telopes, two of which were slain by the youthful Blackfeet,
while the one that George Shelton had brought down received also an
effective thrust from an arrow. The dusky hunters "guyed" the palefaces
who could not do as well as they with their primitive weapons, even
though the fire spouted from the iron tubes and the balls that could
not be seen by the eye carried death farther than did the missiles
launched by the natives. George and Victor took it all in good part,
and did not resent the taunts that were numerous.

Another strong contributing cause to the popularity of the Shelton boys
was Mul-tal-la, He was home but a short time when everyone in the
village knew of the generous hospitality he had received from the boys
and their friends. This appeal to the gratitude of the Blackfeet
produced the best effect. Mul-tal-la and the messengers, Spink and
Jiggers, had something to add, and their stories of the remarkable
young Shawanoe roused much curiosity to see him and witness some of the
exploits of which he was said to be capable.

Chief Taggarak did not return until nearly a week after the arrival of
the brothers, and then he kept much to himself. He was reserved and
gloomy, and though George and Victor caught several glimpses of him,
and though they continued to make much of his two boys, for the younger
moved about the settlement as freely as the elder, the great war chief
ignored the presence of the visitors until he had been at home for
several days.

One afternoon, after the return of a party from a hunt, Mul-tal-la
appeared at the lodge of George and Victor with word that the chief
wished them to come before him for a talk. The boys knew so little of
the Blackfoot tongue that Mul-tal-la was to act as interpreter.

"What does he wish with us?" asked George, who, like Victor, felt some
misgiving as to the object of this command.

"Mul-tal-la does not know, but his brothers need have no fear."

"What did he say to you?" asked Victor.

"Only that he wished to see and talk with you. Come with me."

It was about the middle of the afternoon when the lads, under the lead
of their dusky friend, threaded their way among the tepees to one near
the middle of the village, which might be considered the royal
residence. This structure differed from the others in that it was
double the capacity of an ordinary lodge, that one side consisted of a
broad face of rock, that it was in the shape of a square, supported at
two