run! we must run,
Roger!" she cried. "He may kill us as easily as he did the wolf, or
carry us away prisoners."

"We cannot escape him, Lily; and I do not think he will hurt us," I
answered in an encouraging tone. "I will go forward and thank him for
saving my life. It will not do to show any fear; and if he is disposed
to be friendly, he would think it ungrateful if we were to run off
without thanking him."

I took Lily's hand as I spoke, and led her towards the Indian. He was
dressed in skins, with an axe hanging from his belt, and had long black
hair streaming over his shoulders,--unlike most of the Indians I had
seen, who wear it tied up and ornamented with feathers. A small silver
medal hung from his neck, and I guessed from this that he was a friend
to the white men, and had received it as a token for some service he had
rendered them.

He made a friendly sign as he saw us approach, and put out his hand.

"We come to thank you for killing the wolf that was about to spring upon
me," I said in English, for though I knew a few words of the Indian
tongue, I could not at that time speak it sufficiently well to express
what I wished to say.

"Kepenau is glad to have done you a service," he answered in English.
"I heard the young maiden cry out, and guessed that she would not do so
without cause, so I hurried on to help you. But why are you so far from
home? It is dangerous for unarmed people to wander in this forest."

"We came out to gather berries, and were about to return," said Lily.
"You will not detain us?"

"Not if you wish to go," answered the Indian.

"But come with me, and you shall return with something of more value
than these berries."

I felt sure that the Indian would not injure us, so Lily and I followed
him, hand in hand.

He moved through the forest faster than we could, and presently stopped
near some rocks, amid which lay the body of a deer with huge antlers.
Placing himself across the carcass of the animal, he exclaimed with a
look of exultation, "See! I have overcome the king of these forests.
Once, thousands of these animals wandered here, but since the white man
has come they have all disappeared; and now that I have slain him, we
must go likewise, and seek for fresh hunting-grounds. Still, Kepenau
bears the Whiteskins no malice. He was ever their friend, and intends
to remain so. You must take some of the meat and present it to your
friends."

Saying this, he commenced