d long before.

While Deerfoot had no thought of breaking his pledge to the Pawnee, he
was too prudent to trust him. Should he hand him back his weapons he
might not attempt to injure the youth, but he would tell his comrades
enough to lead them to do their utmost to thwart the purpose of Deerfoot
and his friends.

"Let my brother listen," said the Shawanoe, stepping closer to him, as
if to make his words more impressive. "When the sun is yonder," pointing
to the horizon, "Lone Bear will come to this tree; he will look on the
ground, and will draw the leaves aside; when he does so he will find his
rifle, his knife and his tomahawk; his brothers shall never know they
have been touched by Deerfoot!"

There was a certain chivalry in this proceeding, for it gave to Lone
Bear the means of rejoining his friends without the humiliating
confession he would be obliged to make if he appeared unarmed; for he
could invent no fiction that would wholly conceal the truth. All that
remained to do was to keep out of sight until sunset, when he could make
his way to the spot, recover his weapons and go back with a story of the
long reconnoissance that had held him away much longer than was
anticipated.

Lone Bear thanked his conqueror for the regard shown him, and the
Shawanoe strode off toward the main body of hostiles. He made no change
in the route, until beyond sight of the Pawnee. Then he turned to the
left, his course being part of the circumference of a large circle,
until it brought him to the westward, or, as may be expressed, to the
rear of the single enemy. He now approached the large tree which had
served him so well. As he expected, Lone Bear was not in sight.

Deerfoot smiled as he stepped to the spot, and, bending over, laid the
captured weapons on the ground and covered them with leaves, so as not
to attract the notice of any one passing near. That done, he withdrew,
the faint smile still playing around his mouth.

Having promised Lone Bear that his weapons should be given back to him
in payment for his story (which the Shawanoe was satisfied was true),
the conscientious young warrior would not allow any thing to prevent the
fulfillment of his pledge; but he expected that when sunset came he
would be many miles away, and it would be a grievous inconvenience to
return. Much, therefore, was to be gained by this course. Again, Lone
Bear, having no thought that his property would be given up by the
Shawanoe before the