The Fiery Totem

by C. F. Argyll Saxby

  CHAPTER VIII

  NIGHT IN THE WIGWAM

  While the two boys had been holding their lonely watch at the camp priorto setting forth the following morning on their disappointing search,matters of serious moment were taking place at the encampment of MightyHand and his brother Dacotahs.

  Thunder-maker's triumph had been complete. The savage mind seldom looksfor a simple explanation of anything that surprises him. When theunusual is not understood, he does not search for a simple and naturalexplanation. He immediately flies to the supernatural and attributes togood and evil spirits actions that a little common sense would havereadily explained in an everyday way.

  The Medicine Man of a tribe is different from others of his race. He isthe brainy exception of craft united to common sense, and he uses theseto best advantage for his own interests. Thunder-maker's method ofdivining was very simple after all--nay, even childish. We have seen itperformed by redskin jugglers, as we have also seen the same effectsproduced by Arab diviners on the Syrian desert.

  The explanation is found in the fact that serpents are exceedinglysensitive to blows. A cut with an ordinary willow wand is usuallysufficient to break the spine and disable all but the monsters of theclass. At the same time, although the first blow may daze a snake, it issome time before the final effect takes place, and the creature willwriggle about for some time after having been struck, while its energyis practically nil--that is to say, it merely lives without possessingany real strength.

  Now, Thunder-maker's cunning was well aware of all this, and when hedropped the rattler from his teeth he was careful to do so in such a waythat the creature would touch the ground with considerable violence.Then he allowed it to wriggle about until in time its head faced theEnglishmen. That was the moment for which he had waited, and immediatelyhe started forward with a cry that startled the snake into still fear.A few passes with his hands fascinated the creature long enough for theMedicine Man to show the Indians that the creature was undoubtedlypointing in the direction of the captives, and when that was done thecrafty redskin had achieved his purpose:

  The serpent had divined whom the sacred totem of the tribe had calledthat day.

  Then Thunder-maker had replaced his assistant in the linen cloth beforeit revived sufficiently to commence wriggling again, and, perhaps, pointits supernatural head to some one else.

  Both Arnold and Holden had observed how Mighty Hand had been waveringbetween reason and superstition until the intervention of the MedicineMan had caused superstition to take the uppermost place. A momentbefore, and the chief would have released the captives and sent themback to their camp in charge of a guide. But the art of Thunder-makerhad stepped in to convince the people that the sacred totem of theirtribe had been calling that day, and that it was the Englishmen for whomit called.

  Why?

  Ah, that was what the strangers found inexplicable. Of this, however,there was no doubt: their arrival had been at a most unfortunate time,when some answer to the supposed call of the totem was then expected.They were that answer, and the result--who can say what the consequenceswould be when falsehood and superstition had a savage people at command?

  So the Englishmen were requested to return within the teepee that hadbeen reserved for their prison. But, curiously enough, they were nottreated in any way after the traditional Indian mode of treatingprisoners. They were not bound; no guard was placed at the entrance,though sentries were placed round the camp of which the prison teepeewas the centre. The best food that the Indians possessed was supplied tothem, as well as a sufficiency of fur robes to sleep upon. All the same,in spite of these kindnesses and other thoughtful attentions, there wasno room for doubting that they were prisoners who were not to be allowedany opportunity for escape, and the men could only accept the presentsituation in a philosophic spirit, and await the course of events withsuch patience as they could muster.

  As the day passed, and darkness fell upon the forest, the Englishmenstretched themselves upon the robes, while in whispers they tried toarrive at the solution of the mystery and form some sort of plan forfuture action.

  "It's all owing to that scoundrel Thunder-maker," Arnold said. "If hehad not stepped in, Mighty Hand would have released us. I could see byhis face that he was favourably disposed towards us."

  "It is a serious business," said Holden.

  "Serious enough for us, for there is no knowing what may happen whenpeople get mixed up with native superstitions. At the same time, what Iworry about most is the boys."

  Holden sighed at the thought of Bob and his son Alf being alone at thedeserted camp.

  "Yes," he said. "It will be hard on them if anything happens tous--miles away from civilised habitations. Of course, I don't give uphope of coming out of this right enough in the long-run, and we may beworrying over very little after all. But meantime--the boys--I wonderwhat they are doing now?"

  At this question the elder man gave a slight laugh.

  "You wonder?" he repeated. "I don't think you need go very far for theanswer if you haven't quite forgotten our own schooldays. What wouldyou and I have done if two of our chums had disappeared from camp as wedid?"

  "Gone to look for them," was the prompt reply, to which Arnold resumed--

  "And I think there's not so very much difference between Arnold andHolden _peres_ and _fils_. You take my word for it: at this very minutethe youngsters have summed up the situation and are planning a rescueexpedition, if, indeed, they have not already set out. Neither Bob norAlf is the sort of chap to sit still and moan at such a time."

  "Yes, I believe you are right. Neither of the youngsters would allowhimself to be knocked over by the first difficulty. And they would knowthat some accident must have taken place, for we promised to be back atcamp by dinner-time."

  "All the same, we don't want them to be mixed up in this affair in theevent of their coming on our track," said Arnold. "We must contrive toprevent that, but---- Hullo! Who's this?"

  A dark outline had suddenly filled the space at the opening of the tentat this juncture, but the Englishmen were not left long in doubt of thenature of their late visitor, for a voice addressed them in Indianaccents.

  "Thunder-maker would speak words of counsel with his white brothers."

  "Oh, he would, would he?" returned Arnold, and his companion added--

  "There was very little friendship about Thunder-maker this afternoon."

  The Indian gave a low laugh, as though he were thoroughly enjoying somesecret joke.

  "There are days when hunter's path must be straight; there are days whencrooked trail lead him where he find much deer. To-day--crooked trail.But Thunder-maker friend. He would speak in ear of white brother--low,soft. Thunder-maker wise man. He speak words of wisdom to his friends.But--none may hear but pale-face."

  "By that you mean that you want to come into the teepee?" said Arnold."All right. Come along. And if you have any sense to speak of, out withit."

  The Indian noiselessly entered and took a seat on the robes between theEnglishmen. He did not speak during these movements, but when he wascomfortably settled he turned to Holden and addressed him in a whisper--

  "Night dark, and red men sleep--all but braves, who watch that white menno return to Silver Lake." And a second time the Medicine Man laughedquietly.

  "Silver Lake!" returned Holden. "I shouldn't think we need any watchingto prevent that. Without a canoe, Silver Lake is not much use to us."

  "Still--braves watch. They believe that white men return to waters. Theycame without canoes; they go back without canoes."

  "Fools!" exclaimed Holden. "What do they think we are? Spirits?"

  "Huh! My white brother speaks true. Indians--_some_ Indians--fools,"answered Thunder-maker, at which Holden uttered an exclamationbetokening sudden enlightenment.

  "By Jove, Arnold! That's it! That explains the whole business. Theseidiots take us for spirits, since they saw us scramble out from the lakewithout any boat in sight. Spirits! It's almost too silly to b
elieve."

  "Yet that's what Thunder-maker means," said Arnold, to whom the solutionof the mystery was now equally clear. "That is what you wish us tounderstand, isn't it, Thunder-maker?"

  "The understanding of the white man travels quick."

  "And that accounts for the kind treatment--the food, half-freedom, andthe rest. But if your people think us spirits, why do they keep us here?Why not let us return?"

  The Indian paused for a moment before he replied, after which heremarked quietly, and with a peculiar inflection of tone that added deepmeaning to his words, while at the same time it betrayed the fact thatthere was some curious reason to account for this confidence--

  "Dacotahs fools. They think white brothers spirits--_evil_ spirits. Theyhave not the eyes of Thunder-maker."

  "I see," said Arnold thoughtfully. "But you forget, Thunder-maker, thatyour trickery with the snakes helped them to that opinion."

  Once more the Medicine Man laughed quietly in a manner that irritatedhis hearers, and Holden broke in roughly--

  "Come now, you old cheat, explain yourself! _You_ didn't believe as therest of your people did. And if not, why did you behave in such a doubleway? Out with it. You had some purpose in coming here to-night, and youmay as well give us the truth right away."

  It is not possible to hasten an Indian in the matter of speech. Hastyresponse or rapid talk they deem discourteous. Thunder-maker was noexception to his race in this respect, but he was exceptional inanother, inasmuch as when bent on a subject he stuck to it without usingmany unnecessary words or ornaments of speech. He waited in thoughtfulsilence for several minutes. Possibly in his cunning way he was mentallyscrutinising the peculiarities of his companions in the teepee--decidingwhat course would be best to enable him to be assured of their trust.Whether or not he judged their characteristics correctly will be seenlater.

  "My white brother has asked for the truth," the Indian began."Thunder-maker shall speak words as straight as the path of a burningarrow.

  "Many years ago--when the buffalo lived upon the prairie to feed theredman and provide his robes--the great tribe of Dacotahs would hunt inthe valley that is known even to-day as the Peace Camp. Many deer wouldfeed there, and the buffalo would eat the blue grass, and Manito hadfilled the camp with fruit and flowers. In those days the Dacotahs wereruled by a mighty warrior, Flying Cloud--the son of the fiery totemserpent that saved his life by slaying the chief of the Chippeways inthe war-path by night."

  Here the speaker paused, as though he expected some comment from thelisteners regarding the seeming miracle. But no remark beingforthcoming, he resumed--

  "For many years our tribe lived in prosperity. Pemmican was in plenty,and the redmen kept the hunting-grounds in peace. Then--one night--ChiefFire-water came to the camp, and a brave with foolish mind praisedFire-water more than the sacred totem. He was slain by Flying Cloud erethe insult was cool on his lips. But the serpent was angered. He flashedtongue of fire to the Dacotahs--called down the rains and the tempestupon the Peace Camp by night, until the water spirits rushed through thevalley on white horses, destroying trees and fruits--washing the landbare of earth. And, when the sun came up from his teepee of fire, FlyingCloud and the best warriors of the Dacotahs had been carried away by thewater spirits and were never seen again.

  "Then there was great wailing in the camp, and the totem of the tribewas called upon to cease anger, lest the Dacotahs be a tribe no more.

  "And the serpent had pity, and spoke thus to the warriors and braves--

  "'I will stay my anger; but I have given power to the spirits that rideon white horses, and I may not call it back again.'

  "'Then what shall the Dacotahs do?' asked the warriors. 'It may be thatthe spirits will again ride their white mustangs and take from us ourchief and our young men.'

  "And the serpent replied--

  "'When such time come, the Dacotahs will see two white spirits rise outof the lake that is silver. When the moon is round, they shall rise outof the lake that is silver. They shall come without canoe to bear them,and without arrow or tomahawk for fighting. By this shall you know them.Then shall the Dacotahs lay hands upon the white spirits; they shalltreat them kindly, but they shall bring them to the Peace Camp and thereconsume them with fire. Then shall the power of the water spirits bebroken. Then shall the Dacotahs be safe. Then shall the fire of my angerbe quenched.

  "'But I--the sacred totem of the Dacotahs--am mighty and full of pity.The Dacotahs are brave, but they are not all wise. It may be that theirignorance might lead them to bring suffering to those who are not evilspirits. But let them not hold back in doubt, for I shall stay theirhand, even though the torch be set at the wood. For if the eyes of mychildren are blind, I shall be near to guide them. And the sign of thisshall be: _I shall appear before the eyes of all people as a serpent offire_. By this shall they know that they have erred. They shall withholdthe torch, free the captives, and be to them as brothers.'"

  Once more the speaker waited for a space, until he knew that his hearershad time to grasp the full meaning of the legend that he had related.Then he lowered his voice and spoke with deep meaning that was notdifficult for the Englishmen to understand--

  "Yesterday the moon was round. Two white spirits came from the lake thatis silver without canoe for sailing, without arms or tomahawk forfighting. The fiery totem called, and was answered.... By another sunMighty Hand will lead the white spirits of the water to the camp that iscalled Peaceful!"