tain many such places."

They pressed forward three more days and three more nights toward the
left shoulder of the White Dome, which now rose before them clear and
dazzlingly bright against the shining blue of the sky. The air was
steadily growing colder, owing to their increasing elevation, but they
had no more storms of rain, sleet or snow. They were not above the
timber line, and the vegetation, although dwarfed, was abundant. There
was also plenty of game, and in order to save their supplies they shot a
deer or two. On the third day Will through his glasses saw a smoke, much
lower down on their left, and he and the Little Giant, descending a
considerable distance to discover what it meant, were able to discern a
deep valley, perhaps ten miles long and two miles broad, filled with
fine pastures and noble forest, and with a large Indian village in the
centre. Smoke was rising from at least a hundred tall tepees, and
several hundred horses were grazing on the meadows.

"Tell me what you can about them," said the lad, handing the glasses to
the Little Giant.

"I think they're Teton Sioux," said Bent, "an' ez well ez I kin make out
they're livin' a life o' plenty. I kin see game hangin' up everywhar to
be cured. Sometimes, young William, I envy the Indians. When the
weather's right, an' the village is in a good place an' thar's plenty to
eat you never see any happier fellers. The day's work an' huntin' over,
they skylark 'roun' like boys havin' fun with all sorts o' little
things. You wouldn't think they wuz the same men who could enjoy
roastin' an enemy alive. Then, they ain't troubled a bit 'bout the
future, either. Termorrer kin take care o' itself. I s'pose that's what
downs 'em, an' gives all the land some day to the white man. Though I
hev to fight the Indian, I've a lot o' sympathy with him, too."

"I feel the same way about it," said Will. "Maybe we won't have any more
trouble with them."

The Little Giant shook his head.

"We may dodge 'em in the mountains, though that ain't shore," he said,
"but when we go down into the plains, ez we've got to do sooner or
later, the fur will fly. I'm mighty glad we picked up Steve Brady,
'cause fur all his solemn ways he's a pow'ful good fightin' man. Now, I
think we'd better git back up the slope, 'cause warriors from that
village may be huntin' 'long here an', however much we may sympathize
with the Indians we're boun' to lose a hull lot o' that sympathy when
they co