knives and tings like two stars."

"Fire-flies, ye should say. Stars are too soft an' beautiful to
compare to the eyes o' yon savage," said Dick, laughing. "I wish we
were well away from them. That rascal Mahtawa is an ugly customer."

"True, lad," returned Joe; "had _he_ bin the great chief our scalps
had bin dryin' in the smoke o' a Pawnee wigwam afore now. What now,
lad?"

Joe's question was put in consequence of a gleeful smile that
overspread the countenance of Dick Varley, who replied by pointing to
a wigwam towards which they were approaching.

"Oh! that's only a dandy," exclaimed Joe. "There's lots o' them in
every Injun camp. They're fit for nothin' but dress, poor contemptible
critters."

Joe accompanied his remark with a sneer, for of all pitiable objects
he regarded an unmanly man as the most despicable. He consented,
however, to sit down on a grassy bank and watch the proceedings of
this Indian dandy, who had just seated himself in front of his wigwam
for the purpose of making his toilet.

He began it by greasing his whole person carefully and smoothly over
with buffalo fat, until he shone like a patent leather boot; then he
rubbed himself almost dry, leaving the skin sleek and glossy. Having
proceeded thus far, he took up a small mirror, a few inches in
diameter, which he or some other member of the tribe must have
procured during one of their few excursions to the trading-forts of