braves around the winter
camp-fires; and, besides, there were the pictures of the dogs and of
the chamois. Neither Ni-ha-be nor Dolores uttered a word until Rita
had rapidly translated that "story talk" from beginning to end.

"Oh, Rita! are there any more talks like that?"

"Maybe. I don't know. Most of them are very long. Big words,
too--more than I can hear."

"Let me see it."

The pictures of the great, shaggy dogs and of the chamois were easy
enough to understand. Ni-ha-be knew that she could see a real
"big-horn" at a greater distance than Rita. But how was it that not
one word came to her of all the "story talk" Rita had translated from
those little black "signs" on those two pages of the magazine? It was
quite enough to try the patience of a daughter of a great chief, but
Dolores said,

"Never mind, Ni-ha-be; if the talking leaves could speak Apache you and
I could hear the stories and tell them to Rita?"

That was a little comforting, but Ni-ha-be knew there were no
illustrated monthly magazines printed by any of her people, and she
grew more and more jealous of her adopted sister.

"Anyhow," she said, "you must hear them all and tell them to us. If
any of the words are too big for you, you can leave them out."

Perhaps she could have done that, but what would then have become of
the stories and other things?

Rita's prizes promised to be a source of a good deal of annoyance to
her, as well as pleasure and profit. They did one thing for all three
that day--they made the afternoon's ride across the grassy rolls of the
plain seem very short indeed.

Only a few warriors were to be seen when the order to halt was given;
but they had picked out a capital place for a camp--a thick grove of
large trees on the bank of a deep, swift river. There were many
scattered rocks on one side of the grove, and it was just the spot Many
Bears had wanted. It was what army officers would call "a very strong
position, and easily defended."

CHAPTER XVI

Murray's hunt was a short one, for that grassy tableland, with its cool
streams and its shady trees, seemed to be a favorite pasture-ground for
the mountain-deer. It is not likely they were often annoyed by hunters
of any kind, and they were comparatively easy to approach. Besides, it
was not necessary for a marksman like Murray to get so very near.

"A fine fat doe," said Steve, when his friend threw down his game in
front of the fire.

"Now for