, Ashman fancied he detected something akin to a
smile lighting up the forbidding countenance.

It may be said that the young explorer for the moment felt himself in
the position of the man who drew an elephant in a lottery--he didn't
know what to do with his prize. It had come to him so unexpectedly
that he was bewildered.

But he was quick to rally from his dazed condition. The fact that the
giant had shown such a knowledge of the English tongue suggested the
possibility not only of obtaining important information, but of making
a friend of this personage, who must possess great influence among his
people.

True, the events of the afternoon and evening were against anything in
the nature of comity or good will, but no harm could come from an
attempt to bring about an understanding between the people and the
explorers that had become involved in such fierce conflicts with them.

"Drop that spear!" commanded Ashman.

"I have surrendered," said the savage, in a low, coarse voice; "and
Ziffak does not lie."

Nevertheless, while the words were passing his lips, he unclosed his
right hand and allowed the implement to fall to the ground.

"Is your weapon poisoned?" asked Ashman, still mystified by the
extraordinary situation and hardly knowing what to say.

"Your man in the wood was pierced by one of our spears; ask him."

"Such a warrior as Ziffak does not need to tip his weapons with
poison," said Ashman, glancing significantly at the carcass of the
puma. "It is cowardly to use such means against your enemies."

The savage shook his head and an ugly flash appeared in his eyes.

"Do not the whites from the Great River use fire to slay the natives
before they can come nigh enough to use their spears?"

"But they have no wish to use them against your people; we would be
their friends, and it pains us to do them harm; we would not have done
so had they not compelled us."

Ziffak stood a moment as motionless as a statue, with his piercing
black eyes fixed with burning intensity on the white man. The latter
would have given much could he have read his thoughts, of which an
intimation came with the first words that followed.

"Waggaman and Burkhardt told our people that if we allowed the white
folks to come into our country, they would bring others and slay all
our men, women and children."

"Who are Waggaman and Burkhardt?" asked the explorer, uncertain whether
he was awake or dreaming.

"They have lived