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Arnold and Holden were astounded at what they surmised to be some fresh trick on the part of Thunder-maker, or some special form of the impending ceremony. And at the same moment a loud cry broke from the throats of the watching multitude. "The fiery totem! The fiery totem!" Then the Indians fell face downwards to the ground with fear. Surely such a prodigy had never been seen before?
A dark outline had suddenly filled the space at the opening of the tent at this juncture, but the Englishmen were not left long in doubt of the nature of their late visitor, for a voice addressed them in Indian accents. "Thunder-maker would speak words of counsel with his white brothers." "Oh, he would, would he?" returned Arnold, and his companion added
"Then the the fiery totem foolish?" he questioned shyly, and the other Indian rejoined solemnly "The totem of the Dacotahs wise very wise. It speak to Thunder-maker by night, and tell him this." Red Fox nodded. But it was not the nod of agreement with the falsehood so much as at recognition of the lie. "Thunder-maker great medicine," he said, with a slight sneer. "But Red Fox hear much.
Thunder-maker yelled and kicked, but he was held as if in a vice, while the slaps rang out in rapid succession and the valley echoed with laughter. At last Mackintosh released the delinquent, and the poor man slunk away amid jeers and laughter. His day was over, and from that hour our white friends saw him no more.
"Go, my brother go to the village of the Dacotahs and find Thunder-maker, the Medicine Man. Tell him that Red Fox die sorry that he made bad promise that before he die he bid Thunder-maker speak true to foolish Dacotahs, and tell that white men no' spirits. Thunder-maker know. Thunder-maker can save white men, and " The last word choked in the Indian's throat.
But Thunder-maker, stooping forward with a pretence of picking up something from the ground, came close enough to whisper, so that only the Englishmen could hear him "By another sun, when Mighty Hand looks upon the pale-faces, it may be that the friends of Thunder-maker have looked first!"
"There was very little friendship about Thunder-maker this afternoon." The Indian gave a low laugh, as though he were thoroughly enjoying some secret joke. "There are days when hunter's path must be straight; there are days when crooked trail lead him where he find much deer. To-day crooked trail. But Thunder-maker friend. He would speak in ear of white brother low, soft. Thunder-maker wise man.
Thus speaking, Thunder-maker dived a hand into the bosom of his shirt and drew out a bundle of dirty linen. The chief had lowered his arms, so that the Englishmen could now see the Indian as he laughed and held up the bundle triumphantly above his head. "Great medicine!" he exclaimed, fixing his eyes upon the white men. "Great medicine! Look! See! Listen!"
"Ka Kawin!" was the chorus that met this question, and the dark looks that had been directed towards the Englishmen but a little while since were now turned towards the defeated Medicine Man, who was standing sullen and silent. But Thunder-maker was not yet conquered, though he was apparently humbled.
This one was lean, bent, and twisted like a gnarled tree that had been starved and warped in the forest. His dress was alike native, but the grotesque ornaments of animals' skulls, tails, dried monkeys' hands, and other gruesome relics gave the wearer an appearance that was repulsive to Saxon eyes. This freak of figure and dress was Thunder-maker, the great Medicine Man of the tribe.
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