Mary never said a word in English. She understood a good deal that others
said, but she never expressed herself in other than the Indian language.
Hence both little Sagastao and Minnehaha always talked with her in her own
tongue.

Minnehaha, seeing Mary's anxiety at their determination to run away to the
Indians, thought of compromising the matter by insisting that Mary should
tell them more tales. If she would do this they "would not run away very
soon;" especially did she emphasize the "very soon." This was hardly
satisfactory to Mary, but as it was the best promise she could get she was
obliged to consent.

Little Sagastao, who was Mary's favorite, once more unsettled her when he
said, "Now, Mary, remember, we have only promised not to run away very
soon. That means that we intend to do it some time."

It seems that the little conspirators had talked it all over in the morning
in their beds, and had decided how they would get stories out of Mary
without really promising not to run away to the wigwam of Souwanas.

The children, being dressed, were taken down by Mary to prayers and
breakfast, after which an hour was allowed in summer-time for outdoor
amusement before the lessons began. Little Sagastao generally spent his
hour, either with his father or some trusty Indian, playing with and
watching the gambols of the great dogs, of which not a few were kept at
that mission home. Minnehaha was with her mother, and was interested in the
bestowal of gifts to the poor widows and children who generally came at
that hour.