Indians?" asked Teddy.

"Well, yes, once I was," answered the cowboy.

"Oh, tell us about it!" begged the little Curlytop chap. "I love to hear
stories about Indians! Don't you, Jan?"

"I like stories--yes," said the little girl. "But if you're going to
tell a story about Indians, Mr. Baldy, maybe it'll be a scary one, and I
don't like scary stories."

"I do!" exclaimed Ted. "The scarier they are the better I like 'em!"

Baldy laughed as he said:

"Well, I guess, seeing as how the little lady doesn't like scary
stories, I'd better tell one that isn't. We must please the ladies, you
know, Teddy."

"Oh, yes, I know that," the little boy said. "But after you tell the
not-scary story, Mr. Baldy, couldn't you tell me one that is scary--a
real, terrible scary one. You can take me out behind the barn where Jan
can't hear it."

"Well, maybe I could do that," agreed the good-natured cowboy, laughing
at the Curlytops. "Now then for the not-scary story."

"And you don't have to take Teddy out behind the barn to tell him the
scary one," put in Janet. "You could stay here, and I could cover up my
ears with my hands when you came to the terrible parts, couldn't I? Is
there any parts in it that isn't scary? I'd like to hear _them_, Mr.
Baldy."

"Well, I guess we can fix it that way," said the cowboy. "Now the first
story I'm going to tell you, is how I was captured by the Indians," and
the children sat closer to him and waited eagerly.

"Once upon a time," said Baldy, "a lot of Indians lived not far from the
house where I lived."

"Weren't you afraid?" asked Janet.

"Please don't ask questions till he tells the story," begged Teddy.

"All right," agreed his sister, and Baldy went on:

"No, I wasn't much afraid, or if I was I've forgotten it now, as it was
quite a while ago. Anyhow, one day I was out on the prairie, picking
flowers, I think, for I know I used to like flowers, and, all of a
sudden, along came a lot of Indians on horses, and one of them picked
me up and took me right away with him, on the horse in front of him.

"The horse was a strong one, and could easily carry both of us, and
though I wiggled around a good bit and yelled, the Indian didn't let go
of me. On and on he rode, carrying me off, and the other Indians rode
ahead of us, and on either side. I couldn't get away, no matter how I
tried.

"After a while the Indians, who had been out hunting, came to where
their tents were. This was their camp