le antagonist in such a contest, but the Sauk would not
have hesitated to assail him, except through fear that others would be
brought to the spot.

No doubt the Pawnee took the measure of the stranger in the same manner,
and it is reasonable to conclude that he felt no special fear of him. In
fact, the two were like a couple of bull dogs, ready to fly at each
other's throat, without once thinking of what the issue was likely to
be.

But while they were holding their conversation, the Sauk carried out a
singular thought. He asked himself whether he could not make a friend of
the stranger--that is to say, a genuine friend, who would be held to him
by gratitude.

As to the method by which this was to be attained, even the ingenious
mind of the warrior was unable to determine. All he could do was to seek
to keep him company until some way should be open. The coming of any of
the Pawnees, who were trooping at the heels of the Shawanoe, would be
liable to scatter all such plans to the wind.

The diplomats were doing their best to entertain each other, when a most
unlooked-for interference took place.

From where they stood, they were able to locate the clearing by means of
a thinness of the trees, a few more rays of daylight penetrating from
that direction. Hay-uta happened to be looking toward that point, when
he caught the outline of a figure stealing along the margin of the
opening.

The sight was so unexpected that the manner of the Sauk betrayed the
discovery, the instance being one of those rare ones in which he was
caught off his guard. He reproached himself, for the back of his
companion was turned toward the other, who was moving as silently as the
shadow over the face of a sun-dial.

The head of the Pawnee turned quickly, and he muttered a soft "--st!" At
the same moment he began moving toward the other, with the absolute
silence that the trained Indian shows when creeping into a hostile camp,
where the rustling of a leaf brings discovery.

Hay-uta could not but admire the skill of the Indian. At the same time,
the action of the Pawnee in moving away from the Sauk, while his eyes
were turned from him, thus placing himself at the mercy of Hay-uta, was
an appeal to the honor of the latter, which, of itself, was the
strongest safeguard of the Pawnee.

Hay-uta fell in behind him, and the two advanced in their stealthy
fashion among the trees for some twenty steps, when they gained full
view of the third Ind