The young man reached out his foot, showing a large silver spur, with a steel rowel, strapped upon his moccasin.
“I have heard of Silverspur from the Grovans and the Kickarees, as well as from the Sioux. He is a great warrior, and I am proud to know him. Let him share my lodge and be my brother. My people will be glad to see him.”
“But the Blackfeet are enemies of the whites. How do I know but they may take my scalp.”
“White Shield is a great brave, and the Blackfeet will do what he tells them to do. They will never harm his brother, but will love and honor him.”
“But I am a trapper, and must hunt beaver and otter. I am looking for the party of Mr. Robinette, which is on its way to the mountains. I must get traps and an outfit from them. Has White Shield seen them or heard of them?”
“I have heard of them; but they have not yet come into this country. My brother need give himself no trouble about them. Let him come with me, and he will find traps, and I will show him better beaver-streams than he has ever seen. He can live among the Blackfeet and trade with them, and can get more skins than any other trader.”
It may have been the love of adventure that moved Fred Wilder, or it may have been the desire of gain, stimulated by the prospect that the Blackfoot held out to him. Impulsively he grasped the hand of White Shield, and the two pledged eternal friendship and brotherhood after the Indian fashion.
“My brother was fighting me a few moments ago,” said Wilder. “Why was he so anxious to kill me? It is seldom that you red-skins dare to attack a white man singly, unless you have an advantage over him.”
“White Shield is no coward,” replied the Blackfoot. “It is long since I have taken a scalp, and my people have lately suffered many reverses. I wished to carry home a scalp, so that the Blackfeet in my village might wash the mourning paint from their faces. I did not know that my brother had the advantage of me, in owning a rifle that would shoot twice. I never saw such a rifle.”
“I had the advantage of you in another point, after your horse was killed. You were afoot, while I might have mounted at any moment.”