Jimmie rapidly learned Apache, although many of the Chiricahuas spoke Spanish. He soon had lost his shirt, and went about with only a rag around his waist. Everybody in the Cochise camp was kind to him. He was an Apache boy, now. The Apaches never whipped their children, nor punished them in any way except by scolding.
The little children were made to help in the fields where corn and squash and beans and melons were raised; and went with their mothers to gather seeds and berries and acorns and mescal—for the Apaches ate curious things.
The girls played with dolls, and at housekeeping and tended to the babies, of which there were many. The boys of nine and ten, Jimmie’s age, and over, worked some, but they were encouraged to use the bow and arrow, and throw the lance, and practice at war and at the hunt, so as to train them as warriors and to strengthen their muscles.
The war game was the best sport. Some of the boys pretended to be Mexicans. The others remained Apaches. The “Mexicans” were given a head-start, into the brush and timber, and the “Apaches” set out to find their trail and to surprise them.
Although the “Mexicans” did everything they might think of, to conceal their tracks and to get away, they always were discovered. Then by running and sneaking and crawling flat with grass and cactus tied to their heads the “Apaches” proceeded to ambush the “Mexicans.” Then the “Apaches” yelled and shot fast with light arrows, and the “Mexicans” were killed or captured.
Turkeys were caught by running after them up hill and down until they were so tired that they could not fly, and were killed by a blow from a club on the neck. Rabbits were chased, too, and surrounded by a circle of boys armed with bows and clubs; and they, too, were killed.
All these sports made the Apache boys fleet of foot and quick of eye and arm, and very strong in lungs and legs.
The Apaches had curious customs as well as curious food.
“You must never ask a Tinneh (‘Tinneh’ was the Apache’s own title; it meant ‘man’) his name,” explained Nah-che. “Only somebody else may speak it. If he spoke it, he would have bad luck.”
And——