w--we can't force our likings one way or other."

La Certe was a good deal taken aback. He was not indeed unaccustomed to
plain speaking, and to the receipt of gratuitous abuse; but his
experience invariably was to associate both with more or less of a stern
voice and a frowning brow. To receive both in a soft voice from a
delicate meek-faced child, who at the same time professed to like him,
was a complete novelty which puzzled him not a little.

After a few minutes' profound consideration, he put out his pipe and
arose quickly with something like an appearance of firmness in his look
and bearing.

Slowfoot, whose utter ignorance of both French and English prevented her
understanding the drift of the recent conversation, was almost startled
by the unfamiliar action of her lord.

"Where go you?" she asked.

"To follow the buffalo," answered La Certe, with all the dignity of a
man bursting with good resolutions.

"Are you ill?" asked his wife, anxiously.

To this he vouchsafed no reply, as he raised the curtain and went out.

Little Bill also went out, and, sitting down on a package, watched him
with his large solemn eyes, but said never a word until the half-breed
had loaded his gun and mounted his horse. Then he said: "Good luck to
you, Francois!"

La Certe did not speak, but with a grave nod of his head rode slowly out
of the camp. Little Bill regarded him for a moment. He had his bow and
a blunt-headed arrow in his hand at the time. Fitting the latter
hastily to the bow he took a rapid shot at the retreating horseman. The
arrow sped well. It descended on the flank of the horse with
considerable force, and, bounding off, fell to the ground. The result
was that the horse, to La Certe's unutterable surprise, made a sudden
demivolt into the air--without the usual persuasion--almost unseated its
rider, and fled over the prairie like a thing possessed!

A faint smile ruffled the solemnity of Little Bill at this, but it
vanished when he heard a low chuckle behind him. Wheeling round, he
stood face to face with Slowfoot, whose mouth was expanded from ear to
ear.

"Clever boy!" she said, patting him on the back, "come into the tent and
have some grub."

She said this in the Cree language, which the boy did not understand,
but he understood well enough the signs with which the invitation was
accompanied. Thanking her with an eloquent look, he re-entered the tent
along with her.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN