"He shall soon know. Will Deerfoot answer Mul-tal-la?"
The question seemed to rouse the Shawanoe, who spoke with more animation than he had shown since the group had come together for the evening.
"No; Deerfoot fears no man that lives! God has given him more power and skill than he deserves. He has never denied protection to Deerfoot. He has told him to do right, and Deerfoot tries to obey His will. When He thinks the time has come for Deerfoot to go to Him, Deerfoot will be ready and will be glad. Deerfoot knows He is not pleased with such things as took place to-day. What is it for one man to run faster or shoot straighter than another? No credit belongs to him, for it is God who gives him the power. Deerfoot would sin if he shrank from any task laid upon him; but a victory like that just won does no one any good. Deerfoot would be happier if he could turn the thoughts of all those people to the true God."
In the warmth of his feelings the Shawanoe had wandered from the question just asked him, but in doing so he revealed the nobility of his nature. He was oppressed by the belief that the strife in which he had been the victor not only accomplished no real good, but actually retarded the work he had in mind. He came back to the question his friend had just asked.
"Why does my brother think Deerfoot is afraid of any man?"
Mul-tal-la could not hide a certain nervousness, but with all the calmness he could summon he parried the direct question by the remark:
"The most terrible warrior of all the Blackfeet is Taggarak the chieftain; he has slain many men in battle and has never been conquered."
The inference from this remark was obvious even to the boys. It was Victor who asked in surprise:
"Is Deerfoot to fight with Taggarak? If he does, I'll bet on Deerfoot."
To any others except those present the words of the Shawanoe would have sounded like boasting, but there was no such thought in his heart.