"That hain't the question now. In the fust place, yer must know that I speak the truth. Thar's the brave Young Bear, an' Burning Cloud, an' the Leetle Raven, as yer call them. See if all on them don't say the same thing."
"Beaver Tail speaks well."
"And ther truth."
The three whom he had designated came forward and gave their testimony, and then Young Bear told of having trailed the party, who were hidden in the forest awaiting the signal of the renegade, Parsons, and that there was quite a force and well armed.
"Thar!" exclaimed the scout, triumphantly; "hain't it jist as I said?"
"Beaver Tail is our brother!" answered a hundred voices.
"An' likely to be more so than yer knows on," with a sly wink at Burning Cloud.
"Where is the traitor? Let our brother tell, that we may put him to the torture, and then go and drive our enemies before us as the wolves do the deer."
"Now, yer jist hain't a-goin' ter do any thin' of the kind! Yer kin have the traitor fer torture, an' welcome, fer I never saw any one that more desarved it. But, yer hain't a-goin' ter fight the rest. I'll go an' explain it all, an' send them about thar business. Will yer agree ter that?"
"There would be many scalps," mused the chief.