But the light of the fire, which fell full upon the face of the hunter, had permitted some of them to recognize him. The redskins drew back with respect, murmuring among themselves,-- "Loyal Heart! the great paleface hunter!" Eagle Head, for so was the chief of these Indians named, did not know the hunter; it was the first time he had descended into the plains of the Arkansas, and he could not comprehend the exclamation of his warriors; besides, he cordially detested the palefaces, against whom he had sworn to carry on a war of extermination. Enraged at what he considered cowardice on the part of those he commanded, he advanced alone against Loyal Heart, but then an extraordinary occurrence took place. The Comanches threw themselves upon their chief, and notwithstanding the respect in which they held him, they disarmed him to prevent his making any attack upon the hunter. Loyal Heart, after thanking them, himself restored his arms to the chief; who received them coldly, casting a sinister glance at his generous adversary. The hunter, perceiving this feeling, shrugged his shoulders disdainfully, and departed with the prisoner. Loyal Heart had, in less than ten minutes, made for himself an implacable enemy and a devoted friend. The history of the prisoner was simple. Having left Canada with his father, for the purpose of hunting in the prairies, they had fallen into the hands of the Comanches; after a desperate resistance, his father had fallen covered with wounds. The Indians, irritated at this death, which robbed them of a victim, had bestowed the greatest care upon the young man, in order that he might honourably figure at the stake of punishment, and this would inevitably have happened had it not been for the providential intervention of Loyal Heart. After having obtained these particulars, the hunter asked the young man what his intentions were, and whether the rough apprenticeship he had gone through as a wood ranger had not disgusted him with a life of adventures. "By my faith, no!" the other replied; "on the contrary, I feel more determined than ever to follow this career; and, besides," he added, "I wish to avenge my father." "That is just," the hunter observed. The conversation broke off at this point. Loyal Heart, having conducted the young man to one of his _cachés_ (a sort of magazines dug in the earth in which trappers collect their wealth), produced the complete equipment of a trapper,--gun, knife, pistols, game bags, and traps,--and then, after placing these things before his _protégé_, he said simply,-- "Go! and God speed you!" The other looked at him without replying; he evidently did not understand him. Loyal Heart smiled. "You are free," he resumed; "here are all the objects necessary for your new trade,--I give them to you, the desert is before you; I wish you good luck!" The young man shook his head.