sing into the hands of the
Assiniboines.

Amokeat was in full flight when, in dashing through a mass of
undergrowth, he suddenly came face to face with eight or ten
Assiniboines (probably the number was less). He was ambushed so
cleverly that escape was out of the question. He would have resisted,
however, had not one of his enemies called out that he wished to have a
parley with him.

This warrior, who was the leader of the little party, told Amokeat that
if he would swap the black stallion he rode for the pony of the
Assiniboines, the chief would not be harmed, but would be left free to
go to his own home. Had the grinning Nez Perce put his conclusion in
English, it would have been something like this:

"I counted myself most fortunate, for what was to prevent the
Assiniboines from shooting me from the back of the stallion and then
taking him away with them? So the trade was made and he is now in the
hands of the Assiniboines."

CHAPTER IV.

THE LAND OF THE ASSINIBOINES.

As Deerfoot listened to the story of the Nez Perce leader his gorge
steadily rose, for the account was worse, if possible, than he had
expected to hear. Not only did he resent the cool appropriation of his
steed by Amokeat, but he read the proof of the cowardice of the chief,
who had deserted his companions when in peril and then, instead of
making a brave defence when cornered by the Assiniboines, had eagerly
passed over to them the property of another in order to secure his own
safety.

The Shawanoe could not trust himself any further in the presence of
Amokeat, who sat on the back of his pony and looked serenely down in
his face, exulting over his own escape from the revenge of an enemy.

"Amokeat is a dog!" exclaimed Deerfoot, compressing his lips, turning
around and walking from the presence of the chief and his party. He was
on the alert, for he half expected an attack from more than one of
them. If they had such action in mind, it was changed by the command of
the leader, who called to them to follow him as he resumed the journey
toward his own village.

The Shawanoe had learned several important facts. Whirlwind had passed
from the hands of the Nez Perces to those of a wandering band of
Assiniboines, whose villages and hunting grounds lay well to the
northeast, some below and some above the boundary line in the country
of the Saskatchewan. Thither the Shawanoe would go, though knowing
absolutely nothing of the region or t