ut of sight in the crowd.

They did not so much as guess how eagerly their faces were all the
while sought for by the eyes of those two pale-faces.

"Do you see them, Murray?" had been the first thing Steve had said, as
they were riding in.

"Not yet. Be careful, Steve. If you see them you must not speak to
them. Contrary to rule."

"Not speak to them?"

"Not till the chief himself introduces you. Even after that you must
not say too much."

"Well, yes. I suppose they are jealous about their squaws. Just like
the Lipans."

"That's it, exactly. All Indians are. Besides, you are a young brave
and a pale-face. They may not be quite so particular about a
white-headed old warrior like myself."

"I'm white. I'll speak if I get a chance."

"And get kicked out of the village for it, or worse? No, my boy, you
must be prudent. You haven't been asked to make yourself at home as
yet."

Steve did not want to make himself at home, but he was well pleased, as
he looked around him, to see how very strong was that band of Apaches.
It seemed as if he had just so much more reason to feel safe about
again falling into the hands of the Lipans.

True, he was among the wildest kind of wild Indians, but he was not a
prisoner here, and the Apaches had no claim on him.

"They will not care whether I go or stay," he said to himself.

He had not gotten away from them yet, however, and among the first to
welcome him was the haughty presence of Red Wolf.

Steve did not know that Ni-ha-be had already stirred up her brother on
his account.

"Knotted Cord saved your scalp," she said to him "Now he comes to visit
you, and you are too proud to speak to him. You are no better than a
pale-face."

"Red Wolf is young. He must wait for his turn. The old men would push
him back."

"No, they won't. They will keep Send Warning to talk to them. Knotted
Cord is young. His head is brown, not white."

There was something in that, and Red Wolf did not wait till the formal
reception of the two white visitors was attended to. He said to his
father,

"Knotted Cord is mine. He must eat my venison."

"Ugh! Young braves. Been in same fight. Good. Dolores cook
deer-meat for him. Old warrior stay with chiefs. Ugh!"

It was precisely as Ni-ha-be had expected, and Red Wolf was the
proudest young brave in camp when he held out his hand to Steve and
found it grasped so very heartily.

Steve was glad to see him, and showed