d it be safe to do anything--I mean to try to get away by force?"
asked Mr. DeVere. "I certainly don't like the idea of being held a
prisoner by these Indians."

"Neither do I," agreed Baldy. "It's the first time one of 'em ever got
the best of me, and I don't like it. Now I tried to talk strong to him
at first, and told him his crowd would get in all kinds of hot water if
they held us here."

"What did he say?" asked Russ.

"He didn't seem much impressed by my line of talk," confessed Baldy. "He
said this ceremony was one of the most important the tribe ever held,
and that it would certainly spoil it to have us go away now. He doesn't
want us here, and he says we mustn't be present at the time the magic
medicine is made; but, at the same time, he doesn't want us to go."

"That's strange," observed Alice.

"Well, you can't tell much about Indians," Baldy went on. "They are
mostly queer critters, anyhow. Now, the question is: Do you want me to
go out there, and shoot 'em up, and----"

"No, never!" cried Ruth. "You--you might be hurt."

"Well, yes, there's a possibility of that," returned Baldy, calmly. "But
I reckon I could hurt a few of them at the same time. But it's bound to
muss things up any way you look at it. Though I might be able to clear
out enough of 'em so the others wouldn't bother you. I'm a pretty good
shot."

"No, we must not think of that," declared Mr. DeVere, positively. "That
is too much of a risk for you, my dear sir. We will try some other line
of argument. If we make it plain that they will be punished for
detaining us perhaps they will think better of it."

"Well, I'll give them another line of strong talk, and see what comes of
it," agreed Baldy. "I'll point out the error of their ways to them."

"Tell them we can't--we simply can't--stay all night," said Ruth,
nervously pulling at her gauntlets. "Why, where could we sleep, and what
could we eat?"

"We brought along some sandwiches," Alice reminded her.

"Yes, my dear, I know. But hardly enough, and as for sleeping with
those--those Indians about---- Oh, I couldn't shut my eyes all night.
Please, Baldy, tell them we _must_ be let go."

"I'll do my best," he responded. "But old Jumping Horse--that's the
chief--said we could have some huts off by ourselves, and they'll feed
us--such fodder as they've got."

"It is an unfortunate situation," said Mr. DeVere, "but it cannot be
helped. We must make the best of it, and, after all, I su