hi had made up his mind to
have the bone. Believing that no one saw him, he had crouched on his
stomach in his most cunning manner, and had begun a stealthy game of
stalking. If Kiopo had not been so engrossed in his bone no amount of
Stickchi's artfulness could have caught him unawares. But the treasure
had such flavoury bits of very high meat attaching to it that, for once,
he was completely off his guard. So, bit by bit, Kiopo blissfully
gnawed, and, bit by bit, Stickchi's stomach drew nearer.

There is nothing much more exciting than to stalk something that is
already stalking something else. And so, when Dusty Star, returning from
the other side of the camp, came up quietly and saw the game that was
being played, he joined in with delight. Inch by inch the artful
Stickchi's stomach trailed elaborately over the ground, and, inch by
inch, Dusty Star gained upon him.

At last there was only a tuft of wild turnip between Stickchi and his
prey, and then open country for at least six feet.

Hardly daring to breathe, Dusty Star gathered his body together very
tightly. In his right hand was a heavy stick. Stickchi also was making
himself very tight, preparing for the final rush. He wriggled his body
slightly, bracing his hind feet firmly against the ground. There was a
second's pause before he uncoiled the powerful spring that was himself,
and hurled his body on his unprepared victim. In that momentary pause a
human whirlwind loosed itself on him from behind, and a heavy blow
descended on his head.

With a yelp of fear and pain he bounded aside, twisting half round as he
did so, to see what had attacked him. Quick as lightning, Dusty Star
struck again, this time in the very middle of the husky's back.

The bully did not wait for another blow. Yelping with terror, he turned
with his tail between his legs, and fled across the camp for his life.

After this lesson he observed Running Wolf's tepee from a respectful
distance. But it only served to increase his enmity towards Kiopo, and
he nursed black revenge at the bottom of his evil heart.

CHAPTER V

"SITTING-ALWAYS"

Among the many odd and unexpected things which Dusty Star found in the
new life in the camp, one of the most peculiar and unaccountable was a
grandmother, whose name was Sitting-Always.

Up to the present, a grandmother had been entirely wanting in the
arrangement he called the World. That there was a great Spirit called
the Sun, he knew. He