d warriors, with none
but Wilkinson, myself, and Baroney the interpreter to back him, Pike
turned and pointed to the Spanish flag.

"Men of the Pawnee nation, how comes that flag here?" he demanded. "Is
that the flag of your father in Washington, from whose people you
receive in barter all your guns and powder and lead, your strouding and
beads? No! it is the flag of a far-off chief, who lives beyond your
deadly foes, the Ietans. This land is no longer under his hand; that
flag has no right to float over these prairies. Take it down and give it
to me."

"It is a gift to us from those other white men," protested White Wolf.

"It is the flag of a people who have no right in this land," rejoined
Pike, and he unrolled the glorious Stars and Stripes which he held in
his hand. "Chiefs and men of the Pawnee Republic, this is the flag of
your great father. I command you to hand over that flag of Spain to me
and raise instead the banner of my chief!"

At this audacious demand, even the stolidity of the chiefs could not
hide their concern, and the warriors began to mutter and scowl. Yet Pike
stood stern and resolute, awaiting the answer. After a full minute, one
of the older warriors rose, took our flag, and going to the lodge,
raised it in the place of the Spanish banner, which he handed to Pike.
At this I am not ashamed to confess that inwardly we all breathed a
sigh of relief. I say inwardly, for it was no time to show other than a
bold front.

The Pawnees were not so successful in the concealment of their feelings.
It was all too evident from their looks that they were in deadly fear
that this insult to the Spanish flag would bring upon them the vengeance
of the white men of the Southwest. For it seems the Spanish leader had
told them his people would return the following year in great numbers,
to build a large town. But Pike, having gained his point, relieved their
fears by at once returning the flag, under condition that it should not
again be raised during our stay.

Throughout this exchange of colors, my apprehensions of a treacherous
outbreak had not prevented me from watching for some one to discover and
remark upon the tattered corner of the Spanish banner. But if it was
noticed at all, the mutilation was probably laid to the thieving hand of
some young brave who might have thought himself in need of a bit of
bright cloth.

Pike now stated the wish of the great father at Washington that the
Pawnee chiefs shoul