebuked for the levity they had exhibited, for evidently he
was acting the farce in which he was engaged, with a sincerity and
purity of motive that commanded respect.

With eager curiosity, blended with fear for the result, they watched
every movement of the chief's preparations, which were as unique as
singular. After depositing his bag with great care on the limb of a
tree, he took the now dry wolf-skin, wrapped it around him, running his
arms through the skin of the fore legs. The skin of the head, which had
been stretched and dried whole, he drew over his own, confining the
body of the skin around him with a string, leaving the long bushy tail
dragging behind him. Then taking his medicine bag in his hands, he
assumed the appearance of the wolf; and thus accoutred, no one would
have taken him for a human being, so completely was he metamorphosed.
With stealthy tread, he crept slowly round the couch on which the
patient lay, snuffing the air like a hound on a scent; then placing his
hands on the side, raised his head, and, after taking a survey of the
sick man, again dropt down, and commenced moving around very slowly,
and snuffing the air for full half an hour. Suddenly, with a yell that
made the old forest ring, and a bound, he darted round the couch with a
velocity truly astonishing. He did not run,