“It has,” the Indian youth assured him, sullenly, “because that picture has been released and shown around, and Father and I have made a good sum of money, doing what theatrical people call ‘personal appearances,’ and showing some magical tricks, as a prologue to the film showing at different theatres.”
He explained the connection between that and the present situation.
“A man has a picture theatre here in your nearest town,” he told them. “His name is Toby Tew, and he came up to our place about two months ago to engage us for a personal appearance when he shows the picture. We had been disgusted with the sort of people we met in the theatres, because they were rough and ready, not bad, but not especially refined——”
Don smiled, thinking of such a statement coming from the race which had tomahawked and scalped in pioneer days; but reconsideration made him realize that the pioneers had slain also, and had introduced not only “fire water” but had taken away lands the Indians felt were theirs. Again, he reflected, the Indian of culture, with a college education, was far away from his savage ancestors.
“We refused to come here to ‘play’ our special magical show,” the Indian went on, “but it wasn’t long after that before another man from these parts came up to the Catskills—but he wanted to consult my father about some hidden or lost object—or—er—things!”
“Who was he?” demanded Don.
“Called himself Morgan—let’s see——”
“‘Doc’ Morgan?” inquired Mr. McLeod.
That was the name, the youth acknowledged. “What had he lost? What did he want to find? And how could your father help him locate anything?” asked Garry, quietly.
“You ought to remember what my father did with you,” the youth challenged. “Father knows a great deal about hidden forces of the mind and of Nature. Sometimes, if his mood is right, he can do what fortune tellers would call ‘divining’—read the future, or locate articles that have been hidden or mislaid. Whether he puts two-and-two together or really can see deeper than others, I won’t argue with you; but he does get results. Doc Morgan wanted him to help him locate a lost ship, said to have been buried in mud in this swamp——”