e other, as if willing to clear up
the mystery, "he was taken across the great river into the hunting
grounds of the Shawanoes; he went with a party of Pawnee hunters, but
the Shawanoes killed them and took young Lone Bear to their lodges."

"The Shawanoes are brave," remarked Deerfoot, his eyes kindling with
natural pride.

"Lone Bear staid many moons in the lodges of the Shawanoes, but one
night he rose from his sleep, slew the warrior and his squaw, and made
haste toward the great river; he swam across and hunted for many suns
till he found his people."

If this statement was fact, it told a striking story, but Deerfoot
doubted its truth. The reason was that, judging from the age of the
warrior, the exploit must have taken place when Deerfoot was very young,
if not before he was born. The capture of a Pawnee youth and his escape
in the manner named, formed an episode so interesting that it would have
been spoken of many times during the early boyhood of Deerfoot, who
ought to have heard of it, but he was sure that this was the first time
the story had fallen on his ears. Deerfoot's sagacity told him that Lone
Bear, as he called himself, was the only Pawnee who understood a word of
their conversation; that much was evident to the eye. It might be, too,
that there was a good deal of truth in the words of the warrior. At any
rate, it was easy to test him.

"Did Lone Bear dwell with Allomaug?"

"Allomaug was a brave chief; he was the father of my brother Deerfoot,
who is fleeter of foot than the wild buck."

That settled it. The reader will remember that Allomaug was the parent
of the youth, and that he was a noted sachem among the Shawanoes. Lone
Bear had told such a straight story that Deerfoot was convinced that he
must have dwelt at one time among his people.

All this was supplemented by the fact that Deerfoot himself was
recognized and addressed by the name he had received from the white
people. The young Shawanoe half expected the other to make some
reference to the youth's escape from Waughtauk and his revengeful
warriors, but Lone Bear had no knowledge of that episode, which took
place long after his flight from the tribe. Deerfoot was puzzled to know
by what means the warrior identified him, when he was certain he had
never seen Lone Bear until he surveyed him a short time before from the
tree-top.

Deerfoot noticed that during their conversation, the others seemed to
listen with as much interest as t