As Harry turned again and looked fully in the face of the latter, it struck him that he had seen him before. He was tall and well-formed, with a gaudily-colored blanket covering his shoulders, and which thrown partly back from his front, showed a large hunting knife at his girdle. In his left hand he carried a rifle, while the right left free was extended in greeting toward the lad.
“How you do, white pappoose?” he asked with a grim smile, and a perfection of accent that amazed the boy.
The latter could do nothing less than accept the proffered hand, although he did so with no little misgiving, fearing that it was only a prelude to some treachery upon his part.
But the Indian relinquished it the next moment, and then seemed disposed to act the part of an attorney conducting a cross-examination.
“Where you come from?” he demanded.
“From the fort, the other side of the mountains,” replied the boy, extending his hand toward the north-east in which direction the frontier post lay.
“You come all alone—come away here—nobody with you?”
“Nobody is with me now excepting you and your warriors,” said Harry.
“You come alone—who bring white pappoose from fort, away ’cross mountain?”
“The great hunter has been my guide and companion all the way.”