"
The offer appeared so large for a mere puny girl that the chief
assented at once; and the Fox was content to take a gun, which
proved part of the spoil, for his interest in his captive.
The Indians of Stag's tribe murmured to themselves at this costly
bargain upon the part of their chief. However, they expressed
nothing of this before him, and continued the work of counting and
separating the animals in proportion to the number of each tribe
present--the tribes from the plains being considerably the more
numerous.
Not until four o'clock were they again in motion, when each tribe
started for home.
In three hours' riding they reached the spring, and then the Stag
ordered a small tent of skins to be erected for Ethel's
accommodation.
From this she came out an hour later to gaze upon the great wave of
fire which, kindled at a point far away by their scouts, now swept
along northward, passing at a distance of three or four miles from
the spring.
It was when sitting gravely round the fire later on that the Stag
deigned to enlighten his followers as to his reasons for giving
what seemed to them so great a price for a pale-faced child.
The delight of the Indians, when they found that they had the
daughter of their twice victorious enemy in their hands was
unbounded.
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