his day, was
ready for this phase. He caught up a great bowl of ice-cold spring-water
and emptied it with all his strength against Andramark's bloody back.
The shock of that sudden icy blow brought the boy's runaway nerves back
into hand. He shook himself, drew a long breath, and, without a quiver
anywhere, smiled.

And the old men were as glad as he was that the very necessary trial by
torture was at an end. And, blowing triumphantly upon devil-horns and
shaking devil-rattles, they carried him the whole length of the village
to the base of the hill where the Hot Lodge was.

This was a little cave, in the mouth of which was a spring, said to be
very full of Big Medicine. The entrance to the cave was closed by a
heavy arras of bearskins, three or four thick, and the ground in front
was thickly strewn with round and flat stones cracked and blackened by
fire. From the cave to the fifteen-foot bluff overhanging a deep pool of
the river the ground was level, and worn in a smooth band eight or ten
feet wide as by the trampling of many feet.

Andramark, stark naked and still bleeding in many places, sat
cross-legged in the cave, at the very rim of the medicine-spring. His
head hung forward on his chest. All his muscles were soft and relaxed.
After a while the hangings of the cave entrance were drawn a little to
one side and a stone plumped into the spring with a savage hiss;
another followed--another--and another and another. Steam began to rise
from the surface of the spring, little bubbles darted up from the bottom
and burst. More hot stones were thrown into the water. Steam, soft and
caressing, filled the cave. The temperature rose by leaps and bounds.
The roots of Andramark's hair began to tickle--the tickling became
unendurable, and ceased suddenly as the sweat burst from every pore of
his body. His eyes closed; in his heart it was as if love-music were
being played upon a flute. He was no longer conscious of hunger or
thirst. He yielded, body and soul, to the sensuous miracle of the steam,
and slept.

He was awakened by many shrill voices that laughed and dared him to come
out.

"It's only one big beating," he said, rose, stepped over the spring,
pushed through the bearskins, and stood gleaming and steaming in the
fading light.

The gantlet that he was to run extended from the cave to the bluff
overhanging the river. He looked the length of the double row of
grinning women and children--the active agents in what