em?"

"Yes, crawl up. Then when I give a whoop rush them. Take them alive. I
wish to have a word with them first. Carry them into the hut. Go!"

Away went the eager little figures, the chubby babes and the two lithe,
active boys. Daddy stood behind the bush watching them. They kept a
line and tip-toed along to the camp of the strangers. Then on the
Chief's signal they burst into a cry and rushed wildly with waving
weapons into the camp of the Palefaces. A moment later the two pillow-
made trappers were being dragged off into the hut by the whooping
warriors. They were up-ended in one corner when the Chief entered, and
the victorious Indians were dancing about in front of them.

"Anybody wounded?" asked the Chief.

"No, no."

"Have you tied their hands?"

With perfect gravity Red Buffalo made movements behind each of the
pillows.

"They are tied, great Chief."

"What shall we do with them?"

"Cut off their heads!" shrieked Dimples, who was always the most
bloodthirsty of the tribe, though in private life he had been known to
weep bitterly over a squashed caterpillar.

"The proper thing is to tie them to a stake," said Laddie.

"What do you mean by killing our buffaloes?" asked Daddy, severely.

The prisoners preserved a sulky silence.

"Shall I shoot the green one?" asked Dimples, presenting his wooden
pistol.

"Wait a bit!" said the Chief. "We had best keep one as a hostage and
send the other back to say that unless the Chief of the Palefaces pays a
ransom within three days--"

But at that moment, as a great romancer used to say, a strange thing
happened. There was the sound of a turning key and the whole tribe of
the Leatherskins was locked into the hut. A moment later a dreadful face
appeared at the window, a face daubed with mud and overhung with grass,
which drooped down from under a soft cap. The weird creature danced in
triumph, and then stooped to set a light to some paper and shavings near
the window.

"Heavens!" cried the Chief. "It is Yellow Snake, the ferocious Chief of
the Bottlenoses!"

Flame and smoke were rising outside. It was excellently done and
perfectly safe, but too much for the younger warriors. The key turned,
the door opened, and two tearful babes were in the arms of the kneeling
Lady. Red Buffalo and Black Bear were of sterner stuff.

"I'm not frightened, Daddy," said Laddie, though he looked a little pale.

"Nor me," cried Dimples, hurrying to get out