"If I were a white man," said Charlie, "I'd make you love me and marry me. But I'm an Indian and sooner or later I'll go back to my people. I'm just making believe I can play the white man's game for a while." He eyed Lydia wistfully. "But we'll be friends, eh, Lydia?--Always? Even if I go back to the wick-i-up, you'll be my friend?" "Oh, yes, Charlie, always," replied Lydia, earnestly, even while there flashed through her head the half whimsical thought, "Queer kinds of men want to be friends with me, Mr. Levine, Mr. Marshall, and Charlie. And they all hate each other!" After this episode, Charlie was less strenuous about showing Lydia Indian conditions. That night he resumed a mild flirtation with Olga that he had dropped when school closed and Olga met him more than half way. "Wouldn't that come and get you!" growled Kent to Lydia as Charlie and Olga paddled away in the canoe, the next morning. "Have you and Charlie had a fight?" "Nope," replied Lydia. "But I got sick of investigating the reservation. Are you and Olga mad at each other?" "Not so very! Say, Lyd, let's kill time," Kent interrupted himself with a yawn, "with a tramp up to the settlement for some gum." Lydia stifled an elaborate yawn, at which Kent grinned. "All right, I can stand it if you can," she said. "Will you come along, Miss Towne?" Miss Towne, who had been highly edified by the morning's maneuvering shook her head and settled herself in her hammock. "No eight mile walk for me. I'm taking a rest cure. Better wear a hat, Lydia. You're getting dreadfully burned." "That's right. Your nose is peeling something fierce," said Kent as they started off. "Huh, yours looks like a pickled beet," returned Lydia. "Come on, pretend I'm Olga and be happy." CHAPTER X THE CAMP "The humans I have known lack root hold. Perhaps that is why they die and leave no trace."--_The Murmuring Pine_. There was no clear-cut trail between the camp and the settlement. The settlement lay four miles northeast and there were little-used, needle-covered roads to be found that led here, there and everywhere, over which the initiated could find the way to the store. But Lydia and Kent did not want to use the roads. It was with the old familiar sense of make believe adventure that they started on what they called a Bee-line southwest. And it was mid-afternoon before, hungry and leg weary, they reached the store that backed up against the Indian school! They bought sardines, crackers and cheese and ate them perched on a dry goods box near the hitching rack. "There! I feel happier," said Kent as he threw away the empty sardine cans. "How are you, old lady?" Lydia swung her feet contentedly. "Fine! Let's start back. We'll be there by supper time, I'm sure we know the way now." Kent nodded, offered Lydia a stick of gum, took one himself, put a huge supply in his pocket and they were off.