ere was a
harrowing doubt in our minds whenever they approached us.

In my first encounter with them I was alone in the woods at sunset with
my small brother Harry. We were hunting a cow James had bought, and our
young eyes were peering eagerly among the trees, on the alert for any
moving object. Suddenly, at a little distance, and coming directly
toward us, we saw a party of Indians. There were five of them, all men,
walking in single file, as noiselessly as ghosts, their moccasined feet
causing not even a rustle among the dry leaves that carpeted the woods.
All the horrible stories we had heard of Indian cruelty flashed into
our minds, and for a moment we were dumb with terror. Then I remembered
having been told that the one thing one must not do before them is to
show fear. Harry was carrying a rope with which we had expected to lead
home our reluctant cow, and I seized one end of it and whispered to him
that we would "play horse," pretending he was driving me. We pranced
toward the Indians on feet that felt like lead, and with eyes so glazed
by terror that we could see nothing save a line of moving figures;
but as we passed them they did not give to our little impersonation
of care-free children even the tribute of a side-glance. They were,
we realized, headed straight for our home; and after a few moments we
doubled on our tracks and, keeping at a safe distance from them among
the trees, ran back to warn our mother that they were coming.

As it happened, James was away, and mother had to meet her unwelcome
guests supported only by her young children. She at once prepared a
meal, however, and when they arrived she welcomed them calmly and gave
them the best she had. After they had eaten they began to point at
and demand objects they fancied in the room--my brother's pipe, some
tobacco, a bowl, and such trifles--and my mother, who was afraid to
annoy them by refusal, gave them what they asked. They were quite
sober, and though they left without expressing any appreciation of her
hospitality, they made her a second visit a few months later, bringing a
large quantity of venison and a bag of cranberries as a graceful return.
These Indians were Ottawas; and later we became very friendly with them
and their tribe, even to the degree of attending one of their dances,
which I shall describe later.

Our second encounter with Indians was a less agreeable experience. There
were seven "Marquette warriors" in the next group of