"Fill un at the river," he directed.

While Eli obeyed silently and sullenly, Indian Jake lighted a fire,
and when Eli returned put the kettle on. Then he brought forth his
frying-pan, filled it with sliced venison, and as he placed it over
the fire, remarked:

"Knocked a buck down this mornin'."

Eli said nothing. The odour of frying venison was pleasant. Eli was
hungry, and when the venison was fried and tea made, he swallowed his
pride and silently accepted Indian Jake's invitation to eat.

When they had finished, Indian Jake cut a large joint of venison, and
presented it to Eli with his empty rifle, remarking as he did so:

"The deer's meat's a surprise. I like to surprise folks. Taste good
goin' home. I'll keep the ca'tridges. You might hurt somebody if you
had un. You'll get quite a piece down before you camp to-night."

"Were you takin' that silver?" asked Eli, changing his accusation to a
question.

"Maybe I were and maybe I weren't," Indian Jake grinned. "'Twouldn't
do me any good to tell you if I had un, and if I told you I didn't
have un you wouldn't believe me. Maybe I've got un. You better be
goin'. I'd ask you to stay, Eli, and I'd like to have you, but you
don't like me and you'd better go on."