Mul-tal-la was slyer than his friends had supposed. He had been in the company of the youths long enough to learn that George Shelton was the superior of his brother in wrestling, and indeed possessed no little skill in that respect. The Blackfoot was sanguine that the white youth could overturn Antelope. And yet he was by no means certain, for the Indian was taller and showed that he was strong and agile. Many red men pride themselves on their skill in wrestling, and have good grounds for doing so. Mul-tal-la warned George of this and impressed upon him not to throw away the slightest advantage he could gain from the very outset. To prove that Black Elk meant to be fair, he compelled his son to lay his knife on the ground beside his bow. The youth carried no tomahawk or other weapon, and to reciprocate, George handed his knife to Mul-tal-la. “I suppose I am to wrestle that other monkey,” muttered Victor, scowling at the youth. “No!” replied the Blackfoot, with a grin; “you and he are to fight.” “Good! that suits me to a dot!” exclaimed the pleased Victor. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XV A QUESTION OF SKILL AND COURAGE. THE situation had taken on a most singular phase. The Shelton brothers were waiting on the crest of the ridge for the return of their Blackfoot friend, when in a brief time they were called upon to enter into a brief struggle with two Shoshone or Snake Indians for the possession of their own property. Withal, the paleface youths were eager for the contest. This was especially true of Victor, who, as he expressed it, was aching for a set-to with the broad, strongly built youth, toward whom he had taken an intense dislike from the first. The arrangements were made by the chief Black Elk and Mul-tal-la, the two warriors standing as immobile as if hundreds of miles removed from the spot, though it is not to be supposed they were not interested. Their leader and the Blackfoot talked again for two or three minutes, while George and Victor stood side by side, awaiting the test. The rifle of one was still held by a Shoshone, while Victor clung to his own weapon. “I don’t give it up till I have to,” grimly remarked the lad. “One of them has yours, and Mul-tal-la shall take charge of mine; he’ll act fair, but I don’t believe any of the others will. George, if you don’t throw that copper-colored scamp you’re no brother of mine, and you’ll have to settle with _me_.” “I’ll do my best—I promise you that. Don’t forget that _you_ have a tough job before you.” Mul-tal-la addressed the brothers: “My brother George will wrestle with Antelope first; then my brother Victor will see whether Young Elk is stronger than he.” “How many falls are we to have?” asked George.