other. If the Fox chose, later on,
to take them into his confidence, well and good. He might only stay
with them for a night, and then slip away; but since he was Aleck's
friend, and seemed to be connected with the great family of Foxes, of
which they were a Boy Scout branch, why, he would be welcome.

As the Indian confessed that he had not broken his fast since noon,
when he had munched a handful of dried deer meat, known as pemmican,
some of the boys took it upon themselves to cook something for him. He
appeared to be very grateful, and could be seen to sniff the air
eagerly while the coffee was boiling; showing that he appreciated the
white man's drink at its true value; for his people on the
reservation enjoyed many of the comforts of civilization, and some of
the luxuries, too, even to pianos that played themselves, and boxes
that sang songs, and played the violin, and gave all sorts of
orchestral music, so Aleck observed.

And while the boys talked on various subjects, as they sat around,
Thad happened to be watching the face of the Fox when one of the
scouts casually mentioned the name of Colonel Kracker. He actually saw
the dark face grow stern, and that the Indian ground his teeth
together, as if in anger.

Seeing which Thad put things together, and came to a conclusion,
whether right or wrong, of course he could not yet say.

"He knows Kracker, for he started when Davy mentioned the name," Thad
was saying to himself. "And the chances are that the prospector has
done something to injure the Fox, or some member of his family. These
Indians hate savagely; and perhaps this young fellow, hardly more than
a boy, has taken to the warpath, bent on having a settlement with the
big bully. Well, it isn't any of our business; but I know I'd hate to
have the Fox camping on _my_ trail, with hatred burning in his heart."

CHAPTER VIII.

PLANNING WOE TO THE BIG HORNS.

"If we get along in this way," Giraffe was saying, as he sat there
watching the young Indian eat what had been set before him; "two at a
pop, not that they're just as welcome as the showers in April, though,
we'll have to hustle some lively so's to provide grub."

"Keepin' open house, Giraffe!" sang out Davy Jones, looking up from
his job of placing another new film in his snapshot camera.

"Well, we've got our sign out to the Foxes; that's right," grinned the
other, as he glanced proudly at the head that had been painted in
really a clever