res have combined to bring dreadful diseases among
men in revenge for their own wrongs."

"That is too bad," said Minnehaha. "Why could they not have kept on loving
each other all the time, instead of things being as they are now?"

Sagastao, who had laughed at the idea of the mosquitoes coming to a
council, and of their having anything to complain of, said, "I would like
to know what mosquitoes lived on in those good old days you speak about.
Now they are after me lively enough." And he slowly lifted up his hand, on
the back of which a couple were rapidly filling themselves with his blood.

But Mary, who, Indian like, was wise and observant, only said, "Wait a
minute or two and I will show you." Then she quickly hurried back into a
swampy place and soon returned with a thick juicy leaf, to the under side
of which several mosquitoes were still clinging, with their bodies
distended with its juice.

"There," she said, as she carefully held the leaf sideways, "that is what
most of the mosquitoes still live on. They attack our race in revenge for
our being so cruel as to kill so many of the animals, large and small, but
this, as you can easily see, is their natural food."

This appeal to the eye quite silenced the children, who had considered the
whole story as only an Indian legend to be amused with.

Mary, who had often been worsted by the sharp criticisms and inquiries with
which they were apt to receive her pet Indian legends, was quite delighted
at her apparent triumph, so she hastily sprang up, saying:

"It is time we were going home. Some other day I will tell you the story of
how the medicines came."

CHAPTER XII.

The Naming of the Baby--A Canoe Trip--The Legend of
the Discovery of Medicine--How the Chipmunk Carried the
Good News.

There was great excitement among a number of Indian men and women who had
gathered on the shore in front of the mission one pleasant summer morning.
Grave Indians, with Souwanas in their midst, were calmly discussing some
object of interest, while Mary and a party of women, some of whom had their
babies with them, were much more noisy, talking rapidly about something
which was evidently a matter of exciting interest. Even Sagastao and
Minnehaha were rushing in and out of the house and running from one group
of Indians to the other, full of eager inquiries and pleasant
anticipations. What could it all be about?

Let us ask the children, for such little people often kno