“They will not let us,” came the prompt response. “Pretending to be our friends, they are our worst enemies. I know. I lived among them at the rubber camps, long, long ago. When the white men come, no matter under what excuse, the Indian loses and finally disappears. They praise us and give us things of no value for which we always pay in hard labor, in suffering and even with our lives. White men are savages; they know better, but still they are most merciless of all.” “You may be right,” David said thoughtfully. “I don’t know. We ought to teach you things and help you----” “No,” the Indian snapped angrily. “You should let us live our lives and leave us alone.” David thought it best not to press his point. “But we are your friends and always will be,” he said calmly. “Come with us to our camp.” “No, no!” the Indian exclaimed in horror. “They would kill us.” “I assure you you will be as safe in our camp as we are with you; and there are several things I want to give you to show our appreciation of your friendship.” This pleased the stalwart chief. “We will go,” he said. “Tonight the remainder of my tribe will be here. Then we will eat and sing and dance; tomorrow we will start on the journey.” “How far is it?” Miguel asked. “Five settings of the sun, as we will walk slowly. There are many women and children coming tonight and they cannot go fast.” When the others arrived that night the white men were surprised at their number. There were now over two hundred in the party. The women brought food in baskets as well as deer, peccaries, monkeys and birds that had been killed by the men and the feast that followed lasted far into the night. There was no delay, however, in getting under way the following morning. Soon after the sun rose the encampment was astir. There was a hasty meal and then the party formed for the march. The chief started first, accompanied by David and Miguel, and carrying only his bow and a number of arrows. At a distance of twenty paces in back of him walked a woman with a heavy basket strapped to her back and carrying two small children, while several larger ones trudged by her side. At a distance of twenty paces behind her was another warrior bearing only his weapons; then another heavily burdened woman followed by another man; and so they alternated to the end of the line. David thought the men were getting the best of the deal, but after asking a few questions of the leader he was able to account for the arrangement of the column on the march. The men were the fighters and the hunters. Surrounded by enemies as each tribe was at all times, the warrior must be instantly ready to repulse an attack or to dispatch his opponent at first sight. As the hunters, the men must be prepared to shoot any animal they encountered before it could escape. Therefore, they must of necessity be free to use the bow without the slightest delay.