of any kind was upon her.
The Indians, crowding round, shook their heads gravely. Ka-te-qua was
wise, they said, but Manitou had sent for her. She had gone to the happy
Hunting Grounds of her fathers.

XI.

FIRE-WATER BECOMES MASTER.

After a long absence, the hunting party returned. As soon as Po-no-kah's
stalwart form appeared in sight, Rudolph and Kitty rushed, with a cry of
joy, to meet him; but, to their great dismay, he pushed them away with a
frown and a grunt that told them plainly that they were to be familiar
with him no more. Poor children!--Ka-te-qua gone, Po-no-kah changed, and
Tom scarcely heeding them,--they felt friendless indeed. Kind words they
never heard now, and kind looks rarely, except when Tom threw them a
hasty glance that warmed their hearts, though they scarcely knew why.
They did not know how his feelings yearned towards them, nor how eagerly
he would have joined in all their simple pursuits, had he dared to do
so; but the poor fellow had discovered that any notice he took of the
children aroused suspicion, and he therefore concluded to pursue a
prudent course.

In the meantime the children had one great joy. Their love for each
other was always the same. Kitty trusted in the belief that "mammy"
would send for them; but Rudolph looked ever up to the Great Love that
he knew was watching over them and the dear ones at home.

"If it's _right_, Kitty," he would whisper, "I _know_ we'll go home one
of these days. Don't be afraid. God will take care of us."

"But Dod took Te-qua away," Kitty would sometimes say.

"Yes, I know He did, Kitty," and Rudolph's eyes would look sadly up to
the blue sky, "I know He did, but then I think she was tired and wanted
to go."

Summer, autumn, and winter had passed away, and now came the season when
the Indians carried their largest supply of furs and skins to sell in
the city far over the prairies. Often, after their hunts, they had met
with traders, and exchanged the skins they had taken for such articles
as the white man had to give--guns, blankets, knives, powder, pipes, and
fire-water;[4] but this was the grand trading excursion of the year.

When the party returned, after a few weeks' absence, they brought with
them among other things, a keg of whisky. After the first welcome was
over, the savages held a council.

It was soon evident that a fearful scene was to be enacted. The
prisoners had seen something of the kind before, but never on