ar-seeing
than Indians usually are.

The Sioux began to strengthen their lodges and to accumulate stores of
pemmican. The maize in several small, sheltered fields farther down the
valley was gathered carefully. The boys brought in bushels of nuts, and
Will admired the industry and ability of Xingudan. It was evident that
winter was coming, although the touch as yet was only that of autumn.

It was a magnificent autumn that the lad witnessed. The foliage in the
mountains glowed in the deepest and most intense colors that he had ever
seen, reds, yellows, browns and shades between. Far up on the slopes he
saw great splotches of color blazing in scarlet, and far beyond them in
the north the white crests of dim and towering mountains. He was
strengthened in his belief that he was far to the north of the fighting
line, although his conclusion was based only upon his own observations.
No Indian, not even a child, had ever spoken to him a word to indicate
where he was. He inferred that silence upon that point had been enjoined
and that old Xingudan would punish severely any infraction of the law.
Even Inmutanka, so kind in other respects, would never give forth a
word of information.

As the autumn deepened, the lad's mind underwent another strange change,
or perhaps it was not so strange at all. Youth must adapt itself, and he
began to feel a certain sympathy and friendliness with the young Sioux
of his own age. He also began to see wild life at its best, that is,
under the circumstances most favorable to happiness.

The village was full of food, the hunting had never been better, and the
forest had yielded an uncommon quantity of fruits and nuts. All the
primitive wants were satisfied, and there was no sickness. After dark
the youths of the village roamed about, playing and skylarking like so
many white lads of their own age, but the girls as soon as the twilight
came remained close in the lodges. Will saw a kind of happiness he had
never looked upon before, a happiness that was wholly of the moment,
untroubled by any thoughts of the future, and therefore without alloy.
He saw that the primitive man when his stomach was full, and the shelter
was good could have absolute physical joy. Strangely enough he found
himself taking an interest in these pleasures, and by and by he began to
share in them to a minor degree.

The river afforded a fine stretch of water, and the Indians had large
canoes which they now used freely for