“Look at that!”
“What is it?”
“An Indian!”
“It’s a joke!”
These exclamations came from the astonished spectators.
“It’s Old Joe!” breathed Dick Merriwell. “What is he going to do?”
No one interfered with the old redskin, but all waited and watched to see what he was about to do.
When he was about four feet from the home plate the old fellow halted and extended his hands, while his painted face was uplifted. Thus he stood for several seconds. Then he began moving round the plate in a circle, gradually increasing his pace and changing his step to a dance. From his lips came a low, weird sound that was like a song, and it grew louder and louder as he continued the dance.
“It’s a regular war-dance!” exclaimed Jack Ready. “So help me, Joseph is doing this to give us strength in battle!”
Thus, singing a strange battle-song, which grew louder and louder, Old Joe did a wild war-dance round the home plate.