is chest until the
breath was fairly forced from the other's lungs. Although taller than
the white boy the Indian was not so heavy and this display of muscle
startled him. With one arm caught between his own body and Enoch's he
could do little to help himself and Enoch squeezed hard before he let
him go. Then, with a quick toss, stooping as he made it, Enoch flung
him, long legs and all, over his shoulder, and before Crow Wing could
rise he was upon him and held him down. The Indian was so breathless
that it was a small matter for Enoch to get the "four points" necessary
to win the fall and he rose at last triumphant.

The boys and girls cheered him and Bolderwood said he was a good
wrestler, and then Crow Wing, who had slipped into his shirt again, came
to him and said, with a still impassive face: "Umph! white boy big
wrestler--beat Crow Wing fair!" He held out his hand gravely and, after
shaking Enoch's, stalked away while the others were busy, his absence
being unnoticed until it came time to go up to the house for supper.
"Guess he didn't like being licked," said Robbie Baker to Enoch. "You
better look out for him, Nuck. My pa says them Injins is as treacherous
as wolves."

But somehow Enoch felt that Crow Wing was a better friend to him than he
had been before. Something in the Indian's handshake seemed to have told
him this. The supper was quite as good as the boys had expected. After
the meal they shot at a target under 'Siah Bolderwood's direction and
Robbie Baker, son of the greatest shot in the settlement, as was
expected, bore off the honors. The company went home through the forest
trails by moonlight and thus ended a long and happy day, in which much
that was useful had been accomplished as well as a "good time" enjoyed.

As Enoch stood at the door of the cabin and watched the red glow from
the fires in the newly cleared lot, he went over in his mind the
incidents of the day. Such holidays were not plentiful in his life. It
was mostly work and little play, and he would remember this occasion for
many months. He did not suspect how many months would elapse, and how
many momentous happenings would occur, before he saw all his young
friends together once again.

CHAPTER VII

A NIGHT ATTACK

Not often did the Harding children enjoy such a day as that of the
stump-burning. Life was very real indeed to pioneer folks, although the
fact that every family in the community had to work hard left no
lo