as commonly called Jacob. I did not
discover how he came by such a curious and apparently meaningless name
until after I had returned to the United States. His father had been
converted by one of the early missionaries, before the Minnesota
massacre in 1862, and the boy had been baptized Jacob. He was an ideal
woodsman and hunter and really a hero in my eyes. He was one of the
party of seven who had attacked and put to rout the white soldiers.

The trouble arose thus. Jacob had taken from the soldiers two good
mules, and soon afterward we fell in with some Canadian half-breeds
who were desirous of trading for them. However, the young man would not
trade; he was not at all disposed to part with his fine mules. A certain
one of the mixed-bloods was intent upon getting possession of these
animals by fair or unfair means. He invited Jacob to dinner, and treated
him to whiskey; but the Indian youth declined the liquor. The half-breed
pretended to take this refusal to drink as an insult. He seized his gun
and shot his guest dead.

In a few minutes the scene was one of almost unprecedented excitement.
Every adult Indian, female as well as male, was bent upon invading the
camp of the bois brules, to destroy the murderer. The confusion was
made yet more intolerable by the wailing of the women and the singing of
death-songs.

Our number was now ten to one of the halfbreeds. Within the circle
formed by their carts they prepared for a desperate resistance. The
hills about their little encampment were covered with warriors, ready to
pounce upon them at the signal of their chief.

The older men, however, were discussing in council what should be
demanded of the halfbreeds. It was determined that the murderer must be
given up to us, to be punished according to the laws of the plains. If,
however, they should refuse to give him up, the mode of attack decided
upon was to build a fire around the offenders and thus stampede their
horses, or at the least divide their attention. Meanwhile, the braves
were to make a sudden onset.

Just then a piece of white, newly-tanned deerskin was hoisted up in
the center of the bois brule encampment. It was a flag of truce. One of
their number approached the council lodge, unarmed and making the sign
for a peaceful communication. He was admitted to the council, which
was still in session, and offered to give up the murderer. It was also
proposed, as an alternative, that he be compelled to give every