he child of some other white man."

"The white boy had a rifle in his hand and snow-shoes on his feet."

"So have all they who go out to hunt in the winter's snow," replied
Malachi.

"But the white boy was found near to the white man's lodge."

"Then why was not the boy taken back to the white man by the Indians who
found him?"

"They were going to their own wigwams and could not turn aside; besides,
they feared to come near to the white man's lodge after the sun was
down; as my father says he has many young men and many rifles."

"But the white man does not raise his rifle against the Indian, whether
he comes by day or by night," replied Malachi. "At night he kills the
prowling wolf when he comes near to the lodge."

The Indian again stopped and was silent. He knew by the words of Malachi
that the wolf's skin, with which the Indian had been covered when he was
crawling to the palisades and had been shot by John, had been
discovered. Malachi after a while renewed the conversation.

"Is the Young Otter of a near tribe?"

"The lodges of our tribe are twelve days' journey to the westward,"
replied the Indian.

"The chief of the Young Otter's band is a great warrior?"

"He is," replied the Indian.

"Yes," replied Malachi, "The 'Angry Snake' is a great warrior. Did he
send the Young Otter to me to tell me that the white boy was alive and
in his wigwam?"

The Indian again paused. He perceived that Malachi knew where he came
from, and from whom. At last he said--

"It is many moons since the Angry Snake has taken care of the white boy,
and has fed him with venison; many moons that he has hunted for him to
give him food; and the white boy loves the Angry Snake as a father, and
the Angry Snake loves the boy as his son. He will adopt him, and the
white boy will be the chief of the tribe. He will forget the white men,
and become red as an Indian."

"The boy is forgotten by the white man, who has long numbered him with
the dead," replied Malachi.

"The white man has no memory," replied the Indian, "to forget so soon;
but it is not so. He would make many presents to him who would bring
back the boy."

"And what presents could he make?" replied Malachi; "the white man is
poor, and hunts with his young men as the Indian does. What has the
white man to give that the Indian covets? He has no whisky."

"The white man has powder, and lead, and rifles," replied the Indian;
"more than he can use, locked up in his stor