se claws Tony afterwards wore in commemoration of the event.

This was but one of the varied and stirring adventures which befell our
little hero while under the care of his red-skinned captor.

What passed in the mind of the Indian during that winter Tony had little
opportunity of knowing, for he was remarkably taciturn, though at night,
when smoking the calumet over his wigwam fire, the thoughtful expression
of his face, and occasional troubled look on his brows, suggested the
idea that he was ill at ease. He frequently gazed at his captive as if
about to speak to him seriously, but as often seemed to abandon the idea
with something like a sigh.

One evening, however, Petawanaquat seemed more troubled than usual, and
held frequent earnest consultations with Meekeye in an undertone, in the
midst of which Tony could distinguish a few words, such as "tracks,"
"white strangers," "encampment," etcetera. Before going to rest the
Indian smoked an extra pipe, and then said--

"Tonyquat is a brave boy!"

"Yes," answered Tony, with an air of gravity quite equal to that of his
red father. The few months he had been in captivity had indeed wrought
an almost miraculous change in the child. His ideas were much more
manly. Even his speech had lost its childish lisp, and he had begun to
express himself somewhat in the allegorical language of the American
Indian. Under the influence of a will stronger than his own he had
proved himself an apt scholar.

"Tonyquat is a boy who keeps his word?" continued the other, with a keen
glance.

Tony turned his large eyes full on the Indian.

"Has my Indian father ever found Tonyquat telling lies?"

To this Petawanaquat said "Good," and smoked his pipe with increasing
vigour, while Tony sat with his hands clasped over one knee, gazing
sternly at the fire, as though he were engaged in consulting on matters
of life and death. He glanced, however, for one instant at Meekeye, to
see that she observed his staid demeanour. The same glance revealed to
Tony the fact that Meekeye's right foot was rather near the fire, with
the red-hot end of a log close to it. Tony's own left foot chanced to
rest on the other and unburnt end of the same log. A very gentle motion
on his part sufficed to bring Meekeye's toes and the fire into contact.
She drew back with a sudden start, but was too much of an Indian to
scream. Tony was enough of one to remain motionless and abstracted like
a brown statue.