The two were standing face to face, and their actions were peculiar. Motoza was in the act of handing his Winchester rifle to Tozer, who, accepting the weapon, turned it over and examined it with interest. Since he could not speak the Sioux he used the English language, of which, as will be remembered, Motoza possessed a fair knowledge.
"You're lucky," he said; "the gun is worth more than yours. So you made a trade with the young man?"
"Yes—me trade," replied the Sioux, his painted face relaxing with the grin that had become almost chronic.
"I don't s'pose he made any objection—that is, he gave you his gun without making a kick?"
The Sioux nodded his head and still grinned, Tozer joining him in the last expression of his feelings.
"How about his revolver?"
"He gib me that," said the scamp, drawing forth the handsome weapon, where Hazletine had not observed it, thrust into the girdle about his waist.
There was no mistaking the meaning of these words and proceedings. All doubt was removed as to the abduction of Fred Greenwood. Motoza was the agent in the outrage, though whether Tozer had taken an active part in the same was yet uncertain. He scanned the smaller firearm, and then, instead of returning it to the Sioux, deliberately shoved it into his hip-pocket.
"I think I'll take charge of that, Motoza."
The buck was about to make angry objection, when the white man explained: