“Truly,” said Calf Robe, “these Indians are fools, and will believe any lies that the white men choose to tell them.”
His evil face worked a little, and then, turning an angry glance on Wolf Collar, he said to him, “Go now, go all of you to the camp quickly. After this know better than to trouble this man with your crazy talk. Go, I say,” he repeated fiercely, and striking his horse with his quirt it carried him with a bound close to Wolf Collar, whom he lashed savagely over the head and shoulders.
Wolf Collar darted away and Calf Robe turned toward another man, but in a moment the whole body of Indians were galloping down into the ford, many of them whooping, yelling and laughing; while others, humiliated by the way in which they had been driven off, followed silently.
“Now, my friend, go your way,” said Calf Robe. “No one will trouble you.”
“No,” said Hugh, “I think not—when Calf Robe is about,” and chirping to his horses, they began to climb the hill.
During the whole ascent Jack was eagerly cross-questioning Joe as to what the matter had been, what had happened and what had been said. Joe explained everything at great length and wound up his talk by saying, “Calf Robe is a great man. All his people fear him.”
“Well,” said Jack, “from the way he rode at them and lashed them, he was not afraid of any of them. How he quirted Wolf Collar!”
“He does not know fear. He had a father and a grandfather who were like him; I don’t mean to say that they looked like him, but they were big men, and when they told people to do anything, they did it quick,” replied Joe.
“I have heard lots about Calf Shirt and about Bull Back Fat. They were great men. Running Rabbit, who lives in our camp, is also one of his relations, and he, too, is a great man. You know he used to be head war chief of the Bloods.”
“No, I didn’t know that,” said Jack. “That little kind man used to be head war chief of the Bloods? I never supposed that he did anything except sit around and tell funny stories and make jokes. It’s hard to believe that he was a great warrior.”