Ruth laughed, but reminded her that they were talking about her
great-grandmother's adventures in the Indian country years and years
before.

"Yes, that's a fact," said Aunt Alvirah Boggs. "She did have exciting
times. Why, when they was traveling acrosst them Western prairies one
day, what should pop up but a band of Indians, with tall feathers in
their hair, and guns--mebbe bow and arrows, too. Anyway, they scare't
the white people something tremendous," and the old woman nodded
vigorously.

"Well, the neighbors who were traveling together hastened to turn their
wagons so as to make a fortress sort of, of the wagon-bodies, with the
horses and the cattle and the humans in the center. You understand?"

"Yes," Ruth agreed. "I have seen pictures of such a camp, with the
Indians attacking."

"Yes. Well, but you see," cackled the old woman suddenly, "them, Indians
didn't attack at all. They rode down at a gallop, I expect, and scared
the white folks a lot But what they come for was to see if there was a
doctor in the party. Those Indians had heard of white doctors and knowed
what they could do. The chief of the tribe had a favorite child that was
very sick, and he come to see if a white doctor could save his child's
life."

"Oh!" cried Ruth, her eyes sparkling. "What an idea!"

"Well, my pretty, I dunno," said Aunt Alvirah. "'Twas sensible enough, I
should say, for that Indian chief to want the best doctoring there was