"PART II.—1610-1615. SCENES OF
EARLY ERIE OCCUPATION
"Three Erie scouts are seen exploring the country with a view of settlement. After satisfying themselves that the Island is safe and advantageous they depart, soon returning with their whole tribe. Then follows an historical reproduction of an Indian village. Tents are set up, fires lighted, fishing and swimming indulged in. The children weave baskets and play games. All is peaceful, until an Iroquois scouting party, passing near, shoots the chief of the Eries. Instant confusion reigns. The braves seize their tomahawks and pursue the enemy in canoes. The medicine man attends the wounded chief, the squaws moan in grief, and upon the return of the successful Eries with their dead and prisoners, the young braves of the tribe indulge in a war dance. As the tribe work themselves up into a frenzy and bloodshed and torture seem imminent, the outburst is quelled and the attention of the Indians is diverted by the coming of Étienne Brule.
"Brule was a young Frenchman who, in 1615, carried a message of peace from Samuel Champlain, in Canada, to the Andastes Indians in Pennsylvania."
All the young Mortons except Ethel Blue took part in this scene. Roger was one of the three scouts, and so was conspicuous enough to be easily picked out by his relatives on shore. It was not so easy to discover Helen and Margaret Hancock in the group of sorrowing squaws.
"They would be apt to be together; I believe they're both at the right," guessed Mrs. Emerson.
There were so many Indian children rolling around on the ground and playing with the flowers and the dogs that Dicky was indistinguishable until the war dance with its shuffle and stamp and muffled shout excited him. James and Roger were especially ferocious in appearance and in behavior and Dicky found himself so entranced with his brother's spirited acting that he himself added a touch that caused a roar of laughter from the spectators on the shore.
"Do look at that darling child!" cried one after another, and the mother of the darling child tried, to look unconscious while she was as amused as any one.
"Do you see?" exclaimed a voice directly behind Mr. Emerson. "He's following one of the braves about. He's imitating every motion he makes. Did you ever see such miniature ferocity!"
"He's a pocket edition."
"He's the most delightful creature I've seen in many moons," said another, and Dicky, as unconscious as a little animal, stamped and shuffled and shouted and enjoyed himself to the utmost. It was evident that to him the coming of Étienne Brule was a sore disappointment.