The lance was wrested from her, and she was roughly unseated from the pony.
"Go get mule," said the contemptuous brave. "Put heap pappoose on him. Squaw warrior not wanted just now."
"There!" said Ni-ha-be to Rita. "Too Many Toes is in trouble again. I was watching her."
"Where are your eyes, Ni-ha-be? Don't you see who is coming?"
"Father? All the braves? Oh, Rita, there are Knotted Cord and Send Warning! They have come to visit their friends."
"I was looking at that ugly old squaw. I hope she will get beaten again."
Not this time, for she had hastened away at once on being deprived of her borrowed pony. Her offence against the laws of property of an Indian village was covered by the apparent circumstances, or it might have been worse for her.
It was no time for any squaw, old or young, to make herself noticeable, and the two girls kept themselves almost out of sight in the crowd.
They did not so much as guess how eagerly their faces were all the while sought for by the eyes of those two pale-faces.
"Do you see them, Murray?" had been the first thing Steve had said, as they were riding in.