Chapter 24

I would it were bed-time, Hal, and all well.
--Shakspeare.

A second glance sufficed to convince the whole of the startled party,
that the young Pawnee, whom they had already encountered, again stood
before them. Surprise kept both sides mute, and more than a minute was
passed in surveying each other, with eyes of astonishment, if not of
distrust. The wonder of the young warrior was, however, much more
tempered and dignified than that of his Christian acquaintances. While
Middleton and Paul felt the tremor, which shook the persons of their
dependant companions, thrilling through their own quickened blood, the
glowing eye of the Indian rolled from one to another, as if it could
never quail before the rudest assaults. His gaze, after making the
circuit of every wondering countenance, finally settled in a steady
look on the equally immovable features of the trapper. The silence was
first broken by Dr. Battius, in the ejaculation of--"Order, primates;
genus, homo; species, prairie!"

"Ay--ay--the secret is out," said the old trapper, shaking his head,
like one who congratulated himself on having mastered the mystery of
some knotty difficulty. "The lad has been in the grass for a cover;
the fire has come upon him in his sleep, and having lost his horse, he
has been driven to save himself under that fresh hide of a buffaloe.
No bad invention, when powder and flint were wanting to kindle a ring.
I warrant me, now, this is a clever youth, and one that it would be
safe to journey with! I will speak to him kindly, for anger can at
least serve no turn of ours. My brother is welcome again," using the
language, which the other understood; "the Tetons have been smoking
him, as they would a racoon."

The young Pawnee rolled his eye over the place, as if he were
examining the terrific danger from which he had just escaped, but he
disdained to betray the smallest emotion, at its imminency. His brow
contracted, as he answered to the remark of the trapper by saying--

"A Teton is a dog. When the Pawnee war-whoop is in their ears, the
whole nation howls."

"It is true. The imps are on our trail, and I am glad to meet a
warrior, with the tomahawk in his hand, who does not love them. Will
my brother lead my children to his village? If the Siouxes follow on
our path, my young men shall help him to strike them."

The young Pawnee turned his eyes from one to another of the strangers,
in a keen scrutiny, before he saw fit to answer so important an
interrogatory. His examination of the males was short, and apparently
satisfactory. But his gaze was fastened long and admiringly, as in
their former interview, on the surpassing and unwonted beauty of a