ed, the
intestines rigorously scrutinized, but, to the horror of all concerned,
not a particle of the skin was to be found--the dog had been unjustly
executed!

A great clamor now ensued, but the most clamorous was the party from
across the river, whose jealousy of their good name now prompted them
to the most vociferous vindications of their innocence. It was with the
utmost difficulty that the captain and his comrades could calm their
lively sensibilities, by accounting for the disappearance of the skin
in a dozen different ways, until all idea of its having been stolen was
entirely out of the question.

The meeting now broke up. The warriors returned across the river, the
captain and his comrades proceeded on their journey; but the spirits
of the communicative old chief, Yo-mus-ro-y-e-cut, were for a time
completely dampened, and he evinced great mortification at what had just
occurred. He rode on in silence, except, that now and then he would give
way to a burst of indignation, and exclaim, with a shake of the head
and a toss of the hand toward the opposite shore--"bad men, very bad
men across the river"; to each of which brief exclamations, his worthy
cousin, Hay-she-in-cow-cow, would respond by a guttural sound of
acquiescence, equivalent to an amen.

After some time, the countenance of the-old chief again cleared up, and
he fell into repeated conferences, in an under tone, with his cousin,
which ended in the departure of the latter, who, applying the lash to
his horse, dashed forward and was soon out of sight. In fact, they were
drawing near to the village of another chief, likewise distinguished by
an appellation of some longitude, O-pushy-e-cut; but commonly known as
the great chief. The cousin had been sent ahead to give notice of their
approach; a herald appeared as before, bearing a powder-horn, to
enable them to respond to the intended salute. A scene ensued, on their
approach to the village, similar to that which had occurred at the
village of the little chief. The whole population appeared in the
field, drawn up in lines, arrayed with the customary regard to rank and
dignity. Then came on the firing of salutes, and the shaking of hands,
in which last ceremonial every individual, man, woman, and child,
participated; for the Indians have an idea that it is as indispensable
an overture of friendship among the whites as smoking of the pipe is
among the red men. The travellers were next ushered to the banqu