SHINGEBIS IN COSTUME.
Woodcraft Boys on Sunset Island. Page [256]
“If I hadn’t had to go to Rosemary and sleep in Aunt Edith’s house when mother went to Boston, I could have won that Grand coup, too!” grumbled Edith.
Some one wondered why Wita-tonkan wore only his plain head-band at this important Council and it was now explained.
Billy arose and said, “I, Shingebis, of the Black Bear Tribe, in behalf of Wita-tonkan of the Black Bear Tribe, claim coup for sailing without expert help, one hundred and fifty miles in a season. Witnessed by Captain Ed Blake, Moses Jackson, and Elizabeth Remington.”
A pause was broken by Shingebis, who gazed solemnly at the circle of attentive faces and said impressively: “This is Wita-tonkan’s twenty-fourth coup and entitles him to the Sagamore ship!”
Fiji, slightly overwhelmed at the duties devolving upon him, was again called forward to do service to a Brother Chief.
Zan and Elizabeth handed the Grey Fox Chief the Sagamore’s war-bonnet and the twenty-fourth symbol. Fiji reverently inserted the feather, then, holding aloft the coveted plumes he called upon Elizabeth to read aloud to the Council, the exploits symbolised by this Sagamore’s Crown.
With a feeling of great pride in her brother’s achievement, Pah-hlee-oh, the Moon-maid, read as follows: