e was one slight pulsation of the heart and a gentle
motion of the hand! The child still lived. Opening up her blanket she
laid her little one against her naked, warm bosom, drew the covering
close around it, and, sitting down on the bank, wept aloud for joy.

"Come,--come 'way quick," cried Henri, hurrying off to hide the emotion
which he could not crush down.

"Ay, she don't need our help now," said Joe, following his comrade.

As for Crusoe, he walked along by his master's side with his usual
quiet, serene look of good-will towards all mankind. Doubtless a
feeling of gladness at having saved a human life filled his shaggy
breast, for he wagged his tail gently, after each shake of his dripping
sides, but his meek eyes were downcast, save when raised to receive the
welcome and unusually fervent caress. Crusoe did not know that those
three men loved him as though he had been a brother.

On their way back to the village the hunters were met by a little boy,
who said that a council was to be held immediately, and their presence
was requested.

The council was held in the tent of the principal chief, towards which
all the other chiefs and many of the noted braves hurried. Like all
Indian councils, it was preceded by smoking the "medicine pipe," and was
followed by speeches from several of the best orators. The substance of
the discourse differed little from what has been already related in
reference to the treaty between the Pale-faces, and upon the whole it
was satisfactory. But Joe Blunt could not fail to notice that Mahtawa
maintained sullen silence during the whole course of the meeting.

He observed, also, that there was a considerable change in the tone of
the meeting when he informed them that he was bound on a similar errand
of peace to several of the other tribes, especially to one or two tribes
which were the Pawnees' bitter enemies at that time. These grasping
savages having quite made up their minds that they were to obtain the
entire contents of the two bales of goods, were much mortified on
hearing that part was to go to other Indian tribes. Some of them even
hinted that this would not be allowed, and Joe feared at one time that
things were going to take an unfavourable turn. The hair of his scalp,
as he afterwards said, "began to lift a little and feel oneasy." But
San-it-sa-rish stood honestly to his word; said that it would be well
that the Pale-faces and the Pawnees should be brothers, and