“Ponca no bother Wah-coo-tah. Him bother Pa-e-has-ka, because Pa-e-has-ka save Wah-coo-tah. Big Thunder him in Sun Dance Cañon. Me watch um come; so me come, tell Pa-e-has-ka look out.”
“Is that why you brought me out here, Wah-coo-tah?” asked the scout, disappointed. “I’m not afraid of Big Thunder.”
“Big Thunder all same snake, but him no rattle. Him strike, but him no rattle first.”
“He won’t bother me, Wah-coo-tah, so don’t fret about that. Where are you going, now that you have left Big Thunder? You won’t dare go back to your people, because they would give you to Big Thunder again.”
“My mudder no give me up to Big Thunder. My fadder he do that. Me stay in hills till me git good chance, kill Big Thunder.”
“No, no, Wah-coo-tah,” said the scout earnestly, “you must not do that.”
“Me no like um. Him try kill Wah-coo-tah.”
“Well, even at that, you don’t want the Ponca’s blood upon your hands. Why are you afraid to show yourself here in this camp?”
“Mebbyso my fadder see me.”
“Is your father in Sun Dance?”