have fallen into
slumber, but all such disposition was now gone. Seating himself on the
ground, he began examining the bow and arrows which had been left in
their charge. Finding it somewhat awkward to do so while in the sitting
position, he rose to his feet, and Jack placed himself at his side as if
to give help, should it be needed.

Perhaps it should be said that Jack Carleton knew one or two interesting
facts regarding Deerfoot not yet known to the reader. In the first
place, the Shawanoe was the owner of at least two bows, nearly as long
as himself and possessing tremendous power. That which the Sauk held in
charge was of mountain ash, made in the usual fashion, the cord being
composed of deer sinew, woven as fine and almost as strong as steel
wire. The center-piece was round and had been polished hard and smooth
by the friction of the Shawanoe's right hand, which had grasped it so
many times. The entire bow had been stained a dark cherry color, its
proportions being so symmetrical that it would have been admired by any
one.

When picked from the ground the bow was unstrung. Hay-uta carefully bent
it over and slipped the noose in place on the notched end. Then, after
examining one of the feather-tipped arrows, he fitted it in place and
looked around for some target at which to discharge it.

Jack motioned to him to wait a moment while he furnished the mark
desired. Running toward the most open part of the wood, he broke a
branch and hung his cap on the stump, the distance being perhaps twenty
yards. Jack would have made it greater, but for the interference of the
vegetation.

The Sauk looked at the target a minute or two, then at the bow, and
fitting the end of the arrow against the string, he slowly raised the
weapon and took aim. Jack stepped back eight or ten feet, so as to be
out of danger, and watched the result.

"I don't believe he can hit it, but like enough he will skewer my cap,
which I ain't anxious to have done."

The Sauk held the bow slanting in front of him, just as he had seen the
owner do, and he took long and careful aim. He formed a striking figure,
his pose being graceful and correct. Unlike the Shawanoe, he was
right-handed, as was Jack. His left foot was a little in advance of the
right, the toe of the moccasin pointed in the same direction as the
arrow, while the right foot was turned slightly outward. The left hand
grasped the bow in the middle, while (as most beginners do) he claspe