in both hands, ready for instant
action. John did the same, and with an ugly leer the Indian paused. His
action had attracted attention, however, and at this critical juncture
Capt. Pipe discovered the presence of the visitors, and called angrily to
Buffalo to put up his weapon.

The chief was in full war costume himself, making anything but a
peaceable appearance as he met the boys half way, when they obeyed his
signal to approach. But without a word he conducted them to a place in
the circle of spectators gathered around the forty or fifty warriors, and
at once the dance went on as though there had been no interruption.

With terrible gestures of their arms and throwing their bodies into all
sorts of warlike attitudes, the Indians danced about in a circle,
striking their feet down with great force as they kept time to the
beating of two rude drums and the uncanny song they sang. With a war
whoop a dance was begun and continued for about two minutes, the
outlandish music making the forest ring. Then the singing and dancing
stopped and the Indians walked more slowly around the circle.

In a minute or so another war-cry would sound and the fierce, weird music
and dance would be resumed. Then some old Indian among the spectators
would clap his hands, signifying that he wished to speak. The dance would
cease and the dancers walk slowly 'round again, while a speech was made.
The address would occupy only a half minute or a minute perhaps, and then
with another of the horrifying war cries the dancing and singing were
started afresh.

Ree and John might have been a thousand miles away for all the attention
that was given them at first.

"Perhaps it is merely a festival dance," John whispered to his chum.

"No, it would be given in the evening if that were true," was the answer.
"It means the warpath, I am sure."

John was replying that, whether merely for entertainment or for war, the
dance was enough to scarce a civilized person into a trance, when Capt.
Pipe suddenly clapped his hands and, as the music ceased, stepped forward
and spoke. All the other speeches had been made in the Delaware tongue,
but the first man of the tribe now spoke partly in English. This was for
the purpose of giving them to understand just what was going on, the boys
were quite certain, and frequently the chief pointed toward them.

In substance Capt. Pipe said that the whites were encroaching too far
upon the lands of the Indians and prepar