him away, and he was soon afterwards burned to death."

"Well," said Jacques, "_he_ didn't gain much by sticking to the truth, I
think."

"I'm not so sure of _that_. The story goes on to say that he _rejoiced_
that he had done so, and wouldn't draw back even when he was in the
flames. But the point lies here, Jacques: so deep an impression did the
old man's conduct make on his people, that from that day forward they
were noted for their Christian life and conduct. They brought up their
children with a deeper reverence for the truth than they would otherwise
have done, always bearing in affectionate remembrance, and holding up to
them as an example, the unflinching truthfulness of the good old man who
was burned in the year of the terrible persecutions; and at last their
influence and example had such an effect that the Protestant religion
spread like wild-fire, far and wide around them, so that the very thing
was accomplished for which the old pastor said he would have died--
accomplished, too, very much in consequence of his death, and in a way
and to an extent that very likely would not have been the case had he
lived and preached among them for a hundred years."

"I don't understand it nohow," said Jacques; "it seems to me right both
ways and wrong both ways, and all upside down everyhow."

Charley smiled. "Your remark is about as clear as my head on the
subject, Jacques; but I still remain convinced that truth is _right_ and
that falsehood is _wrong_, and that we should stick to the first through
thick and thin."

"I s'pose," remarked the hunter, who had walked along in deep cogitation
for the last five minutes, and had apparently come to some conclusion of
profound depth and sagacity--"I s'pose that it's all human natur'; that
some men takes to preachin' as Injins take to huntin', and that to
understand sich things requires them to begin young, and risk their
lives in it, as I would in followin' up a grizzly she-bear with cubs."

"Yonder is an illustration of one part of your remark. They begin
_young_ enough, anyhow," said Charley, pointing as he spoke to an
opening in the bushes, where a particularly small Indian boy stood in
the act of discharging an arrow.

The two men halted to watch his movements. According to a common custom
among juvenile Indians during the warm months of the year, he was
dressed in _nothing_ save a mere rag tied round his waist. His body was
very brown, extremely round, fat,