pon his face,"
was the substantial response of the Pawnee.

All this was very fine, but one drawback remained--neither Indian
understood a single syllable uttered by the other, but the beaming
expressions scarcely needed literal interpretation. Truth makes it
necessary to add that, with all this effusiveness, the warriors
distrusted each other.

Now began a conversation by means of signs, which it would be tedious to
give in full. Fortunately for Hay-uta, he was so far removed from the
scene of action in which Deerfoot and the others were playing such an
active part, that he was quite secure against interruption, unless the
fleeing Shawanoe should happen to take a turn in his flight which might
bring the swarming pursuers in that direction.

It was impossible for Hay-uta to know the real sentiments of the other,
but, as a matter of precaution, he sought to draw him further away from
the theater of action. The Pawnee must have understood, from the signals
which had reached him, that an enemy was making a great stir, and that
his own presence was desired.

Furthermore, as the Sauk was a stranger, the natural supposition would
be that he was an ally of the enemy. This could not fail to cause
suspicion, but, having just vowed eternal friendship, policy required
him to conceal his real sentiments.

On the invitation of the Sauk, the other accompanied him a few rods,
during which they conversed as well as they could in pantomime. While
they managed to communicate a great deal, yet the limit was speedily
reached. When Hay-uta tried to ask after the missing Otto, the other did
not comprehend him, or, if he did, failed to make his sentences clear.
In that respect, therefore, the mission of the Sauk was as barren of
results as was that of Deerfoot.

The Pawnee had not gone far, when he seemed to awake to the fact that he
was doing an imprudent thing. He came to a halt and showed by his manner
that he would go no further. Hay-uta could not urge him, and the two,
therefore, stood face to face in the depth of the forest, while they
talked to each other.

The Sauk asked himself more than once whether, in a hand to hand fight
with the other, the struggle being fair on each side, he could vanquish
him. The Pawnee was tall, well-formed, athletic, and the knife thrust in
the skin-sheath at his girdle looked as if it was longer and keener than
the one Hay-uta carried, without sheath at all. The Pawnee was certain
to be a formidab