"You got papoose your house?" asked the Indian, pointing in the direction of the ranch houses. "You got little papoose?"
"What's a papoose?" asked Russ.
Laddie didn't know, and the Indian was trying to explain what he meant when Uncle Fred came along.
"Hello! You boys have company, I see," said the ranchman. "Where did the Indian come from?" and he looked at the Redman, as Indians are sometimes called.
"He just walked here," explained Russ. "He was thirsty and he ate some bread he had in his shirt, and now he asked us if we had a papoose at our house."
"He means small children," said Uncle Fred. "Papoose is the Indian word for baby—that is, it is with some Indians. They don't all speak the same language.
"Where are you from, and what do you want?" Uncle Fred asked the Indian. "What's your name?"
"Me Red Feather," answered the Indian, at the same time touching a red feather in his black hair. "Me look for papoose. You got?"
"We haven't got any for you," said Uncle Fred with a laugh. "I guess none of the six little Bunkers would want to go to live with you, though you may be a good Indian. But where are you from, and what do you want?"
The Indian began to talk in his own language, but Uncle Fred shook his head.