other white man. I suppose they are overrun by Indians and all sorts of
wild beasts, or perhaps there is nothing there but beasts and trackless
forests."

"It's too bad the Indians won't live as the white people live," went on
Dave thoughtfully. "We might get along famously together."

"It is not the Indian's nature to till the soil, my son. He loves to roam
about and to hunt and fish and then take it easy. More than this, when the
spirit stirs him, he must fight; and if he cannot fight the white man he
will fight his fellow Indians. You have often heard White Buffalo tell how
one tribe will fight another tribe for several seasons, and how the tribes
sometimes split up and fight among themselves."

"Of course; didn't the Delawares to whom he belongs split up, one side
going to the French and the others fighting under White Buffalo for our
cause? But when a war is over they might settle down."

As the time passed the others concluded that Henry and Barringford had
found the buffalo hunt longer than they had anticipated.

"Perhaps the animal has led them such a chase they won't come back until
morning," suggested James Morris. "It is no fine thing to travel in the wet
and darkness."

"Right you are," said Sanderson. "Sam may hunt in the wet if he wants to,
but none of it for me."

An early supper was had, and something was kept hot for those who were
missing, for it was felt they would come in chilled to the bone and with