Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-18
FOUR LITTLE INDIANS
Or, How Carroll ssGOt Even"
BY ELLA MARY COATES.
Copyright, 1902 by Henry 7. Coates Coz
CHAPTER vi.

| CHAPTER W.
| The next day there was council OF war
| held at the wood pile soon after breakfast.
| The chiefs all looked rather worse for
| their night raid. in the way of scratches
| and bruises. but the walnut stain was
| darker than ever on hands and faces. Al
| gave Billy very singular appearances. In
| deed. for his light hair and blue eyes con-
trasted strangely with the dark skin. Mt
Mason had laughed heartily when he SAW
them for the first time at breakfast. and
| looked at their escapade as a great joke
| but he agreed with his wife that when
| guests came they would better be kept out
| of sight.
| BY common consent, nothing had been
| said at the breakfast table about the ad-
! venture of the night before. They felt d
| little guilty. and they also fei; that they
| had not come out of the affair with suNh
| flying colors that they could a.ord to boast
| muCn. The memory of that diSordtriy re-
treat still ranked in CARROTS heart. ana
for the present he thought it wlsest To SAY
| no hing OF the matter.
| ''Th. res no use soaring mother now II :
| all over he agreed.
| But the matter of Billy's captured prize
demanded attention. and Carroll had called
Il meeting cut by the wood pile to discuss
what should be done with it.
Billy cons itut.d himself master of cere-
| monies. because he felt that he knew how
| such things should be managed better than
any OF the others. First. he made them
| all sit down on the ground in a ring, with
! their legs crossed under them. The morn
! ing was fogSy and the ground was damp.
| bur that made difference although IL
| probably would if Mrs Mason had seen
| them.
You mustn't talk" said Billy, when they
| Were arranged to his entire satisfaction.
| Just hold on a minute till l come back
| with that he ran around the corner OF .Ae
| barn. In a minute ne was back again. car
| rying ordinary clay pipe. the kind thac
| Carroll and Bob called IA soap-bubb.e
| pipe. This one had been used for tobacco
and was very shabby looking affair
| Its the peace pipe. announced Billy.
| Where did You get it, asked Peggy,
| always after Information.
1t looks like the one James keeps in ihe
| harness room. remarked Carroll.
! We'll. it is. acknow. edged Billy. ! saw
| 1t there yesterday: bul We only want II a
! little while, and We won't hurt ii 4 init@
Well just pretend. We won't really smoke
| it. You know he explained as he Joined
| the circle the ground.
But what s il for?'' demanded Peggy 10
| teres;edly watching Billy as he pretended
| to take a Whit and then passed the pip"
| solemnly to Bob, who crouched next 10 him.
Bob had great difficulty in getting nus
| legs crossed, probably because he was IA
| and the position WAS not at all comfortibi"
| but he endured 1t as a brave warrior
| should. He took the pipe as solemniy as X
| had been handed to him. and blew out
! imaginary smoke, just as ne hau seen btls
| 60.
Peggy. you mustn't talk" demonstrated
| Carroll.
But want to know what you're doing
| that for
Its what real Indians always do whe"
| they are holding d council of war. ex-
planned Billy. They all sit around like
this and smoke the pipe of peace and don
| never say word while they are doing H.
! so you must not talk. Now it's your turn.
| Peggy took the pipe and did as the others
| did. She did not quite See the sense OF 1t
| all. but Billy seemed to know all about II
| When it had gone around the little circle
| two or three times in deep silence, Billy
suddenly reached across and shook hands
| with Carroll, who sat opposite. He Was not
| quite whether that was the right
| thing to do or not. He thought il was. but
| il looked suspiciousiy like the way he had
seen them do in Quaker meeting, where n
| had gone once with his grandmother. arh
| he was afraid he was getting the two c@re-
monies little mixed up. But the c':lers
seemed to be properly impressed. SO he
| trusted it was all right. At any rate /:
| was not worth while TO express himself as
| doubtful. he had begun by telling them
! that he knew how things ought to be
| done.
Now the meeting begins" he said, land
you can all say what You want
What about asked Peggy. glad to be
| allowed 10 say anything.
Why, about old Dawes wig explained
Carroll. What shall We do with it,
aske u Bob patheticaily.
Mo- guess it don't matter" replied
| Billy. much to Bobs relief. He got up
ard stamped around a little to wake his
feet up, as he expressed it.
DO You know. | think We ought to take
that Wig back, began Carroll slowly.
''Oh, why" burst out Peggy. IT'S
Bily's; he found it, ard he has right
| to it,
Findings are keepings." remarked Bob
in "a masisteral tone.
Yes. | know; but that's only with
! own things This is different. somehow
This is a prize Captured in war said
| Billy.
Yes, 1 know: but then Dave doesn't
| know that"
We'll. shouldn't think you'd care what
he thought about it after the way he treat
ed YOU.
Il don't care what he thinks. It's only
because | don't think It's fair to keep the
.'.Alls fair In war;" remarked Bob
again.
well. don't think this is fair. anyway"
replied Carroll holly. Il don't care snap
what Dave thinks, but m going TO run this
concern the way 1 think it ought to go, and
| think you fellows might help me-"
But We don't think the way you do
said Billy. Il don't want the old wig par
ticuiarly. but l don't see why it, got to be
taken back"
You won't see; that's what's the mat
ter
ladies and Sentlemen. cried Peggy,
sprnginS to her feet.
You're the only lady here, l spose
you re talking To yourself, laughed Billy.
You needn't be sarcastic" retorted Peg
gy. I'm an Indian the same the rest of
YOU.
You oughtn't to say ladies and gentle
men,. then
"Well-fellow warriors. then. VIII that
do?''
Il guess so,' laughed Carroll, forgetting
his momentary ill-humor Go ahead"
Well" began Peggy inpressively, I've
got idea. What's the use of fighting
about the old wig? Why can't We keep 1t
for day or two. just to give the Old thing
a scare, and then take it back to him? We
don't want it. anyway; it's only for the fun
of having real scalp. If want one real
bad we can take that lock of hair Of Bobs $;
that would do beautifully she ended.
making IA laughing grab at Bob's head He
evaded her clutches by falling backward off
the log he was sitting ard warding her
off with his heels.
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