“How delightful! How intelligent! How easy!� she cried, as the pony, obeying the wave of her hand, turned back toward the house. “As easy as a rocking-chair. How I shall enjoy going about with her.�
“She is perfectly safe, and never scares at anything except farming implements. She usually prefers to make a detour whenever she sees a drag or plow. We tried to hitch her to a mower when we first brought her here, but she utterly refused to be coerced into service and tried to get away by vaulting into the air, lying down in the harness, and performing other gymnastic feats. In fact, she behaved in such an utterly demoralized manner, even kicking and biting, that we concluded we would not subject her to such a trial again.�
“The poor thing! She felt it to be a degradation and would not submit to it. I do not blame her.� And Lissa caressed her pityingly.
A few days subsequent to this Nathan announced his intention of going to the trading post and Indian village, inviting Lissa to accompany him.
Accordingly, one bright morning they mounted their horses, and after a refreshing canter of several miles came in sight of the reservation.
They overtook on the way a number of Indians, bestriding scrubby little mustangs, which they managed with rope reins tied to the under jaws of the ponies. At the post Nathan was greeted by a shout of “Ho, ho, ho, Cheiks-ta-ka-la-sha!� which Nathan interpreted as a greeting to the “white-man-chief� from the approaching brave.
The lazy aboriginal then begged the privilege of sharing Nathan’s pony. He was weary and would ride. But Nathan declined to grant the request, telling him the pony was not strong enough to carry double.
Several other Indians welcomed him in the same manner, each one asking about the chuppet who accompanied him.
Soon they were at the village, a collection of Indian huts covering quite an area of ground, built of sod or mud and most of them circular in form, with but two openings, one at the top for the escape of smoke, and a low passageway through which one must stoop to enter.
At this season of the year the huts were but little occupied, being infested with fleas, and small tents, made of poles covered by blankets or bison skin, afforded more inviting shelter from sun and rain.