He had many scalp locks dangling from his belt.
These scalp locks showed that Mewanee’s father was a brave chief. Indians took scalp locks from the heads of the people they killed, because they thought that these showed their bravery.
Mewanee was very glad to see his father, who, he knew, had just come home from the hunt.
He gave a loud shout when he saw the buffalo which some of the Indians were bringing to the chief’s wigwam.
He looked at his father with great pride for he felt sure that the chief had killed this splendid animal.
“How fine!” said Mewanee, as he and his father entered the wigwam.
Supper was ready and was quickly placed before the chief as he threw himself upon a mat in one corner of the wigwam.
How fast the stewed meat, corn cakes and sassafras tea disappeared! The chief used a gourd for a cup, and hollow pieces of tree trunk for dishes.
It did not take him long to eat his supper because he ate very quickly.
Now the chief took out his long-stemmed pipe from his belt.