"In Prairie Cottage?" exclaimed the other with a puzzled air. "You
can't mean my brother Peter, surely, for he is about as grave as
yourself."

"Okematan means the young brave who loves his little brother."

"What! Archie Sinclair?" exclaimed Dan, with a surprised look. "I had
no idea you had so high an opinion of him."

"Okematan has seen much of Arch-ee: has watched him. He sees that he
thinks nothing of himself; that he thinks always for the sick brother,
Leetle Beel, and that he will yet be a great chief among the Palefaces."

"Well, now you come to mention it, there _is_ something about Archie
that puts him high above other boys; and I suppose his unselfishness has
much to do with it; but don't you think he's too young, and hardly
strong enough?"

"He is not young. He is fifty years old in wisdom. He is very strong
for his size, and he is _willing_, which makes his strength double."

"But he will never consent to leave Little Bill," said Dan.

"Okematan had fears of that," returned the Indian, with, for the first
time, a look of perplexity on his face. "If Arch-ee will not go without
Leetle Beel, Leetle Beel must go too."

It was found, on inquiry, that they were right in their surmise. When
the proposal was made to Archie that afternoon by Dan, the boy's eyes
seemed to light up and dance in his head at the prospect. Then the
light suddenly went out, and the dancing ceased.

"Why, what's the matter, Archie?" asked his friend.

"Can't go. Impossible!" said Archie.

"Why not?"

"Who's to look after Little Bill, I should like to know, if I leave
him?"

"Elspie, of course," said Dan, "and Elise, to say nothing of Jessie,
mother, and brother Peter."

Archie shook his head.

"No," he said, "no! I can't go. Elspie is all very well in her way,
and so is Elise, but _they_ can't carry Little Bill about the fields and
through the bush on their backs; and Peter wouldn't; he's too busy about
the farm. No--ever since mother died, I've stuck to Little Bill through
thick and thin. So I _won't_ go."

It was so evident that Archie Sinclair's mind was made up and fixed, and
also so obvious that a delicate little boy would be a great encumbrance
on a hunting expedition that Dan thought of attempting the expedient of
winning Little Bill himself over to his side. He had no difficulty in
doing that, for Billie was to the full as amiable and unselfish as his
brother. After a short conversation, he made