Barboux in certain moods could be such a baby that John had ceased to
regard him except as an object of silent mirth. So he smiled and
answered sweetly that Sergeant Barboux was entirely welcome; for
himself a scrap of biscuit would suffice. And with that he closed
his eyes again.

But it seemed that, for some reason, the two Indians were angry, not
to say outraged. By denying him his share Barboux had--no doubt
ignorantly--broken some sacred law in the etiquette of hunting.
Muskingon growled; the firelight showed his lips drawn back, like a
dog's, from his white teeth. Menehwehna remonstrated. Even le
Chameau seemed to be perturbed.

Barboux, however, did not understand; and as nobody would share in
John's portion, ate it himself with relish amid an angry silence,
which at length impressed him.

"Eh? What the devil's wrong with you all?" he demanded, looking
about him.

Menehwehna broke into a queer growl, and began to rub his hands.
"Manabozho--" he began.

"Fichtre! It appears we have not heard the end of him, then?"

"It is usual," Menehwehna explained, "to rub one's hands at the
mention of Manabozho. In my tribe it is even necessary."

"Farceur de Manabozho! the habit has not extended to mine," growled
Barboux. "Is this the same story?"

"O slayer of heads, it is an entirely different one." The sergeant
winced, and John cast himself back on his leafy bed to smile up at
the branches. _Tueur de tetes_ may be a high compliment from an
Indian warrior, but a vocalist may be excused for looking twice at
it.

"This Manabozho," Menehwehna continued tranquilly, "was so big and
strong that he began to think himself everybody's master. One day he
walked in the forest, cuffing the ears of the pine-trees for sport,
and knocking them flat if they took it ill; and at length he came on
a clearing. In the clearing was a lodge, and in the lodge was no one
but a small child, curled up asleep with its toe in its mouth.
Manabozho gazed at the child for a long while, and said he, 'I have
never seen anyone before who could lie with his toe in his mouth.
But I can do it, to be sure.' Whereupon he lay down in much the same
posture as the child, and took his right foot in his hand. But it
would not reach by a long way. 'How stupid I am,' cried Manabozho,
'when it was the left foot all the time!' So he tried the left foot,
but this also would not reach. He rolled on his back, and twisted
and bent himself, and s