from Henri's hand.

Henri being ignorant of the language had not been able to understand
the foregoing conversation, although he saw well enough that it was
not an agreeable one; but no sooner did he find himself thus rudely
and unexpectedly deprived of the rifle than he jumped up, wrenched it
in a twinkling from the Indian's grasp, and hurled him violently out
of the tent.

In a moment Mahtawa drew his knife, uttered a savage yell, and sprang
on the reckless hunter, who, however, caught his wrist, and held it as
if in a vice. The yell brought a dozen warriors instantly to the spot,
and before Dick had time to recover from his astonishment, Henri was
surrounded and pinioned despite his herculean struggles.

Before Dick could move, Joe Blunt grasped his arm, and whispered
quickly, "Don't rise. You can't help him. They daren't kill him till
San-it-sa-rish agrees."

Though much surprised, Dick obeyed, but it required all his efforts,
both of voice and hand, to control Crusoe, whose mind was much too
honest and straightforward to understand such subtle pieces of
diplomacy, and who strove to rush to the rescue of his ill-used
friend.

When the tumult had partly subsided, Joe Blunt rose and said,--"Have
the Pawnee braves turned traitors that they draw the knife against
those who have smoked with them the pipe of peace and eaten their
maize? The Pale-faces are three; the Pawnees are thousands. If evil
has been done, let it be laid before the chief. Mahtawa wishes to have