when Ojistoh was a girl, away back among the many springs
of long ago."

"Yes, Nar-pim," smiled Granny--for an Indian woman never calls her
husband by his name, but always addresses him as Nar-pim, which means
"my man."

"Yes, Nar-pim, don't you remember when I heard that drumming away off
among the trees, and when I, girl-like, pretended I did not know what
it meant, but you, saying never a word and taking me by the hand, led
me to the very spot where that handsome little lover was beating his
drum and making love to so many sweethearts?"

"Yes, I remember it well, when I took little Ojistoh, my sweetheart, by
the hand and we hurried to find the little drummer." Then, turning to
me, the hunter continued: "My son, one never forgets the days of his
youth, and well can I recall picking our way in and out among the trees
and undergrowth, tiptoeing here and there lest our moccasined feet
should break a fallen twig and alarm the drummer or the dancers. For
it was the love dance we were going to see. As the drumming sound
increased in volume, our caution increased, too. Soon we deemed it
prudent to go down upon our hands and knees and thus be more surely
screened by the underbrush as we stealthily approached. Creeping on
toward the sound, slowly and with infinite precaution, we discovered
that we were not the only ones going to the dance: the whirring of
wings frequently rustled overhead as ruffed grouse skimmed past us in
rapid flight.

"Once, my son, we felt the wind from a hawk's wing swooping low from
bush to bush, as though endeavouring to arrive unheralded. Twice we
caught sight of a fox silently and craftily stealing along. Once we
saw a lynx--a soft gray shadow--slinking through the undergrowth ahead.
It seemed as if all the Strong Woods dwellers were going to the love
dance, too, and, I remember, Ojistoh began to feel afraid. But,"
smiled Oo-koo-hoo, "she was devoured with curiosity; and, besides, was
not her young lover with her? Why need she fear?

"When we came to the foot of a ridge the drumming sounded very near.
With utmost wariness we crawled from bush to bush, pausing every now
and then, and crouching low. Then, judging the way still clear, we
crawled forward, and finally gained the top of the ridge. With
thumping hearts we rested a moment in a crouching posture, for we had
at last arrived upon the scene. Slowly and breathlessly raising our
heads, we peered through the leafy screen and behe