Lon paused, but there was a chorus of demands that he go on with the story. What did the Indian do? Why didn’t he attack the Dominie?
Lon chuckled softly, perhaps more at thought of his success in holding the attention of the boys away from their predicament than at the continuation of the anecdote.
“Wall, I wa’n’t there, so I can’t make no affidavits. But the yarn goes that when that Injun seen the panther drop, he laid down his gun like a gentleman and a good sport. And the Dominie laid down his—course, ’twa’n’t loaded, but the move showed a friendly, give and take spirit. And both of ’em took a step forward, and looked each other over in the moonlight. Then they took another look, and the Dominie said something. The Injun said something back. His lingo was new to the Dominie mostly, but some words he could make out. And, after a long while, each got kind of a line on the other. Each was lost—there’s a funny part of it.”
“But an Indian wouldn’t be lost in the woods,” Sam objected.
Lon shook his head. “Wrong there, Sam. This Injun was lost. Course, if he hadn’t been bothered, and if his grub held out, he’d have worked his way back; but, as ’twas, he was a stray from the country he knew. So he and the Dominie, once makin’ friends, could hit it out fine, both bein’ in the same box. And they did hit it out. Dominie Pike allers got along fust rate with the Injuns, anyhow. But it was while he was connivin’ with this special Injun that he got acquainted with Sugar Valley and decided to move in and settle permanent.”
Tom Orkney spoke in the incisive fashion he had. “That story in the Dominie’s diary, Lon?”
“Reckon so. Not that I ever saw the book, though—remember, don’t you, what Mis’ Grant told us about its gettin’ lost?”
“I remember,” said Tom.
Lon put another stick on the fire. “How’s the supply of fuel?” he inquired. “And where might the wood-pile happen to be?”
“I’ll show you,” cried Varley; and, eager to bear his full part, began to lower himself through the hole in the floor. There was the sound of a loud splashing, and in an instant Paul, drenched to the knees, was scrambling back.