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They were very kind to me. This is one of them." The flashing eyes of the entire party were turned upon Peter Davidson, who, however, had presence of mind enough to gaze at the cloudless heavens with immovable solemnity and abstraction. "There are two others, whom I look upon as sons. One is named Arch-ee; the other Leetil Beel.
"No, Arch-ee, as Oke calls you, I won't; I'm quite content to look on, for your gun kicks like a Mexican mule. Besides, it's easy work to steer, and seeing you panting and toiling in the bow makes it seem all the easier. Just you keep blazin' away, old man. But, I say, where shall I steer to now? I'm tired o' steering among the reeds. Let us push out into the clear water."
"In Prairie Cottage?" exclaimed the other with a puzzled air. "You can't mean my brother Peter, surely, for he is about as grave as yourself." "Okematan means the young brave who loves his little brother." "What! Archie Sinclair?" exclaimed Dan, with a surprised look. "I had no idea you had so high an opinion of him." "Okematan has seen much of Arch-ee: has watched him.
"Let not Arch-ee go near the river-bank on either side," said the chief in a warning voice, as he was about to shove the frail bark out upon the glassy water. "The Saulteaux might catch him. And let him not go far up or down stream. Let him keep among the reeds round the island. There are many ducks there. Shoot plenty, as if Arch-ee had no suspicion no fear of Indians."
"Waugh!" exclaimed the Indian. "Humph!" remarked the boy. "What d'ye mean by `Waugh, Oke?" "Okematan means much that it is not in the power of the tongue to tell," replied the Indian with increasing gravity; and as the gravity increased the cloudlets from his lips became more voluminous. "Arch-ee hopes, nevertheless, that the tongue of Oke may find power to tell him a little of what he thinks."
"I say, Oke," demanded the lad, with what was meant for an overwhelming frown, "do you mean to hint that I have any fear of the Indians?" "Okematan has the belief that Arch-ee never knew fear at all," returned the chief, earnestly; "that he has the courage of the young buffalo-bull." "Well, I'm not quite so sure o' that," returned the boy, with a modest look.
"Leetle Beel is not strong," objected the Indian. "True, but a trip o' this sort will make him strong perhaps. Anyhow, it will make him stronger." "But for a sick boy there is danger," said the chief. "If Arch-ee upsets his canoe in a rapid, Arch-ee swims on shore, but Leetle Beel goes to the bottom." "Not as long as Arch-ee is there to hold him up," returned the boy.
As there was now no need for concealment, the pursuer uttered a shrill war-whoop which was immediately answered and repeated until the woods rang with the fiendish sound, while half-a-dozen canoes dashed out from the banks on either side, and sought to bar the river. "Now, Arch-ee," said the Cree chief in a low voice, "paddle for your life and be a man!"
Moreover, what is to become o' Little Bill when we are fechtin'? It iss my opeenion that we put the command o' our expeedition in the hands of Okematan, an' leave him to do what he thinks best." "Arch-ee is a true brave," said the Indian, "but he is young. When the wrinkles of age are on his brow he will be a great chief.
"I will go with you," said Dan, to whom the announcement was made. "An' so will I," said Fred Jenkins, who chanced to be conversing with Dan at the time "that is, if they can spare me just now." "The canoe of Okematan," said the chief, "holds no more than three. He wishes to take with him Arch-ee and Leetil Bill."
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