return to his mistress and his home.

"_Ma mere_" said Verty, standing at the door of the old Indian woman's
lodge, "I think this pretty pigeon is well. Now I shall carry it back,
and I know I shall find Redbud."

Verty, it will be seen, had concealed nothing from his mother; indeed,
he never concealed anything from anybody. He had told her quite simply
that he wanted to see Redbud again; that they wouldn't tell him where
she was; and that the pigeon would enable him to find her. The old
woman had smiled, and muttered something, and that was all.

Verty now stood with one hand on Cloud's mane, in the early morning,
ready to set forth.

The pigeon was perched upon his left hand, secured to Verty's arm by a
ribbon tied around one of its feet. This ribbon had been given him by
Redbud.

In the other hand he carried his rifle, for some days disused--at his
feet lay Longears and Wolf, in vain pleading with down-cast eyes for
permission to accompany him.

"What a lovely morning!" said Verty, "and look at Cloud, _ma
mere_!--he seems to know it's fall. Then there's Wolf, who can't
understand what I told him about Mr. Rushton's not liking so many
dogs--see how sorry he is."

"The gun makes him so," said the old woman; "he thinks my boy is going
a hunting."