"Where has Black Cloud gone, to join the snake dance?" asked Merritt, when this had been settled.
"No; at least, he has gone there, but with the object of preventing it, if possible. In some way he has learned that Mayberry has sent for soldiers, and that he means to surprise the tribe at the height of their revelry. Black Cloud, for this reason, is determined to stop it if he can."
"Can he, do you think?" asked Harry.
"I don't know. He told me that Diamond Snake, in order to make himself more popular with the tribe, was a red-hot advocate of giving the dance with all its trimmings."
"I'd like to see it," said Merritt suddenly.
"See them eating rattlers, eh?" put in Blinky.
"Do they eat them?" asked Tubby, interested at once at the mention of his favorite topic.
"Eat 'em alive," was the startling reply; "that is, except the ones they throw into a red-hot pit of coals."
"Did you ever see a snake dance?" asked Merritt eagerly.
"No, but I heard my grandpop talk about 'em. He's one of the few white men that ever saw one and got out alive."