red
knight, champion and far-famed hero at twenty-five, unbent and
speculated with keen interest on the result of the ball game, now about
to be played. Henry felt his own interest increasing, and he rubbed
shoulders with his old friends, Heno the Thunder, Anue the Bear, and
Hainteroh the Raccoon. The gallant Raccoon still carried his arm in a
sling, but he was such a healthy man that it would be well in an
incredibly brief period, and meantime it did not interfere at all with
his enjoyment of a ball game.

The meadow was about a hundred yards wide and a hundred and fifty yards
long. The grass upon it was thick, but nowhere more than three or four
inches in height. All along the edges of the longer sides, facing each
other, stakes had been driven at intervals of six feet, and amid great
cheering the players formed up on either side next to the line of the
stakes.

But all the players on one side were women, mostly young, strong, and
lithe, and all the players on the other side were men, also mostly
young, strong and lithe. They wore no superfluous garments, although
enough was left to save modesty, and young braves and young squaws alike
were alert and eager, their eyes flushing with excitement. There were at
least one hundred players on each side, and it seemed a most unequal
match, but an important proviso was to come.

Timmendiquas advanced to the edge of the meadow and held up his hand.
Instantly all shouting, cheering, and talking ceased, and there was
perfect silence. Then old Heno, holding in his hand a ball much larger
than the modern baseball, but much smaller than the modern football,
advanced gravely and solemnly into the meadow. The eyes of two hundred
players, young warriors and young girls were intent upon him.

Old Thunder, despite his years, was a good sport and felt the importance
of his duty. While all were watching him, and the multitude did no more
than breathe, he walked gingerly over the grass, and with a keen old eye
picked out a point that was equally distant from the long and short
sides of the parallelogram. Here he stood gravely for a few moments, as
if to confirm himself in the opinion that this was the proper place, and
extended his right arm with the big ball lying in the open palm.

There was a long breath of excitement from players and spectators alike,
but Big Thunder was a man of experience and deliberation who was not to
be hurried. He still held his right arm extended with the bi