Ada turned quickly to see what had caused it, and was quite as much alarmed on beholding a tall Indian, with rifle in hand, tomahawk and scalping knife in his belt, standing within a few feet of them, evidently regarding them with curiosity.
He wore moccasins and leggins, and had a blanket about his shoulders; feathers on his head, too; but no war paint on his face.
Behind him was a squaw with a great bark basket full of wild berries, slung to her back.
The little girls were too terribly frightened to cry out or speak, they sat there as if turned to stone, while the Indian drew nearer and nearer still closely followed by his squaw.
Stopping close beside the children, he grunted out a word or two to her, and she slung her basket to the ground.
Taking up a double handful of the berries, he poured them into Zillah's lap, saying, "Pappoose!"
The squaw restored her basket to its place and the two walked leisurely away; happily not in the direction of Fan and the boys.
The little girls gazed at each other in blank astonishment; then burst out simultaneously, "Oh, weren't you frightened? I thought he was going to kill us!"
"But wasn't it good in him to give us the berries?"
"Yes; he meant them for baby; but mother doesn't let her have any, you know; so we mustn't give them to her."