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Let him not see another sun, and place the chief's robes on Thunder-maker; tie the chief's feathers in the hair of Thunder-maker; write on Thunder-maker's breast the picture of the sacred totem. Then will the Dacotahs believe. Then shall Thunder-maker be chief of the Dacotahs, and the pale-faces shall return in peace to their tents. I have spoken."
"Ah," resumed Arnold with a smile, "I see that the understanding of the pale-face was wrong. We thought that the chief was Thunder-maker, as you hastened to obey his words." "Thunder-maker great medicine " began Swift Arrow, when the former speaker rejoined "Then he would make himself great chief. Will you braves suffer this insult to the wearer of the fiery totem?"
So Arnold hastened to try and pacify the anger that he had inadvertently roused. "My red brother mistakes," he said, addressing Thunder-maker. "The white man's laughter was at the suggestion of fear. We are brave men who fear nothing. But we did no insult to the totem of the Dacotahs " "Dogs!" exclaimed the furious Indian. "Dogs! The fiery totem has been defiled. Revenge, my brothers!
But his attention was mainly given to Thunder-maker all the same, and the latter knew it, so he continued "Thunder-maker have rich robe of ermine better robe than Mighty Hand wear. Many dollars as leaves in tree not buy the robe of Thunder-maker. Yet Red Fox may wear it." "Huh! Red Fox poor. He not have dollars to buy new traps for hunting." That was what the Indian said.
Dacotahs fools, Dacotahs believe foolish stories, and Thunder-maker can lead their feet by what trail he will." "H'm. That was plain enough this afternoon when you played with those rattlesnakes," remarked Arnold, at which the Indian laughed quietly. "Dacotahs fools. But white men wise. They see not with the eyes of redmen.
They great spirits sent to you by Manito to tell you how to be a mighty tribe again. Then great medicine will be done, and Thunder-maker will ask the pale-faces to speak what Manito has told them. "Then the pale-faces will tell the Dacotahs: 'Slay Mighty Hand!
Indians some Indians fools," answered Thunder-maker, at which Holden uttered an exclamation betokening sudden enlightenment. "By Jove, Arnold! That's it! That explains the whole business. These idiots take us for spirits, since they saw us scramble out from the lake without any boat in sight. Spirits! It's almost too silly to believe."
But Dacotahs might be great people if Mighty Hand were in Happy Hunting-ground." "But what has all this got to do with us?" asked Holden. "My white brothers in great danger. In a few more suns cruel fire burn beautiful bodies. But " "Well but?" "Thunder-maker could save white brothers from fire?" "Oh, that's it, is it?
The Indian made an impatient movement of his body, and grunted meaningly at the question. "Mighty Hand send Thunder-maker?" he exclaimed, in an undertone that conveyed a sense of the uttermost contempt for the chief of the Dacotahs. "My white brother speak foolish words the words of women and papooses. Mighty Hand do the wish of Thunder-maker.
Thunder-maker well understood the jibe, and he flung himself about with passion. "Ma conscience! Don't go making all that noise," was the quiet reproof. "And if you'll take my advice, you'll go home and put on warmer clothes. You've little enough on to keep you cosy when the wind blows chill." Poor Thunder-maker! He had never been treated with such scant respect.
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