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A'tim, sitting on his haunches, and holding his nose high in air until his throat pipe drew straight and taut, sang: "O-o-o-o-o-h! for the blood drinking! W-a-u-g-ha! the sweet new meat hot to the mouth!" The Indian Dogs caught up the cry of A'tim as it floated over the Belly River and voiced it from a thousand throats. "The Blackfeet!" screamed Eagle Shoe, rushing from his tepee.
Years ago, A'tim, perhaps when you were a Pup, all this prairie that is so beautiful with its short Buffalo grass, was just covered with people of my kind; and Antelope though they were not of our kind, still we liked to see them there was no harm in them, being, like ourselves, Grass Feeders; and to the South-West, Dog-Wolf "
"What is this?" demanded Shag, his big, honest eyes turned on A'tim with a wondering look of unbelief. "A lie," quoth A'tim; "the Cow is full of a stupid duplicity: perhaps she even killed this Herd Leader by some trick, and blames it on the innocent Fur Flower. Does it look like a poison herb, Wise Bull? Is it like the scraggy Loco Plant of the South Ranges?
"Your eating is heavy," said Shag; "I will carry it for you on my horns. L-o-u-g-h h-u! the blood smells terrible!" he exclaimed as A'tim pulled the buffalo flesh over Shag's forehead.
"Come with me, then, Brother," cried A'tim; "together we will go to the land of which I have spoken. It is a long, lone trail for one. I will guard you well, for I know Man's ways; and at night we will rest side by side." "I will go," said the Bull simply. "Let us start," cried A'tim, seizing his joint of Buffalo meat, and sweeping the horizon with suspicious eyes.
"I heard a strange noise in the forest, and thought perhaps some evil Hunter had followed your big trail; fearing for your safety, Brother, I went to see what it was." "And?" queried Shag. "It was nothing nothing but a Lynx or some prowling animal." Shag was already snoring heavily again, and the Dog-Wolf, tired by his exertion, also soon slumbered. Next morning A'tim was in rare good humor.
"I will go also," said A'tim; "while you rest, I, who sleep with one eye open, after the manner of my Wolf Brothers, will watch."
But I'm not that now; when I look in the lake waters and see only this miserable ruff about my neck, and scant tuft on my tail, I feel sad feel ashamed. The tongue of the lake tells me all that, Brother, so say no more about it." "Wait you here, Shag," commanded A'tim; "I will go up on a Butte and see the method of these hunters; my eyes are younger than yours, Herd Leader."
"To eat of this Fur Flower my kind Brother, A'tim, has told me will bring back my coat; a soft, silky coat it was, too." "Eat of that that which is the Death Grass growing in the Valley of the Long Rest! You must wish to die; our Herd Leader, who was even of your size, Great Bull, ate of it, and died like a stricken Calf."
"You startled me, Brothers," he said, grinning nervously. "I did not mean to," replied the Pack Leader; "my foot slipped on a wet leaf." "Ye-e-s just so," hesitated A'tim in deprecating voice; "so fortunate I mean Brothers, I'm sorry I can't offer you good eating there were only three Grubs "
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