eplied Malachi. "At night he kills the
prowling wolf when he comes near to the lodge."

The Indian again stopped and was silent. He knew by the words of
Malachi that the wolf's skin, with which the Indian had been covered
when he was crawling to the palisades and had been shot by John, had
been discovered; Malachi, after a while, renewed the conversation.

"Is the Young Otter of a near tribe?"

"The lodges of our tribe are twelve days' journey to the westward,"
replied the Indian.

"The chief of the Young Otter's band is a great warrior?"

"He is," replied the Indian.

"Yes," replied Malachi. "The Angry Snake is a great warrior. Did he
send the Young Otter to me to tell me that the white boy was alive and
in his wigwam?"

The Indian again paused. He perceived that Malachi knew where he came
from, and from whom. At last he said, "It is many moons since the Angry
Snake has taken care of the white boy, and has fed him with venison;
many moons that he has hunted for him to give him food; and the white
boy loves the Angry Snake as a father, and the Angry Snake loves the boy
as his son. He will adopt him, and the white boy will be the chief of
the tribe. He will forget the white men, and become red as an Indian."

"The boy is forgotten by the white man, who has long numbered him with
the dead," replied Malachi.

"The white man has no memory," replied the Indian, "to forget so soon;
but it is not so. He would make many presents to him who would bring
back the boy."

"And what presents could he make?" replied Malachi; "the white man is
poor, and hunts with his young men as the Injun does. What has the
white man to give that the Injun covets? He has no whisky."

"The white man has powder, and lead, and rifles," replied the Indian;
"more than he can use, locked up in his store-house."

"And will the Angry Snake bring back the white boy if the white man
gives him powder, and lead, and rifles?" inquired Malachi.

"He will make a long journey, and bring the white boy with him," replied
the Indian; "but first let the white man say what presents he will
give."

"He shall be spoken to," replied Malachi, "and his answer shall be
brought, but the Young Otter must not go to the white man's lodge. A
red-skin is not safe from the rifles of the young men. When the moon is
at the full I will meet the Young Otter after the sun is down, at the
eastern side of the long prairie. Is it good?"

"Good," replied the I