“Hurry, then, Allan, with the water. By the time this lad has been fed you will be back.”
It was not long before Allan was back with the water.
“Now, then,” he said to the Indian, “where's your camp?”
The Indian with his knife drew a line upon the ground. “River,” he said. Another line parallel, “Trail.” Then, tracing a branching line from the latter, turning sharply to the right, “Big Hill,” he indicated. “Down--down.” Then, running the line a little farther, “Here camp.”
“I know the spot,” cried Allan. “Well, I'm off. Are you quite sure, Mandy, you don't mind?”
“Run off with you and get back soon. Go--good-by! Oh! Stop, you foolish boy! Aren't you ashamed of yourself before--?”
“Ashamed? No, nor before his whole tribe.” He swung himself on his pony and was off down the trail at a gallop.
“Yes,” she said, “my man,” pride ringing in her voice.
“Oh, no! Yes.” She corrected herself hastily. “Big Chief. Ranch, you know--Big Horn Ranch.”
“Huh!” He closed his eyes and sank back again upon the ground.
“You're faint with hunger, poor boy,” said Mandy. She hastily cut a large slice of bread, buttered it, laid upon it some bacon and handed it to him.
“Here, take this in the meantime,” she said. “I'll have your tea in a jiffy.”
The boy took the bread, and, faint though he was with hunger, sternly repressing all sign of haste, he ate it with grave deliberation.
In a few minutes more the tea was ready and Mandy brought him a cup.
“Good!” he replied, drinking the second cup more rapidly.
“Now, we'll have some fish,” cried Mandy cheerily, “and then you'll be fit for your journey home.”
In twenty minutes more she brought him a frying pan in which two large beautiful trout lay, browned in butter. Mandy caught the wolf-like look in his eyes as they fell upon the food. She cut several thick slices of bread, laid them in the pan with the fish and turned her back upon him. The Indian seized the bread, and, noting that he was unobserved, tore it apart like a dog and ate ravenously, the fish likewise, ripping the flesh off the bones and devouring it like some wild beast.
“There, now,” she said, when he had finished, “you've had enough to keep you going. Indeed, you have had all that's good for you. We don't want any fever, so that will do.”