r: wrinkled trousers
and coat of bright blue, with gilt epaulets upon the shoulders, and a
stiff collar that reached above his ears. Atop his long painted hair
there was settled, to the coat collar, a stove-pipe hat, with a
silver-braid band and a red wool plume two feet high. His feet were
squeezed into high-heeled military boots, of shiny leather. Around his
neck was a tight black stock, or collar. Around his waist was a red
sash. Upon his hands were loose white cotton gloves. Upon his chest,
and the ruffles of a white shirt, dangled a silver medal, on a blue
ribbon. Hung by a belt across one shoulder, at his log dangled a huge
broad-sword. In one hand he carried a blue umbrella, in the other a
fan, and in his arms a keg of rum.

Thus Wijunjon, the big brave, proudly strode the deck of the steamer
_Yellowstone_, and impatiently looked forward to the moment when he
might step off, among his people.

The moment came. Two thousand Indians had gathered on the prairie at
Fort Union, to greet the thunder-canoe and the returning travelers.
Wijunjon led the procession down the gang-plank.

It was not Indian etiquet to make an ado over the return. Wijunjon was
roundly eyed, but nobody spoke to him. His wife, the
Fire-bug-that-creeps, was here; so were his children, who scarcely knew
him; so were his old parents. He felt that he was admired and that his
family and friends were glad to see him; but they let him alone and he
only stalked about in his glory, whistling the American war-cry of
"Yankee Doodle."

After due time, of course they all loosened up. This night in his
lodge in the Assiniboin village he commenced to tell his stories. But
he could not tell one tenth--and yet, with the very first, several of
the old men and chiefs arose and went out.

They said that this Wijunjon was a liar, and that they would not listen
to him. The white people were known to be great liars, and he had
learned from them!

In vain, the next day, and the next day, the Pigeon's-egg Head tried to
make himself popular.

First, he let his wife cut off the tails of his frock coat, to fashion
herself a pair of nice blue leggins. His silver-lace hat-band she took
for garters. The rest of his coat he gave to his brother; and now he
wore his white shirt with the tails outside.

He gave away his boots--which hurt his feet. He gave away the tails of
his shirt, also his brass studs and sleeve-buttons. And with his keg
of rum, a