ice.

In the largest open space a middle-aged Onondaga with a fine face
suddenly uttered a sharp cry: "Hehmio!" which he rapidly repeated twice.
Two score voices instantly replied, "Heh!" and a rush was made for him.
At least a hundred gathered around him, but they stood in a respectful
circle, no one nearer than ten feet. He waved his hand, and all sat down
on the ground. Then, he, too, sat down, all gazing at him intently and
with expectancy.

He was a professional story-teller, an institution great and honored
among the tribes of the Iroquois farther back even than Hiawatha. He
began at once the story of the warrior who learned to talk with the
deer and the bear, carrying it on through many chapters. Now and then a
delighted listener would cry "Hah!" but if anyone became bored and fell
asleep it was considered an omen of misfortune to the sleeper, and he
was chased ignominiously to his tepee. The Iroquois romancer was better
protected than the white one is. He could finish some of his stories in
one evening, but others were serials. When he arrived at the end of the
night's installment he would cry, "Si-ga!" which was equivalent to our
"To be continued in our next." Then all would rise, and if tired would
seek sleep, but if not they would catch the closing part of some other
story-teller's romance.

At three fires Senecas were playing a peculiar little wooden flute of
their own invention, that emitted wailing sounds not without a certain
sweetness. In a corner a half dozen warriors hurt in battle were bathing
their wounds with a soothing lotion made from the sap of the bass wood.

Henry lingered a while in the darkest corners, witnessing the feasting,
hearing the flutes and the chants, listening for a space to the
story-tellers and the enthusiastic "Hahs!" They were so full of feasting
and merrymaking now that one could almost do as he pleased, and he stole
toward the southern end of the village, where he had noticed several
huts, much more strongly built than the others. Despite all his natural
skill and experience his heart beat very fast when he came to the first.
He was about to achieve the great exploration upon which he had ventured
so much. Whether he would find anything at the end of the risk he ran,
he was soon to see.

The hut, about seven feet square and as many feet in height, was built
strongly of poles, with a small entrance closed by a clapboard door
fastened stoutly on the outside with withes. Th