At once a hot discussion arose, and while it was going on, Sam Barringford continued to rave and sing, and then uttered shrieks that were truly piercing.
At last some of the Indians could not stand it longer and coming forward they released the prisoner. Instead of running away, Barringford began to dance, and rushing up he hugged first one red man and then another, laughing horribly the while.
This was too much for the Indians who were superstitious and half the band backed away, while the others stood irresolute. Then, to cap the climax, Barringford took his gun from one of the warriors and instead of pointing it at the fellow, aimed it at his own breast and dared the Indian to pull the trigger.
"You cannot kill me," he cried. "I am Mau-le-lala, the Cloud Boy."
This was too much for some of the Ottawas. There was a legend among them that an Indian boy, who had done wrong, had turned into a white boy and sailed away in the clouds, to become the sport of the thunder and lightning. They shrank still further away, and as they did so, Barringford danced around and made strange leaps, using his rifle as a vaulting pole.
The antics of the old frontiersman took him close to where Dave was in hiding, and suddenly he caught the youth's eye.
"Away, ye Evil Spirits, away!" he roared, and waved his hand in a fashion that Dave understood. Instantly the youth withdrew, moving in the direction of the lake.
"Falling Star says he is only shamming," insisted the chief of the band.
"But if we make a mistake——" came from a follower.
There was no time for further argument. Calculating his chances, Barringford edged his way to where a big rock stood in front of a fair-sized thicket. With a bound the old frontiersman cleared the rock, struck among the bushes, and went tearing along in the direction Dave had taken. Soon the youth heard him coming.