Dick tried to begin a conversation with the brave. As he could depend only on gestures it was rather difficult; but, by this time, both boys were becoming more or less expert in this sort of thing. Presently he managed to convince the brave that he was a medicine man after a fashion, and would be glad to try to relieve the sufferings of the papoose. When the squaw understood this from what her man told her, she looked dubious. Evidently her faith had made her believe that the more fantastic the costume of the healer, the better chance there would be of success; and how then could this boy with the white skin frighten away the evil spirit when he made no attempt to disguise himself? Both brave and squaw looked anxiously on as Dick took out a little case from his pocket and extracted a tiny bottle. It was only camphor that the phial contained, but Dick felt positive it would work wonders, if only he could get the child to swallow a dose. This was finally managed with the help of the squaw. Since they had consented to allow the "paleface wizard" to try to charm the evil spirit out of the papoose, she meant that the experiment should be carried out regardless of the child's whims; and so with her finger she thrust the medicine down the little one's throat. Dick then went on to talk with his fingers. He was trying to find out whether the village of the brave was nearby, and finally succeeded in learning they would come upon it in one day's walk, or the sweep of the sun from the east to the west. From what the other said in his native fashion Dick was not quite sure about its position. He cut a piece of bark from a tree and held it out to the Nez Perces brave, together with a nail, showing him how to mark upon the smooth surface. Apparently the Indian was shrewd enough to grasp his meaning, for he immediately commenced to make crude figures. Roger watched his efforts with growing eagerness. "I do believe he's caught what you've been trying to say to him, Dick!" he exclaimed in glee. "See there now! he's gone and made a lot of cone-shaped things that I'm sure must stand for wigwams. That's meant for his village; and now he's making a wriggly line past it. Do you think that can stand for a river?" "No question but that it does, Roger. There, now he makes a broader line of the same kind, which must mean a big river that the first one flows into." "Watch him now, Dick; what does he mean by all that curly stuff? To me it looks like waves rolling up onto the beach, just as we've seen them at that lake near which we passed the winter on the Yellowstone." "I really believe he means that the broad river empties into the sea!" announced Dick, at which Roger could hardly repress his feelings of exultation.