where the bones of men lay bleaching.

"These are the bones of men who have gone before us. No one has ever
returned to tell of their sad fate." Mudjekeewis looked frightened at
this and thought, "I wonder who this terrible enemy is."

"Be not afraid, my brothers," said the leader. Mudjekeewis then took
courage, again jumped forward, and uttering the war-cry, brought his
warclub down on a small rock, and split it into pieces. "See, I am not
afraid," he cried. "Thus shall I serve my enemy." But the leader
still pressed onward over the plain, until at last a small rise in the
ground brought them in sight of the enemy. Some distance away, on the
top of the mountain, a giant bear lay sleeping.

"Look, brothers," said the leader. "There is the mighty enemy, for he
is a Manitou.[1] But come now, we need not fear, as he is asleep.
Around his neck he has the precious wampum,[2] which we must take from
him."

They advanced slowly and quietly. The huge animal did not hear them.
Around his neck was a belt which contained the wampum.

"Now we must take this off," said the youngest brother. One after the
other tried, but could not do it, until the next to the youngest tried.
He pulled it nearly over the bear's head. Then came the turn of the
youngest, and he pulled it the rest of the way. He put the belt
quickly on the back of the oldest brother.

"Now we must run," said the leader, "for when he awakens, he will miss
his belt."

They all hastened away. The wampum was very heavy, so they had to take
turns in carrying it. They kept looking back as they ran, and had
almost reached the edge of the plain before the bear awoke. He slowly
rose to his feet and stood for a moment before he noticed that the belt
was gone. Then he uttered a roar that reached to the skies.

"Who has dared to steal my belt?" he roared. "Earth is not so large
but that I shall find him."

Saying this, he jumped from the mountain, and the earth shook with his
weight. Then with powerful strides he rushed in pursuit of the
brothers.

They had passed all the bones now and were becoming very tired.

"Brothers," said the leader, "I dreamed that when we were hard pressed
and running for our lives, we saw a lodge where an old man lived, and
he helped us. I hope my dream will come true."

Just then they saw, a short distance away, a lodge with smoke curling
from the top. They ran to it, and an old man opened the door.

"Grandfather," th