"What does der chief say?" asked Peter. "Can you understand?"
"A part. I have heard the Comanches talk when they came North to trade with the Dakota. I will try them in Dakota."
Tawannears shouted his answer, and the Comanche chief summoned a warrior to interpret.
"He asks who we are," Tawannears explained swiftly after a brief interchange of words. "I have told him. He says that we must come with him to his camp."
There was another interchange of remarks.
"I have told him we are hurrying to our own land, that we mean no harm to his people, but he will not agree to let us go. He says we are on his people's land, and we should have asked permission to come here. I will say that we were looking for him, but——"
Tawannears shrugged his shoulders.
Once more the shouted questions and answers, accompanied by signs and gestures, and the ring of warriors commenced to weave around us again. The chief rode leisurely to one side, and regarded us indifferently. His interpreter shouted two words.
"It is no use, brothers," said Tawannears. "We are to throw down our weapons or they shoot."
"Is it a question of dying now or later?" I asked resentfully.