hunter shoot him as if he were a beast of the forest. The red man isn't
a dog to be trodden on, so he gave the paleface a lesson, to remind him
Rising Cloud could have killed him if he had willed it."

"But why steal the boy?" asked Mr Rawlings, thinking that perhaps the
Indian had some right on his side in assailing Seth after he had fired
at him first.

"Boy jump at Rising Cloud like grizzly bear. Boy grow up fine warrior.
Rising Cloud take him to his wigwam to make him big Sioux chief
by-and-by and fight the paleface dogs."

"That's a very pleasant way of appropriation," said Ernest Wilton, under
his voice, to Mr Rawlings. "But what's that he says, about fighting
the palefaces?"

"I thought there was peace between the red man and the children of the
Great Father at Washington?" said Mr Rawlings, alluding to the current
legend in frontier life that all the settlers out west are the progeny
of the President of the United States for the time being.

"No peace long," said the Sioux chief defiantly, a savage smile lighting
up his expressive features. "Hatchet dug up already. War soon--in
'nother moon."

"Well, that's a pleasant prospect to look forward to!" said Ernest, in a
half-serious, half-comic way, as he usually regarded most things. "But
what's to be done with these fellows now? Sailor Bill is none the worse
for his temporary captivity, and I suppose Seth will be all right in a
few days, after his wounds get better. I suppose we shall have to let
them go?"

"Yes," said Mr Rawlings; "but I must consult Noah Webster first."

After consultation with that worthy, it was determined that the whole
party should take advantage of the Indians' bivouac and remain there
till the morning, when they would have had a good rest; but the Indians
must be kept bound, and one taken with them on the back track next day
until they had accomplished half their return journey home, when he
would be released, and sent back free to unloose his comrades. This,
Noah Webster said, was the only course they could adopt in order to
avoid any treachery with the redskins, Noah saying that he would not
trust them farther than he could see them, and laughing at Mr Rawlings'
idea of releasing them at once on parole.

"Why, if yer did so," said he, "none of us would ever git back to
Minturne Creek to tell the tale!"

Accordingly, Noah's plan was adopted. The little band that had
accomplished Sailor Bill's rescue so satisfactorily,