stone lodge, where a trader
would live and have for sale a wonderful heap of all such things as the
white squaws dressed themselves up with. She went to sleep at last, with
her black eyes half dazzled by a vision of bright colors and
glitterings, and had a dream that the trader had come and was ready to
trade almost anything for the skin of a grisly bear. As for Two Arrows,
not all that could be said about mines and farms could drive from him
one grand ambition, that had taken deep root as he studied the many
possessions of those pale-faces. Somehow or other, he meant to obtain a
rifle. His father had a good one, and so had each of the acknowledged
warriors of his band, but all the boys were as yet forced to put up with
bows and arrows. Some of the braves even carried revolvers, and the
hunting had been so poor that they were well supplied with ammunition.
Two Arrows had learned from Sile that there were extra rifles and
pistols, and no end of cartridges, in those wagons, but everybody knew
that all that sort of thing had to be paid for, and Two Arrows lay awake
a long time, feverishly wondering what he could find among those
mountains to buy a rifle with, and a revolver and some ammunition. He
felt that he should be a mere boy, after all, and not a full-grown
brave, until he could exchange his bow and arrows for weapons which
would kill a bear at long range. He wished never to have to wait for
another on the top of any rock. It was the only point in which he could
see that Sile had any real advantage over him to balance the humiliation
of being a pale-face instead of the son of a Nez Perce chief. He was
compelled to admit one more in the morning, for he had forgotten the
fishing-rods and hooks and lines, and Sile was up before it was light,
ready to begin his duty of keeping the camp supplied with provisions.

"We won't walk this time," he said, in a very business-like way. "We'll
just ride across to the river and catch enough for breakfast and hurry
back. None of the men can be spared from their work."

The sun arose very grandly over the magnificent mountain ranges, but he
showed them all that wonderful scenery in vain. Sile was fishing for
provisions for his father's men, and Two Arrows thought of rifles and
pistols every time he pulled in a trout. He did not speak of the weight
upon his mind as yet, but he was gradually forming a purpose of doing so
at the earliest opportunity. It was almost like going to an open