The old redskin smoked in silence for some moments, finally answering:
“No.”
“You won’t? Why not?”
“Promise Steady Hand.”
“But it is for me, Joe—for me!”
“Joe him give Steady Hand promise; never break it. Steady Hand him say Joe may go with you, but him must never git you run away. Joe him promise.”
“It’s no use!” Dick murmured. “I see that I’ll have to do as he wishes me to. I must give up! Oh, I wish he had never found me! Sometimes I think I hate him!”
“Bad mistake. Injun Heart no hate Steady Hand. He ready to fight for Steady Hand. Only think him hate some time. Somebody hurt Steady Hand, him fight heap much.”
Deep down in his heart Dick Merriwell knew this was true. Still, the homesickness that had seized him would not depart, and not even the words of Old Joe could banish it.