But Madge wished the feast was over and her poem read. Her knees were knocking together when she rose to read before so many people.
The August moon was in the full. It was a golden night. In a semi-circle behind her crowded her friends from the houseboat party. They formed an Indian tableau in the background, and David stood near her at the front of the stage.
"And in rapture Hiawatha
Cried aloud, 'It is Mondamin!'"
read Madge, with a shy glance at the young Hiawatha standing beside her.
At this moment there crept up on the platform an old woman, so old that the audience stared at one another in amazement. They believed that the strange visitor was a part of the performance. David and Madge knew better. David's face turned white as chalk, but Madge's voice never faltered as she went on with the reading:
"'Yes, the friend of man, Mondamin!
Then he called to old Nokomis'."
The old woman's presence was explained to at least those of the audience who were familiar with the story of Hiawatha. The ancient gypsy woman who had appeared on the stage among the young people so unexpectedly was "old Nokomis," Hiawatha's grandmother, one of the principal characters in Longfellow's poem.
The moment that Madge finished her recitation David Brewster disappeared. But the old gypsy went about among the Prestons' guests, keeping their attention engaged by telling their fortunes.
The gypsy woman was not the only mysterious visitor at the famous corn feast. Madge and Lillian were dancing with two young country boys when two Indian braves unexpectedly appeared in the midst of the guests. They had on extremely handsome Indian costumes and their faces were completely covered with Indian masks. They spoke in strange, guttural voices, so that no one could guess who they were.
Madge and Lillian tried in vain to escape them. Wherever the girls went the Indian chiefs followed them.