you don't wanta loose that there red mop uh yourn ye better keep yer
eyes open, now I'm tellin' yuh!" He refilled his rifle magazine and took
up his station beside Lite Avery where he could watch the Frying-pan
through the bushes without exposing himself to a treacherous shot from
the rim-rock.

At the foot of the sandstone ledge the Indian stood with his bright red
blanket wrapped around him watching Luck. On his own side Luck stood
just clear of the rock huddle and watched the Indian. Presently he of
the red blanket lifted his hand in the gesture of peace, and started
deliberately out across the bare little basin. From his own side, Luck,
returning again the gesture, went out to meet him. In the center they
met, and eyed each other frankly. Still eyeing Luck, the old Indian put
out his hand Indian fashion, and Luck grave it one downward shake and
let go.

"How?" he grunted; and in the Indian custom of preparing for a leisurely
pow-wow as he had been taught by the Sioux, he squatted upon his boot
heels and reached for his cigarette papers and tobacco.

"How?" replied the Navajo, a flicker of interest in his eyes at
these little Indian touches in Luck's manner, and sat himself down
cross-legged on the hot sand. Luck rolled a cigarette and passed the
"makings" to the other, who received it gravely and proceeded to help
himself. Luck scratched a match on a stone that lay beside him, lighted
the Indian's cigarette and then his own, took four puffs and blew the
smoke upward, watching it spread and drift away, and made the gesture
that meant "Our pow-wow will be good," as he had seen the Sioux medicine
men do before a council. Afterwards he began placidly to smoke and
meditate.

From his manner you would never have guessed that his life and the lives
of the Happy Family hung upon the outcome of this meeting. You would not
have surmised that his stomach was gnawing at his nerves, sending out
insistently the call for food; or that his thirst tormented him; or that
the combination of hunger, heat, thirst and mental strain had bred a
jumping headache that was knotting the veins in his temples. All these
nagging miseries beset him--but he knew the ways of the Indians and
he meant to impress this old man first of all with his plains-Indian
training; so he schooled himself to patience.

The Indian eyed him furtively from under heavy eyebrows while he smoked.
And the sun beat savagely down upon the sand of that basin, and Luck