ith him much, and has taken
some of his spirit. I am a red man. I love revenge because my fathers
loved it; but there is something within me that is not satisfied with
revenge. I will go alone and unarmed. If they kill me, they shall not
be able to say that Rushing River was a coward."

"My son is weak; his fall has injured him."

"Your son is strong, mother. His love for Moonlight has changed him."

"If you go you will surely die, my son."

"I fear not death, mother. I feel that within me which is stronger than
death."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

IN WHICH PLANS, PROSPECTS, LOVE, DANGERS, AND PERPLEXITIES ARE DEALT
WITH.

Three days after the conversation related in the last chapter, a party
on horseback, numbering five persons, left the Blackfoot camp, and,
entering one of the patches of forest with which the eastern slopes of
the mountains were clothed, trotted smartly away in the direction of the
rising sun.

The party consisted of Rushing River and his mother, Moonlight, Skipping
Rabbit, and Eaglenose.

The latter, although still afflicted with a nose the swelled condition
of which rendered it out of all proportion to his face, and interfered
somewhat with his vision, was sufficiently recovered to travel, and also
to indulge his bantering talk with the "skipping one," as he called his
little friend. The chief was likewise restored, excepting the stump of
the little finger, which was still bandaged. Umqua had been prevailed
on to accompany her son, and it is only just to the poor woman to add
that she believed herself to be riding to a martyr's doom. The chief
however, did not think so, else he would not have asked her to accompany
him.

Each of the party was mounted on a strong horse, except Skipping Rabbit,
who bestrode an active pony more suited to her size. We say bestrode,
because it must ever be borne in remembrance that Red India ladies ride
like gentlemen--very much, no doubt, to their own comfort.

Although Rushing River had resolved to place himself unarmed in the
power of his enemy, he had no intention of travelling in that helpless
condition in a country where he was liable to meet with foes, not only
among men but among beasts. Besides, as he carried but a small supply
of provisions, he was dependent on gun and bow for food. Himself,
therefore, carried the former weapon, Eaglenose the latter, and both
were fully armed with hatchet, tomahawk, and scalping-knife.

The path--if such