accint as meself?"
"Deerfoot has lived among the pale faces; when he was a small child he
went with the Shawanoes to harm the white men, but they took him
prisoner; they treated him kindly, and told him about God, who loves all
His children, whether they be white or red, or the color of the night;
they showed him how to read books, and to make his name and words on
paper, so that others might read."
"Can ye read and write?" asked the astonished Terry.
Deerfoot smiled and nodded his head.
"Well, well, that bates ivery thing!" said Terry, who instantly repeated
the absurd belief of many of his race, by adding, "I didn't s'pose that
an Injin could learn."
Without replying to the last remark, the Shawanoe, looking the lad
steadily in the eye, said, "Deerfoot has a message for Fred Linden; does
my brother know him?"
"Do I know him?" repeated Terry; "I know the same better than I know
mesilf; he started wid me to hunt the coow, and I rickons that he can't
be very fur away."
"He's coming," quietly said Deerfoot, looking off to the left of Terry,
as if about to salute a new arrival. The Irish lad wheeled in his quick
way, but his sharp eyes caught no glimpse of his approaching friend.
CHAPTER VI.
FRED LINDEN RECEIVES A MESSAGE FROM THE OZARK CAMP.
As soon as Fred Linden discovered the deception respecting the cow-bell,
he made all haste toward the point whence came the sound, in the hope of
warning Terry in time to save him from treachery. You will understand
how quickly events passed when told that, although he came almost
directly to the spot, he did not reach it until Deerfoot the Shawanoe
asked for him. This wonderful Indian, of whom I shall have considerably
more to tell, heard the coming of the lad whom he had never seen, before
either the eye or ear of Terry Clark could detect his approach.
As may well be supposed, Fred Linden was amazed at what met his eyes.
The sight of Terry in friendly converse with a strange Indian was the
opposite of what he expected to see. He slackened his hurried walk and
looked inquiringly at Terry. The latter could talk fast when he chose,
and the few sentences he rattled off as his companion came up made the
matter tolerably clear.
While the questioning and talk were going on, Deerfoot stood leaning on
his long gun and gazing with a certain natural dignity at the two
friends. He said nothing nor did he appear to show any special
curiosity, though had any on
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