now, Pop, that these Injuns are all wards of Uncle
Sam."

"Mebbe so," again observed the miller. "And I have sometimes thought that
Uncle Sam ain't always been any too good to his red relations. However,
that isn't to the point. The girl's here. She's sort of in my care while
she is here. Unless Chief Totantora shows up and asks to have her handed
over to you, I calkerlate you won't get her."

"See here, my man!" exclaimed Bilby, at once becoming blusterous, "you'll
get into trouble with the Government if you interfere with me."

"That doesn't scare me none," was the prompt reply of Jabez Potter.
"Right now the Government of the United States don't look so important to
me as our local constable. I guess to get possession of the girl you will
have to bring an officer with you to certify to all this you say you are.
Until you do, I might as well tell you, first as last, that you ain't got
a chance--not a chance!--to even see Wonota."

Mr. Bilby grew even redder in the face than nature seemed to have
intended him to be. And his little greenish-gray eyes sparkled angrily.

"You'll get into trouble, old man," he threatened.

"Don't you let that bother you none," rejoined the miller. "I've had so
much trouble in my life that I'm sort of used to it, as you might say.
Now, if that is all you got to offer, you might as well get back into
that go-cart of yours and drive on."

Mr. Potter turned on his heel and went back into the mill, beckoning to
Ruth to come with him. She did so--for a little way at least; but she
soon stopped to peer out and watch the man, Bilby.

When they were, as he thought, out of hearing, he gave vent to several
grunts, kicked a pebble across the road, and scowled ferociously. He said
something about "these rubes are smarter than they used to be." He seemed
convinced that he could do nothing further in the matter he had come
upon. Not at this time, it was quite plain.

He turned and climbed into the roadster. But he did not drive back toward
Cheslow; instead he went up the river road, and Ruth Fielding remembered
that Wonota's father was stopping at the country inn which was only three
or four miles up that road.

"But nothing can happen because of that, of course," the girl thought, as
she entered the passage that led to the farmhouse from the mill. "Wonota
is perfectly safe here, and surely Totantora can take care of himself
with that little fat man, or with anybody else!"

She entered the ki