Still resting his hand on his knife, Lone Bear directed his first remark to the last speaker.
"Let Red Wolf keep his tongue; he talks like the pappoose."
Red Wolf, however, did not seem to be alarmed. He glanced into the face of his companion and added:
"Though Red Wolf talks like the pappoose, his heart is not so faint that he lies on the ground, that his enemy may have a soft place where he may rest his moccasin."
This, beyond question, was a severe remark, and, as the two broke again into laughter, Lone Bear was almost as angry as when he took a header over the body of the Shawanoe; but the warriors were as brave as he; without reply, he turned sullenly away, and walked toward the camp fire which he had left a short time before.
CHAPTER VI.
A DOUBLE FAILURE.
Deerfoot the Shawanoe darted among the trees and ran a hundred yards with great swiftness. He seemed to avoid the trunks and limbs with the ease of a bird when sailing through the tree tops.
Coming to a halt, he looked around. He had not followed a direct course into the woods, but turning to the right, ran parallel to the open space which bordered the stream. He knew the Pawnees would do their best, either to capture or kill him. So long as there was a chance of making him prisoner, they would do him no harm, for the pleasure of acting as they chose with such a captive was a hundred fold greater than that which could be caused by his mere death. The American Indian is as fond of enjoying the suffering of another as is his civilized brother.