angers."

Had Red Wolf chosen, he might have reminded the speaker of the bad taste
of this remark, when he had been so recently overthrown and disgraced by
one of the tribe which he placed lower in rank than his own; but Red
Wolf was disposed to take a more practical view of matters, and it was
natural he should go to the Pawnee who had once lived among the
Shawanoes.

"We saw only one Shawanoe, but there may be more hiding among the trees,
and waiting to fire at the Pawnees when they have their eyes closed in
slumber."

"Red Wolf has seen no Shawanoe!" exclaimed the other, wrathfully. "There
has been none here."

"Why does Lone Bear speak in riddles? What is the totem of the young
warrior called Deerfoot?"

"He _was_ a Shawanoe; his father was Allomaug the great chief; but
Deerfoot became a pale-face; he listened to the prating of the
missionaries, and turned away from the wigwams of his people; he has not
consorted with the Shawanoes for years; they would give a hundred scalps
if they could tear his from his crown. If the warriors of the Shawanoes
were in the woods," added Lone Bear, with a sweep of his right arm,
"Deerfoot would not be here, for he is a dog that runs when he hears the
call of his masters."

None could be more aware of the falsity of this than Lone Bear, who,
though he left the tribe before Deerfoot did, had heard of his exploits
since then, and knew him to be one of the bravest youths that ever
lived. And, again, he lost sight of his recent experience with him.

But when he reminded Red Wolf that the Shawanoe dwelt beyond the Great
River, whither the Pawnees had not penetrated, and that Deerfoot had
made known that his errand was to look for the captive pale-face, all
fear of his being in the company of a war party was removed.

However, no matter what explanation was given, it brought forward other
questions which could not be explained away. One of these was the
natural one, that, if the Pawnees had happened to have the German lad in
their custody, by what means did he hope to recover him? He brought with
him nothing in the shape of a ransom, so far as could be seen, and it
was hard to imagine what other method he expected to employ.

When Otto was bought of the Sauks, a pretty fair price was paid for him,
and it was not to be expected that his purchasers would discount that
compensation. The conclusion that the daring Shawanoe relied upon other
means, which were not apparent, gave a vag