Frontier and pioneer life -- Juvenile fiction; Shawnee Indians -- Juvenile fiction
“Mul-tal-la cannot get nigh enough to bring down the antelopes,”
remarked Deerfoot, “for they go faster than any of our horses can run.”
“My brother Deerfoot cannot get near enough to shoot an antelope, but
Mul-tal-la finds no trouble in doing so.”
The brothers were astonished by the audacity of this remark. Did the
Blackfoot presume to think his fleetness of foot could be compared with
that of the Shawanoe, who had never met his equal? They looked at
Deerfoot to see how he took the slur. He was never troubled by such
trifles.
“It will please the heart of Deerfoot to see his brother bring back one
of the antelopes. Does he want Deerfoot’s gun?”
“No; it shall be done with Mul-tal-la’s bow and arrow,” was another
surprising declaration.
Saying no more, the Blackfoot, bearing his long bow in his right hand,
walked down the gentle slope and moved, not toward the antelopes, but to
the south. The timid creatures noticed him at once, for he made no
effort to conceal himself. All the six raised their heads and watched
him with evident misgiving. The two that had shown so much fear from the
first glanced first at him and then at the group on the rise in the
prairie, as if uncertain which was the most to be dreaded.
Had Mul-tal-la walked directly toward the animals they would have been
off like so many arrows, but he bore away as if they were not in his
mind. As it was, however, three of the antelopes galloped a hundred
yards or so to the north, when, seeing that their companions did not
follow, they stopped and resumed their staring.
The warrior walked steadily until he was equidistant from his friends
and from the antelopes. Still facing away from the latter, he now sank
to the ground and began creeping toward the animals. Deerfoot, who, like
the boys, was watching every movement, smiled.
“They will not let my brother come nigh enough to reach them with an
arrow,” he remarked, not a little amused over what looked like the
certain discomfiture of his companion, for, despite the tall grass, he
was sure to be detected by the creatures.
Sure enough, he had advanced but a little way when the whole six bounded
off as if they would never stop. Mul-tal-la ceased crawling, but did not
rise.
“What is he doing?” asked the puzzled Victor, closely watching the red
man, who could be plainly seen without the aid of the glass.
His action was curious. Still lying on his face, he raised one hand as
far above his head as he could reach, and slowly waved it from side to
side with a regular, pendulum movement. The antelopes that were bounding
off abruptly stopped, wheeled part way round and stared at the
oscillating hand. They stood for a little while, and then one of them
began stepping cautiously toward the object. The others reluctantly
imitated him, so that the singular sight of six antelopes marching
carefully in Indian file was displayed. Deerfoot chuckled, for he now
understood the trick.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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