Many were the stories the Nez Perces told, in their sign language mostly, about the Indians who frequented the lower reaches of this broad river, where the "shining fish" swarmed at times so that no man could count their number, which was like the grains of sand on the beach. As near as the boys could make out these natives, from some peculiarity connected with their person, were known far and wide as the Flat Heads. They seemed to be of an exceedingly warlike disposition, and great hunters, as well as persistent fishermen. Their method of taking the salmon was with a spear, and in the season an adept could daily throw up on the bank a glittering pile of the big fish calculated, when dried after a manner in vogue among them, to last his lodge all winter. Many were the interesting things the boys learned when they found a means of talking with the peaceful Nez Perces. The days passed almost too quickly for even Roger, impatient as he was to set eyes on the goal of their hopes. And, just as had been anticipated, the fame of Dick as a "big medicine" spread through all the skin lodges of the tribe. People even came from other settlements to consult the "wonder boy," who could chase the evil spirits out of a suffering body by simply sending down a pill to wrestle with the monster. Dick had his hands full, much to the amusement of his cousin. He did not shirk his duty, though careful not to utterly exhaust his precious store of drugs, compounded for the most part by his mother's own hands. The head chief finally returned, and with him the band of warriors who had been on the grand hunt. They brought back with them a large store of fresh meat, which the squaws immediately set to work to dry after their crude fashion, thus converting it into "pemmican," black, tough stuff which made the boys shudder to look at, but which could sustain the human frame wonderfully. Success having attended the annual hunt, the chief was in a particularly good humor. He felt that the coming of these "palefaces" must have had something to do with the bountiful supply of game he and his warriors had come across. Besides, the whites intended going down into the country of the dreaded Flat Heads, and their influence might be exerted to make peace between those Indians and the Nez Perces. So a feast was spread, at which all of the whites had the pleasure of tasting baked dog, which they agreed was fair eating, though none of them came back for a second helping. The chief readily entered into a covenant whereby, for a certain consideration, he agreed to care for the horses of the whites until they came up the river in the spring, upon which the animals were to be returned to their owners. Besides this, canoes were loaned to the "palefaces," boats made of skin, and a little insecure, but nevertheless serviceable for the purposes of the explorers.