d they did that. There was a great squawking and quacking
and fluttering as the Duck-people escaped from the lodge. Ho! but
OLD-man was angry, and he kicked the back of the loon-duck, and that is
why his feet turn from his body when he walks or tries to stand. Yes,
that is why he is a cripple to-day.

"And all of the Duck-people that peeked that night at the dance still
have sore eyes--just as OLD-man told them they would have. Of course
they hurt and smart no more but they stay red to pay for peeking, and
always will. You have seen the mallard and the rest of the
Duck-people. You can see that the colors OLD-man painted so long ago
are still bright and handsome, and they will stay that way forever and
forever. Ho!"

WHY THE KINGFISHER ALWAYS WEARS A WAR-BONNET

Autumn nights on the upper Missouri river in Montana are indescribably
beautiful, and under their spell imagination is a constant companion to
him who lives in wilderness, lending strange, weird echoes to the voice
of man or wolf, and unnatural shapes in shadow to commonplace forms.

The moon had not yet climbed the distant mountain range to look down on
the humbler lands when I started for War Eagle's lodge; and dimming the
stars in its course, the milky-way stretched across the jewelled sky.
"The wolf's trail," the Indians call this filmy streak that foretells
fair weather, and to-night it promised much, for it seemed plainer and
brighter than ever before.

"How--how!" greeted War Eagle, making the sign for me to be seated near
him, as I entered his lodge. Then he passed me his pipe and together
we smoked until the children came.

Entering quietly, they seated themselves in exactly the same positions
they had occupied on the previous evenings, and patiently waited in
silence. Finally War Eagle laid the pipe away and said: "Ho! Little
Buffalo Calf, throw a big stick on the fire and I will tell you why the
Kingfisher wears a war-bonnet."

The boy did as he was bidden. The sparks jumped toward the smoke-hole
and the blaze lighted up the lodge until it was bright as daytime, when
War Eagle continued:

"You have often seen Kingfisher at his fishing along the rivers, I
know; and you have heard him laugh in his queer way, for he laughs a
good deal when he flies. That same laugh nearly cost him his life
once, as you will see. I am sure none could see the Kingfisher without
noticing his great head-dress, but not many know how he came by it
bec