Chapter 20 - Page 2

produce a suitable impression.

"It is rational," rejoined the trapper, when the other had delivered
his reasons; "it is very rational, for what man cannot move with his
strength he must circumvent with his wits. It is reason that makes him
stronger than the buffaloe, and swifter than the moose. Now stay you
here, and keep yourselves close. My life and my traps are but of
little value, when the welfare of so many human souls are concerned;
and, moreover, I may say that I know the windings of Indian cunning.
Therefore will I go alone upon the prairie. It may so happen, that I
can yet draw the eyes of a Sioux from this spot and give you time and
room to fly."

As if resolved to listen to no remonstrance, the old man quietly
shouldered his rifle, and moving leisurely through the thicket, he
issued on the plain, at a point whence he might first appear before
the eyes of the Siouxes, without exciting their suspicions that he
came from its cover.

The instant that the figure of a man dressed in the garb of a hunter,
and bearing the well known and much dreaded rifle, appeared before the
eyes of the Siouxes, there was a sensible, though a suppressed
sensation in the band. The artifice of the trapper had so far
succeeded, as to render it extremely doubtful whether he came from
some point on the open prairie, or from the thicket; though the
Indians still continued to cast frequent and suspicious glances at the
cover. They had made their halt at the distance of an arrow-flight
from the bushes; but when the stranger came sufficiently nigh to show
that the deep coating of red and brown, which time and exposure had
given to his features, was laid upon the original colour of a Pale-
face, they slowly receded from the spot, until they reached a distance
that might defeat the aim of fire-arms.

In the mean time the old man continued to advance, until he had got
nigh enough to make himself heard without difficulty. Here he stopped,
and dropping his rifle to the earth, he raised his hand with the palm
outward, in token of peace. After uttering a few words of reproach to
his hound, who watched the savage group with eyes that seemed to
recognise them, he spoke in the Sioux tongue--

"My brothers are welcome," he said, cunningly constituting himself the
master of the region in which they had met, and assuming the offices
of hospitality. "They are far from their villages, and are hungry.
Will they follow to my lodge, to eat and sleep?"

No sooner was his voice heard, than the yell of pleasure, which burst
from a dozen mouths, convinced the sagacious trapper, that he also was
recognised. Feeling that it was too late to retreat, he profited by
the confusion