nd the one belonging to Fred Linden was enough for
the others. Deerfoot at first declined, but his young friend persevered,
so the half-dozen yards of heavy stuff were spread on the rock and earth
floor of the cabin, and then Deerfoot disposed of himself in a lolling
attitude, reclining on his left elbow, while he looked across and
through the blaze at his two friends, who were stretched out in almost a
similar attitude. It will be borne in mind that he was nearer the mouth
of the cavern than were the others: in fact he was about half-way
between where they were stretched and the open air. Fred and Terry did
not notice this, or, if they did, they supposed it was accidental,
though it was done with forethought by the sagacious young Shawanoe.

The evening was yet young, and the circumstances were such as to make
the boys talk at a rate that almost overwhelmed Deerfoot, who always
showed a deliberation in his speech, as if he weighed each word before
allowing it to fall from his lips.

Fred and Terry had formed a strong liking for the young Shawanoe, and
since he seemed to be in fine spirits, they plied him with questions
until they learned the chief facts in his history. When the long
conversation ended they knew that Deerfoot was the son of a Shawanoe
chief, and that he was born in the Dark and Bloody Ground. When but a
small boy he was like a spitting wildcat in his hatred of the white
people, and it was not until he was wounded and nearly beaten to death,
that he could be taken prisoner on one of the excursions of his people
against the white settlements.

He fell into goods hands and was nursed back to strength. Not only that,
but those that had him in direct charge told him about God, who made the
world, who loved His creatures, and who sorrowed to see them trying to
harm each other, and who had sent His only Son to die for His lost
children. It was a wonderful story to which Deerfoot listened with rapt
attention, and all in time (as you have been told in another place),
the extraordinary young Shawanoe became a devout follower of the meek
and lowly One. He felt that he could never repay the whites for showing
him the way to eternal life. Thenceforward he became their friend, and
devoted his life to protecting them against the enmity of the red men.

Deerfoot told Fred and Terry something about his stirring experiences
with Ned Preston and Wildblossom Brown, and afterward with Jack Carleton
and Otto Relstaub, but