said, and her face was aflame
with the red of the rose and the lily,
And loud was the roar of acclaim;
but dark was the face of Tamdoka.
They strip for the race and prepare,--
DuLuth in his breeches and leggins;
And the brown, curling locks of his hair
down droop to his bare, brawny shoulders,
And his face wears a smile debonair,
as he tightens his red sash around him;
But stripped to the moccasins bare,
save the belt and the breech-clout of buckskin,
Stands the haughty Tamdoka aware
that the eyes of the warriors admire him;
For his arms are the arms of a bear
and his legs are the legs of a panther.

The drum beats,--the chief waves the flag,
and away on the course speed the runners,
And away leads the brave like a stag,--
like a bound on his track flies the Frenchman;
And away haste the hunters once more
to the hills, for a view to the lakeside,
And the dark-swarming hill-tops, they roar
with the storm of loud voices commingled.
Far away o'er the prairie they fly,
and still in the lead is Tamdoka,
But the feet of his rival are nigh,
and slowly he gains on the hunter.
Now they turn on the post at the lake,--
now they run full abreast on the home-stretch:
Side by side they contend for the stake
for a long mile or more on the prairie
They strain like a stag and a hound,
when the swift river gleams through the thicket,
And the horns of the riders resound,
winding shrill through the depths of the forest.
But behold!--at full length on the ground
falls the fleet-footed Frenchman abruptly,
And away with a whoop and a bound
springs the eager, exulting Tamdoka
Long and loud on the hills is the
shout of his swarthy admirers and backers,
"But the race is not won till it's out,"
said DuLuth, to himself as he gathered,
With a frown on his face, for the foot
of the wily Tamdoka had tripped him.
Far ahead ran the brave on the route,
and turning he boasted exultant.
Like spurs to the steed to DuLuth
were the jeers and the taunts of the boaster;
Indignant was he and red wroth
at the trick of the runner dishonest;
And away like a whirlwind he speeds--
like a hurricane mad from the mountains;
He gains on Tamdoka,--he leads!--
and behold, with t