it fast as the
fleetest deer. In what seemed but a moment he was in sight of the
sleeping foe.

He entered their camp as silently as the field mouse. Like the eagle
he had no fear. He struck out with his weapons. In great surprise the
painted Indians awoke and jumped to their feet.

Wounded men fell under blows that could not be seen nor heard. Their
chief lay still upon the ground.

"There is magic here," they cried. "We cannot fight against magic."
And they aroused their band and fled, leaving everything behind them.

Then the victor sped with the fleetness of the deer to his own tribe.
The men, waiting for the battle signal, followed him to the deserted
camp. They returned laden with weapons, the finest of bows and arrows,
spears, war bonnets, stores of food, and other spoils of war.

Joy spread among the people. In the village of wigwams feasting took
the place of fear.

"I wish I had been that warrior," said Swift Elk.

"You may have a chance to be just as brave to-morrow," answered his
mother. "I depend on you to take your father's place here if he goes
into battle."

The children could keep awake no longer, but Good Bird did not close
her eyes. The dawn came on, the sun rose, and there was no attack.

For many days and nights the young braves took their turn in watching.
There were no further signs of an enemy, and no one ever found out how
the strange feather came to be dropped near the camp.

WINTER EVENINGS

The wind roared in the trees, and the snow was falling. But Fleet
Deer's lodge was warm and comfortable. Good Bird, his wife, knew how
to make a lodge, and how to keep it from being smoky.

She had sewed heavy skins together for the outside cover of the
wigwam. Inside, the lower walls were of tanned doeskin, nearly white.
The cold air passing between the lining and the cover ventilated the
room and carried the smoke out of the smoke hole.

In the middle of the circular floor was a stone-lined fire pit, now
filled with glowing coals that gave light to the room.

Warm skins with the fur uppermost covered the three long platforms
that were used for seats in the daytime and for beds at night.

Good Bird took great pride in her home. She kept the floor swept with
a cedar broom and everything in its place.

[Illustration]

When not busy in preparing food, she made clothing and moccasins. She
stained porcupine quills for trimmings, and made necklaces of shells.
The teeth of wild ani