He subsided into silence. However, a few minutes later, Dan heard him urge Mr. Hatfield to “tell a good scarey bear or wolf story.”
“It’s getting rather late,” the cubmaster rejoined. “Our wood is nearly gone.”
“I’ll get some more,” Red offered eagerly.
Before anyone could stop him, he darted off into the woods.
Instead of telling an animal story, Mr. Hatfield explained the origin of the Navajo fire dance, or mountain chant.
This spectacular Indian dance, he related, was performed by the braves four or five times a year, usually late in fall.
“The Navajos believe that bears and snakes are evil spirits,” the cubmaster remarked. “If a Navajo kills a bear, he fears that the animal’s spirit may enter his own body. So to free such an evil spirit from the body, the Indian braves take part in the fire dance ceremony which often lasts five days.”
Dan paid only scant attention as Mr. Hatfield described the colorful dance. He kept watching the fringe of woods for a glimpse of Red. Surely, the boy had been gone long enough to return with an armful of firewood!
“What’s become of him?” he whispered to Brad who sat on his left in the circle.
“Oh, he’ll be along soon enough,” Brad shrugged. “Relax.”