"There are days when hunter's path must be straight; there are days when crooked trail lead him where he find much deer. To-day—crooked trail. But Thunder-maker friend. He would speak in ear of white brother—low, soft. Thunder-maker wise man. He speak words of wisdom to his friends. But—none may hear but pale-face."
"By that you mean that you want to come into the teepee?" said Arnold. "All right. Come along. And if you have any sense to speak of, out with it."
The Indian noiselessly entered and took a seat on the robes between the Englishmen. He did not speak during these movements, but when he was comfortably settled he turned to Holden and addressed him in a whisper—
"Night dark, and red men sleep—all but braves, who watch that white men no return to Silver Lake." And a second time the Medicine Man laughed quietly.
"Silver Lake!" returned Holden. "I shouldn't think we need any watching to prevent that. Without a canoe, Silver Lake is not much use to us."
"Still—braves watch. They believe that white men return to waters. They came without canoes; they go back without canoes."
"Fools!" exclaimed Holden. "What do they think we are? Spirits?"
"Huh! My white brother speaks true. Indians—some Indians—fools," answered Thunder-maker, at which Holden uttered an exclamation betokening sudden enlightenment.
"By Jove, Arnold! That's it! That explains the whole business. These idiots take us for spirits, since they saw us scramble out from the lake without any boat in sight. Spirits! It's almost too silly to believe."
"Yet that's what Thunder-maker means," said Arnold, to whom the solution of the mystery was now equally clear. "That is what you wish us to understand, isn't it, Thunder-maker?"