"What is that?" Don Pablo asked, anxiously.
"A hunter's encampment, doubtless," Valentine answered.
"No," Curumilla said; "that is not a paleface, but an Indian, fire."
"How the deuce can you see that, chief? I fancy all fires are the same, and produce smoke," Don Pablo said.
"Yes," Valentine remarked, "all fires produce smoke; but there is a difference in smoke—is there not, chief?" he added, addressing Curumilla.
"Yes," the latter answered laconically.
"All that is very fine," Don Pablo went on; "but can you explain to me, chief, by what you see, that the smoke is produced by a redskin fire?"
Curumilla shrugged his shoulders without replying—Eagle-wing took the word.
"The whites, when they light fires," he said, "take the first wood to hand."
"Of course," said Don Pablo.