"That's nothing new, is it? If we can't run away with her, we can ransom her."
"Ransom? Well, now, that's a great deal better word than buy. But our gold coin won't do. They won't take the whole pile for her. They don't really understand the value of it."
"They want ponies, and blankets, and all that?"
"That's it. Why, Steve, it's the queerest thing. I'm so excited I can't think. If we can make a bargain with them they'll be glad enough to go with us to the nearest trading-post. We can buy all we want when we get there. You've helped me out of my scrape."
"Seems to me it was easy enough to think of that."
It may have been, but Murray felt very grateful to Steve. The latter now put down his magazine and went to the door in his turn, for he, too, had a large amount of thinking to do.
"Murray, they are taking down the lodges again."
"Going forward to-night, eh? I'm glad of that. I must spur old Many Bears up to it. Don't want him to lose a day on the road."
"Nor I either. They'll move slowly enough anyhow."
"Oh, they'll find a good place to leave the village, while the chiefs and warriors go on to be present at the treaty talk."