far as--oh, 'cross that field, anyway. I bet you fellers
wouldn't 'a' seen it at all. Well, I jest hauled off as ca'm as ca'm
an' let him have it. I aimed straight for his eye--an' that's where I
hit him. _Now who gets a grand coup, for there he is_!" Hawkeye
unrolled his coat and turned out a bobtailed young Robin in the
speckled plumage, shot through the body.

"So that's your Partridge. I call that a young Robin," said the First
Chief with slow emphasis. "Rules is broke. Killed a Song-bird. Little
Beaver, arrest the criminal."

But Hawkeye struggled with all the ferocity born of his recent
exploit, and had to be bound hand and foot while a full Council was
called to try the case. The angry protests weakened when he found how
serious the Councillors were. Finally he pleaded "guilty" and was
condemned to wear a black feather of disgrace and a white feather for
cowardice for three days, as well as wash the dishes for a week. They
would also have made him cook for that term, but that they had had
some unhappy experiences with some dishes of Guy's make.

"Well, I won't do it, that's all," was the prisoner's defiant retort.
"I'll go home first."

"And hoe the garden? Oh, yes; I think I see you."

"Well, I won't do it. You better let me 'lone."

"Little Beaver, what do they do when an Injun won't obey the Council?"

"Strip him of his honours. Do you remember that stick we burned with
'Sapwood' on it?"

"Good idee. We'll burn Hawkeye for a name and dig up the old one"

"No, you won't, you dirty mean Skunks! Ye promised me you'd never call
me that again. I _am_ Hawkeye. I kin see farder'n--n--" and he
began to weep.

"Well, will you obey the Council?"

"Yes; but I won't wear no white feather--I'm _brave_, boohoo!"

"All right. We'll leave that off; but you must do the other
punishments.

"Will I still be Hawkeye?"

"Yes."

"All right. I'll do it."

XXV

The Three-Fingered Tramp.

Broad-shouldered, beetle-browed, brutal and lazy was Bill Hennard, son
of a prosperous settler. He had inherited a fine farm, but he was
as lazy as he was strong, and had soon run through his property and
followed the usual course from laziness to crime. Bill had seen the
inside of more than one jail. He was widely known in the adjoining
township of Emolan; many petty thefts were traced to him, and it was
openly stated that but for the help of a rich and clever confederate
he would certainly be in the penitentiary. I