to share with Sile his camp-watch, and Ha-ha-pah-no and Na-tee-kah
were shown to a small tent which had been pitched for them. It was
something of a trial to take all that finery away from the admiring
blaze of the camp-fire and carry it into the dark hiding-place of that
tent, but it had to be done. At all events they could rise early in the
morning and comb their hair again and arrange the ribbons and things in
some other way.

Na-tee-kah's new world was opening to her wonderfully, and she lay for a
long time wide awake, staring into the darkness and trying to imagine
pale-face squaws and their ways of doing up their hair and painting
themselves and putting on whole heaps of blankets of the most striking
colors and patterns.

CHAPTER XVIII

TWO WAR-PARTIES

That was a time of uncommon interest and excitement to the entire Nez
Perce hunting village. They had plenty to eat and to drink, and some of
them had received presents, and the prospect ahead seemed to brighten a
little. By nightfall all the warriors were returned from accompanying
the mining party, and it was a time for a grand smoke. Some of them had
begged Yellow Pine for "fire-water," but not a drop had been obtained.
Instead of it they had been informed,

"We're not jest that kind of white men. There isn't a pint of
tangle-foot in this 'ere outfit. Ef I want to murder a feller I'll take
a rifle to him and do the job clean. I won't go around the bush and
massacre him with a whiskey-jug."

The red men understood perfectly well that there was no "fire-water,"
but that was all they gathered. Plenty of smoking tobacco they did
obtain, and it was a grand addition to the dignity of their "council,"
if every half-naked brave with a pipe in his mouth had a right to
consider himself a councillor. They all smoked, and they all wondered
what it was best to do next, and they all said so, and every brave among
them regretted that it was out of the question for them to acquire
possession of the quadrupeds ridden and driven by Judge Parks and his
men. The Big Tongue and a few of the younger braves even went so far as
to "talk war," but the wiser heads merely grunted at the suggestions
volunteered. The Big Tongue had much to say to the smokers nearest him
concerning a pale-face warrior whose scalp was among his own treasures.
Ha-ha-pah-no was not there to make any sly remarks as to how he actually
obtained such a trophy as that and some others on which his rep