door, with idlers about, he smoked with the chief and his braves. Again
Pierre worked upon him adroitly, and again he became loud in speech, and
grandly patronising.

"I've stood by ye like a father, ye loafers," he said, "an' I give you my
word, ye howlin' rogues--"

Here Bareback and a half-dozen braves came up suddenly from the ground,
and the chief said fiercely: "You speak crooked things. We are no rogues.
We will fight."

Macavoy's face ran red to his hair. He scratched his head a little
foolishly, and gathered himself up. "Sure, 'twas only me tasin',
darlins," he said, "but I'll be comin' again, when y'are not so narvis."
He turned to go away.

Pierre made a sign to Bareback, and the Indian touched the giant on the
arm. "Will you fight?" said he.

"Not all o' ye at once," said Macavoy slowly, running his eye carefully
along the half-dozen; "not more than three at a toime," he added with a
simple sincerity, his voice again gone like the dove's. "At what time
will it be convaynyint for ye?" he asked.

"At sunset," said the chief, "before the Fort." Macavoy nodded and walked
away with Pierre, whose glance of approval at the Indians did not make
them thoroughly happy.

To rouse the giant was not now so easy. He had already three engagements
of violence for sunset. Pierre directed their steps by a roundabout to