s
later the vagabonds gave their principal attention to their pipes. One
of them gathered an armful of brush and flung it on the fire; and
another, rising to his feet, turned his back toward the blaze with his
hands together behind him, as though the warmth was very pleasant. While
he stood thus, he held the stem of his pipe in his mouth and looked
absently at the boy, who could not see the face of the red man with much
distinctness, as it was in shadow.

The fuel just thrown on the flames increased the warmth to such a degree
that those who were the nearest shifted their position. The warrior who
was on his feet stepped forward a single pace, and was still standing in
his idle fashion with his hands half folded behind him, when a spark
flew outward with a snap, and dropped down the neck of the unsuspicious
red man. When he felt the burn, like the thrust of a big needle, he
sprang several feet in the air, and began frantically clutching at the
tormenting substance. The second or third attempt secured the spark,
which clung to his hand, burning his fingers to that extent that he
emitted a rasping exclamation, bounded upward, and by a particularly
vigorous flirt of his hand freed it of the spark, which then expired of
itself.

As I have said, no man has less humor in his composition than the North
American Indian, and yet it is not by any means lacking in him. It
assumes odd forms at times, and too often seems based on the physical
suffering of some person or animal; but in the instance of which I am
speaking, every one of the spectators was filled with mirth. The
laughter shook them from head to foot, though with all its vigor it
could not have been heard fifty feet away.

Jack Carleton had been so long depressed that something like a reaction
came over him. He threw his head back and the woods rang with his hearty
mirth as they never rang before. If there was any one else within half a
mile, he must have wondered what all the uproar meant.

The cause of this amusement conducted himself very much like a civilized
being. When he had rubbed the blistered spot on the back of his neck
with the scorched hand, he glared angrily at the others, as if he saw no
adequate cause for the unusual mirth; then when it broke out afresh, he
made a weak attempt to join in, but failing to do so, he sullenly seated
himself on the ground and looked as glum as a man meditating some wicked
deed.

All at once, he turned toward Jack Carleto