Nebraska advertiser., 1882-01-26
F. What forp" asked Nellie, in sur

prise.
"Why, cause we're Iniuns, an
you're a squaw we've caught, an now
we're goin to drag you off to the woods"
replied Eddie, brandshing his knife.
Il don't want to be squaw;' and
Nellie now showed signs of making as
much of an outcry as the boys could
have wished for.
But you must, and that's all there is
about it," said Eddie, sternly; and then
he took hold of the ends of the rope, as
he shouted to Charley: Hold your
hands over her mouth while i pull her
along"
Charley hardly had time to reply be-
fore Big Thunder, with the clothes-line
drawn taut over his shoulder, started
ahead with a force that threatened to
overthrow both captive and captor.
For five minutes there was a thrill
ing and exciting scene as the chief
dashed along, dragging behind him the
squaw, who was only half-gagged by
Biting Tiger.
At the expiration of that time Big
Thunder tumbled over log, striking
the ground with force that caused his
nose to bleed, while Nellie, being so sud-
denly released, fell backward, carrying
Biting Tiger with her.
Big Thunder began to cry, but realiz-
ing that Indians should not be so partic-
ular about little thump on the nose,
urged his companion to ''come on"
while he forced the captive ahead
again.
BY the time they reached the first
growth Of trees that marked the border
of the woods the newly-made Indians
were feeling very warm. and decidedly
uncomfortable as TO what their mothers
might be able to do in the way of cap
turing them.
Poor Moon-face was crying as if her
little heart was breaking; but it was not
noisy grief, and it made her captives
lool; at each other very guiltily, since it
showed how much suffering they were
causing.
The first halt was made when they
reached what they supposed to be the
very heart of the forest, and Nellie was
tied to a fence that had evidently been
placed there for the accommodation of
Indians with captives She had recov-
cred from her grief at being dragged
from home, and now played contented-
ly with her doll, while the boys tried TO
make wigwam. But it was not long
before they learned how difficult it was
to cut down trees with a carving-knife,
and by the time they had succeeded in
getting about dozen small branches to-
gether they were decidedly hungry.
"We've got to look round and find
something to eat" said Eddie, after he
had withstood the pangs of hunger as
long as possible.
~ thought the squaw had to do that;"
and Charley looked up in surprise that
they were obliged to do any work, after
all the trouble of finding and catching a
squaw.
$50 they do, after they get broke in,
but don't spose Nellie could do much
toward killing bears and deers until aft
er she gets kind of used to it,"
1t was sad to think they had squaw
who was not accustomed to the busi-
ness, and with sigh Charley released
the captive, that all might go in search
of food.
1t was a long, weary tramp which
they had, and it seemed that it must be
nearly supper-time, when they suddenly
heard fearful noise among the bushes,
as if some enormous animal was coming
directly toward them. Then both the
Indians turned pale with terror; for
what could they do in the way of fight
ing a bear, with only one carving-knife
between thcmp
Only for a moment did they face the
terrible danger, and then both Big Thun-
der and Biting Tiger started for home as
fast as their legs could carry them, while
their late captive ran behind, imploring
not to be left alone. 1t was a cowardly
fight for two Indians with a captive to
make, but the ferocious animal APP
peared to be pursuing, and they could
do no less.
When they reached Charley's home,
where Mrs. Harnden could be seen in
the sitting-room with the baby in her
arms, Eddie's clothes were covered with
dirt and the blood that had fallen from
his nose; Charley was quite as dirty,
although not as bloody as his brother
chief, and Nellie's once clean white
dress was completely ruined.
The ferocious animal followed them
up 90 the very door of the house, and
then it looked more like Benny Cushing s
pet calf than it did like bear.
That night, after the two Indians had
settled matters with their respective
mothers, both Big Thunder and Biting
Tiger wisely concluded that the Indian
business was too painful ever to be in
dulged in again.-JdnleS OTIS, IN Hor-
DeT'S YO2GsaQ PeOpIe