THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, '-NOVEMBER, 4, 1906.
51
The Stratagem of Little Betty
BETTY peeped out from the great hall
door of the Hospital and watched the
Special Surgeon as he descended from his
carriage, came up the broad atone steps
entered and walked with dignified tread
down the long corridor toward the consulting-room.
When he was far enough
away to be out of hearing, she called In a
half whisper:
"Hello, Surgeon:"
Every week on Wednesdays and Satur
days the Special Surgeon came, always
In exactly the same way, and Betty made
it a point to be at the door. The freedom
of the whole place waa hers, for was not
her father the superintendent? Sometimes
even she went In the wards where the
children lay, and when one of them would
be getting well, she would be allowed to
take her dolls and lighten a half-hour for
the small sufferer.
Betty had had serious thoughts of train
ing for a nurse, and had once even gotten
as far as to costume herself for the part.
A pale blue shirt-waist suit of her Pretty
Mamma's (Betty found It In a trunk where
all of her Pretty Mamma's things had
been put last year when the sweet, pale
lady had drifted across the border of the
unknown land), the dres was almost the
color of nurses' uniforms. Then with her
little Btore of handkerchiefs she concocted
a cap, a pair of cuffs, a neck-gear and
even an apron with four pinned together
and another at the top for a bib.
When she presented herself as. a candi
date before the head nurse, that worthy
had laughed at her, and now she did not
car for the head nurse any more.
But the Special Surgeon he was differ
ent. Betty knew that he would not have
laughed, he was such a gentleman. Betty
waa glad there was no regular surgeon In
the Hospital, so that special one could
come to perform the operations. There
were several doctors beside her father,
but though Betty liked them and they
liked Betty, she felt the difference be
tween them and the Special Surgeon.
The saddest part of it all was that he
had never seen Betty In all the six
months he had been coming.' In the first
place, he came on business and was not
looking for little girls, and in the second
place, Betty always hid behind the hall
door. A sudden shyness struck her every
time she saw his tall, long-coated figure
and shiny silk hat, and she dared not con
front those grave blue eyes, whose kindly
glance never seemed to fall as low as
Bntty's brown mane.
Betty waited this morning In the corri
dor a long time. What could the Special
Surgeon be doing? Always when he was
there there were people who went Into
the consulting-room, and very often one
would be wheeled In there. Nurses and
doctors came and went, and anxious
looking people sat In the reception-room
or crept on tip-toe to the door of the consulting-room.
Betty knew that on beyond
there was a room called the operating-
Chapter IV.
In making cump the pioneers had
drawn their wagons up in a square,
and all the people and animals were
Inside of it. Had the Indians divided
their forces and charged all four sides
at once"' they might have broken
through somewhere, as they would
have been nearly ten to one In num
bers. When they drew up it was
seen, however, that they meant to
charge only the front. Sharpe com
manded every man to take position
there: The men crouched down and
rested their rifles across the spokes
of the wheels, thus making sure of
their aim, and as they waited their
leader went among them and said:
"Only halt of you must fire at the
word. Let the other half hold their
fire until the first have reloaded. Don't
get excited and fire wildly.- Bring
down pony or warrior with every bul
let. Don't let the yelling of the red
skins disturb you. It will be all noise.
If we can kill 10 or 15 warriors the
remainder will draw off."
Three minutes later, with yells that
could be heard two miles away, and
in, r" ' m
The Boys slipped H alters over" theif headj")
1)11:
'Crood joamuift. Itfr. Surgeon. I cjune to insult you tout somtfin
room, where everything was clean and
shiny and slippery Rnd sunllghty, and
both rooms smelt of something called
"antiseptic." She had peeped once and
been hustled out by the nurse.
They were funny people who went Into
that mysterious place. Some had white
floury faces and some were redder than
they ought to be. Some had queer shapes
and some went on crutches, and when
they came out they were ion wheeled
chairs, lying white and still, and they
were hurried into their rooms. It was
rather awesome to Betty, but there was a
compensation all these people could get
acquainted with the Special Surgeon and
look Into his kindly blue eyes and talk
with him; and his voice it was like a
caress. It was worth having something
the matter with one just to hear it.
There was a sound at the door of the
consulting-room and Betty scuttled back
behind the hall door to watch the Special
Surgeon come out with her father, as
they passed her hiding-place she heard
them say:
"Fine operation broken rib removed
successfully patient doing well."
with every pony at a mad gallop, the
Indians came on. It was well that
the pioneers had been cautioned. Most
of them had never been under fire be
fore, and the yelling of the warriors,
the wails of the women and children
and the neighing of the horses and the
braying of the mules was enough to
make any man nervous.
When the charging Indians had cpme
within pistol shot Sharps gave the
word to fire. The volley was a deadly
one and checked the Indians, and was
speedily followed by a second. A third
one was not needed.
The warriors broke and fled, and
when the smoke lifted it seemed as if
every pioneer had brought down a
pony or its rider. Twenty-five Indians
lay dead on the grass, and the dead
ponies numbered 19. The surviving
warriors made off at the top of their
speed, and after the men had shaken
hands with each other and the women
and children had got over their
fright, Sharpe called three men to him
and they went out to see if there were
any wounded among those lying In
front of the camp. Each one was In
spected a:id found to be dead.
In the case of the ponies, three or
four were found to be wounded. These
were at once killed to put them out
of their misery. While the four men
were gathering the bow and arrows,
blankets, beads, headdresses and other
things, Joe Chujleigh, who was find
ing up in one of the wagmons suddenly
caught sight of something to interest
him, and jumping down he grabbed a
halter and said to his brother Sam:
"Get a halter and come with me, I
And then Betty had an Idea!
This was Wednesday. On Saturday he
wouM come again, and then she would do
It. .She clapped her little hands and
squealed for the very joy and mischief of
It. .
Saturday morning came. It was a
rainy, drizzly day, and the Special Sur
geon was a bit later than usual. He had
just come from a case of grave Import,
and a serious look lay heavy In his blue
eyes. In the consulting-room he removed
his hat and overcoat, washed his hands
and looked around to see who might be
waiting. There was no surgical work
that morning only an old man with a
cataract to be attended to, next week,,
and a possible case of operation for a
middle-aged woman. With a sigh of re
lief the Surgeon turned to look for his
hat, when the door softly opened.
A queer little figure entered. - The Spe
cial Surgeon started twice to be sure it
was hot an old dwarfed little woman.
Then a twinkle came into his eyes and
he looked straight into Betty's but he
did not smile.
Betty flirted her black train purloined
can see two Indian ponies In the brush
down in that hollow. Let us capture
them."
He ran to Sharpe and got permis
sion, and then the two brothers made
tor the spot where the ponies were. An
Indian pony docs not like the smell of
a white man. He Is ready to run away
at once. In this case there were three
pot Ie3 together, but one of them waa
lying dead. The two that were on their
feet and uuwounded seemed to have
been ridden until thoroughly exhaust
ed. They hardly moved when the boys
slipped halters over their heads.
At the camp they were seen to be
war ponies of the best breed, each hav
ing feathers woven Into his mane and
tail, and utter looking them over
rtharpe said:
"Boys, you are to be congratulated.
Those ponies belonged to warriors of
renown, and as soon as rested will be
all right. Each of you needed a pony,
and here they are. They will be rather
wild for a time, but after the'y have
got used to you they will be worth a
hundred dollars apiece."
Instead of burying the slain Indians,
their bodies were flunfe into the river,
while the carcasses of the ponies were
left tc the buzzards.
The dead were not disposed of. how
ever, until Sharpe and four men had
made a scout to the west to see how
!t fared with the four families that
had broken away that morning. Their
worst fears were realized, Tomllnson
and his party had not proceeded over
three miles when they were attacked.
They had made a brave defense, but
within a quarter of an hour the tragedy
was over. Not one of them escaped.
The Indians had robbed the wagons
of what they wanted and then set fire
to them. Sharpo sent back to the camp
AN ELEPHANTS MEMORY
Twenty years ago a native who was
looking at the elephants in the zoological
gardens at Bombay, India, gave an ele
phant a lighted cheroot to put Into his
mouth and then ran away.
The man moved hundreds of miles away
and it was only last Summer that he
visited Bombay again. He went to the
gardens and found the same elephant.
The great beast gave him no attention
and the native finally ' became careless.
Then he was suddenly seized and flung i
to me root, and when he came down the
elephant knelt on him and crushed him.
As the elephant had never offered to
injure any one before, and even had
children on his back at the time of seiz
ing the man, there is no doubt that he
remembered the native and meant to
punish him for his Joke of years before.
An elephant which fell through a bridge
in India was driven over the same road
30 years later and refused to cross at the
same spot, and had to be driven 20 miles
to a fording place.
He Still Lives.
George Peabody, a boy of 14 years, liv
ing in Wisconsin, got up one morning to
fall down stairs. After breakfast he fell
from an apple tree. A -little later he
tumbled down the well. After dinner he
was bitten by a dog at the gate, and two
hours later, while fjahlng in the river,
he fell in and was almost drowned. After
supper he went out to milk the cow, and
was kicked in the side and had two ribs
broken. As he lay on the ground a colt
stepped on htm and gave him a hurt,
and two minutes later a bull picked him
up on Ub horns and threw him over the
fence and broke one of his legs. While
he was being carried Into the house by
two men they dropped him and hurt his
back, and he was no sooner on his bed
than it fell down and cut a gash in his
scalp. The boy is still alive and lively,
however, and in a. few days will be ready
to be struck by lightning or blown up
with dynamite.
A Smart Girl.
In Lyons. France, a girl 12 years old
woke up recently and found a burglar in
the room. She watched him for 15 min
utes as he hunted for plunder, and as he
then passed into a closet she sprang out
of bed and locked the door on him. :
He made every effort to break out, but
she gave the alarm and he was captured.
H "proved to be a criminal for whom
the police had searched for. a long time,
and the little "girl was rewarded with a
present of $200. The man said he would
have killed her had he known that she
was awake.
Making Him Smart.
Near Lawrence, Kan. last month, a
from Pretty Mamma's trunk, readjusted
a bonnet borrowed from Grandma Mul
hooney In the senile ward, balanced
Papa's blue glasses on the tip of her
nose and looked soberly over the tops of
them at the Special Surgeon.
"Good morning, Mr. Surgeon," she said.
"I came to Insult you about" somefin."
"What? Oh, consult me. Well, my
good madam, what can I do for you?"
Betty patted a large protuberance under
her lace waist on the left side.
"I got a broked rib to cut off." .
"Indeed! It looks very . large. This
must be a serious case."
"It's In a pillow-case, if you mean that,
Mr. Surgeon I didn't mean to tell you
that . Do you think you can -cure
me?"
"Come here a bit and let me see." He
placed his hand lightly on the bulging
spot: '
"It seems soft. " I think it can -be re
moved without danger and we may be
able to effect a perfect cure. How did
you acquire this this er trouble?"
"Tied it on wlv a string. If you're go
In" to operate I got my mellin' salts an'
my antiseptics wiv me."
She dove Into the voluminous folds of
her fluffy skirt and produced two vase
Jine bottles tied to her waist with a blue
"ribbon.
"Now I'm ready," she announced, snif
fing violently at one of the bottles, and
pretending to spill something on her
hands out of the other. "Will we go In
the operating-room?"
"Well, er madam I think we can fix
you up right here."
Betty's face fell
"But If you prefer come. Miss Bart
lett (to the attending nurse who was
standing by a tray of Instruments in the
shiny, slippery room) here is a very sad
case. Do you think we can remove it
painlessly?"
Miss Bartlett? turned
"Why that's Betty! The little mischief
what is she playing now?
Betty gave a critical glance at the
Special Surgeon, as he responded:
"I think. Miss Bartlett. you are mis
taken. This is an old lady with a irery
bad trouble. You can . see it bulge under
her left arm."
And then Betty broke into a peal of
merry laughter:
"I fooled you, I fooled 'you! I bet you
wouldn't of knowed if Miss Bartlett
hadn't. And 'taint a really trouble. It's
Just a pillow. Look!"
With a sudden jerk she pulled out m
small sofa-pillow and waved It In front
of him.
Then the Special Surgeon roared
great ha-has like earthquakes, and the
kindly blue eyes fairly ran over with ap
preciation bf Betty's joke. . .
"You see," Betty said, as they prom
enaded confidentially toward the door
where the Special Surgeon's carriage was
waiting: "I always hid behind the front
door, but I dassented to speak to you
unless was a patience, so I did It this
way, and they didn't nobody know I was
goin' to."
"A"d why did you want to speak to
me?"
"Because you looked nice. I shan't be
afraid of you any more." .
"All right, it's a bargain. . Good-bye
Miss Betty, ' and after this I shall al
ways look for you behind the hall door."
for shovels and spades and more help,
and tne Jead were burled and stones
piled up to mark the spot. The people
had paid for thtfr foolishness with
' their lives, but everybody felt sorry
for the women and children. There
was no breaking camp that day. It
was thought by some that the Indians
might return under cover of darkness,
and during the long hours of night a
vigilant watch was kept, but nothing
occurred to cause an alarm.
At an early hour next morning the
camp was astir, and It was only half
an hour after sunrise when the Wagons
were moving.
The Indian ponies captured by Joe
and Sam had become rested and the
boys were determined to ride them.
They had no saddles, but each bor
rowed a spare bridle, and it was the
work of an hour to get the animals to
take the bits Into their mouths. The
Indian his neither bit nor bridle, but
rides with a piece of rawhide drawn
through the pony's mouth. For the
first half day the boys had all they
could do to stick to their, mounts, but
after that the ponies gave in and be
came fairly steady.
For the next four days the weather
was good and the outfit easily made
its 15-miles a day. Then came a week
of lowery weather, with many creeks
and ravines to cross, and the distance
made was not nearly so great. They
had reached the Colorado line, however,
and after a night in camp Sharpe called
ail the men together and said:
"We are now ready to cross Into
Colorado. The Indians are not so nu
merous here, but not less than four
families should settle in one neighbor
hood. This will give you a chance to
protect each other."
(To Be Continued.)
farmer named Tunstand drove to town
with his wife one day, leaving his young
daughter Mary- to mind tile house. She
was sewing when she heard some one
getting Into the window of the next room.
She ran to the pantry and got a handful
of pepper and then entered the room to
find that a negro tramp had got half-way
In. She dashed the pepper Into his eyes
without a moment's hesitation, and with
screams of rage and pain he fell to the
ground. He was so blinded that he could
not see to make his way out of the yard,
and was groping around and making
threats of what he would do when tne
girl shouted to some people who were
passing and the fellow was lugged off
to Jail and afterwards sent to prison for
a year. If pepper hits Just right it is bet
ter than a club.
- The .Man Who Is Wanted.
Roy Farrell Greene in Leslie's Weekly.
The World-of-Affairs has been wanting a
man
For years, that must meet with a certain
condition.
Measure up to a standard, conform with a
plan,
. By which he'll be tested who gets the
position.
He need not be brilliant, have erudite mind,
Thoug-h these sha'n't count Against him,
these attributes vaunted.
But the chap whom the World-of-Affairs
hopes to find
Is the fellow who's always on hand when
he's wanted.
A young man's preferred, but than age
scarce will count
Against him if he's one on whom they
can reckon
To do his work well, small or great the
amount.
And be there to do it, without call or
beckon!
Any one of a million can turn off the tasks
If by the "boss" shown them, nagged.
spurred on. and taunted.
That is. If he's near but the kind the' world
asks
Is the fellow who's always on hand when
he'a wanted.
Proficiency counts, as a matter of course. .
But the main tiling Is readiness, tree from
diversion.
An attention to duty that ne'er asks
divorce
From the desk for a ball gam, or Summer
excursion.
Is it you that they want?. Will you do?
There's no doubt
This demand for a man in your face will
be flaunted:
For It's open to all the supply has run out
Of the fellows who're always on hand
when they're wanted!
Grandma Jocko Says:
"Why are you there upon a tree.
Instead of school where you should be?"
Little Jocko replies:
"I'm hanging here, because, you see,
The teacher has suspended me."
On the Old Parade Ground
They lowed ovrr iht eld cajaaaa JjAe a tidaj va.V.
UP IN the parade ground grew an
apple tree, and in its shade rested
an old cannon.. The tree could have
told you tales, of peace, of nests, blos
soms, fledglings, .yellow hornets, bird
flights to the South and Winter snows.
The cajinon knew all these things, too,
for it had lain there for many a year. It
had known the apple tree when It was a
mere Infant, and back of all that lay
its war record.
From its niche In the fort it had seen
advancing columns, bristling with steel.
It had done its part in the storm of
smoke, shot and shell. It had seen the
ranks waver, go down, fill up and advance
again; then the groaning heaps in the
reddening dust: riderless horses whinny
ing for their lost masters; then the si
lence of night and the silence of death.
Last of all it had known of defeat and
capture.
All this and more the old cannon could
have told, but its grim, round mouth
yawned in eternal dumbness, and a spike
had been driven through its Iron heart.
Up the hill came a bevy of laughing
children boys and girls Just out of school,
with two hours to play in before tea-time.
Suddenly a boy in a blue cap shouted:
"I'll race you for the first place on the
gun!"
A girl with brown curls and pink rib
bons accepted the challenge. One, two,
three, a start, a dash, and the blue
capped boy touched the muzzle a hair's
breadth ahead. The other children clat
tered cheerily close behind. They flowed
over the old cannon like a tidal wave and
The Magic
M the town of Tip, oh the west coast of"7
I Graham Island, a boy named Slego
hunted and fished with his brothers.
One day a white sea otter came swim
ming about in front of the town. All
the people went out in their canoes to
try and catch it. They shot at it with
their arrows, but the white sea otter did
not seem to mind that, and kept on swim
ming about in a most tantalizing way.
Then Slegox went out in bis canoe and
shot at It and killed It.
When he had skinned the animal he
said to his youngest brother: "Go wash
this skin in the water, 'and when It Is
clean 1 will make you a jacket of It."
So the youngest brotberwent wading out
into the water and waBhed the skin.
As he was doing so a school of killer
whales came rushing In and surrounded
him. "He has the skin of our chief!"
they cried. "Let us carry him away to
the enchanted island where the great ma
glotan, Always-in-the-Cradle, will hold
him prisoner for evermore."
The boy cried out for help and the
brothers came rushing to the beach; but
before they could get to him, a killer
whale had the boy on his back and was
swimming rapidly away with him.
The brothers returned lamenting to the
house, but Slego determined to rescue his
lost brother If such a thing were possible,
and. while the others were moaning and
crying, he went to a wise old man who
Uvea near the end of the town and told
him of what had happened.
"Ah," said the wise old man. "It is
Great Chief Always-in-the-Cradle who
has got your brother prisoner, is it? I
know that magician. He gets his name
from the fact that he has always lived
in a cradle. As he grew up he had a
larger and larger cradle made for him
and now, though he Is very old, he still
lives in a cradle, and from It sends out
his agents to work his evil will. When
a captive is brought to him he sets him
at work rocking his great cradle and
keeps him at it until he is worn out
night and day. You must have magic
power to overcome Great Chief Always-ln-the-Cradle
and rescue your little broth
er." .
"And how shall I get this magic pow
cr?" eagerly asked Slego.
"Get It in this way," suddenly cried
the old man and he hit the boy s little
finger of his right hand a terrific blow
with two stones so that the flesh was
crushed and bruised. .But the boy did
not cry out, though the hurt made the
tears come into his eyes.
"Ah, that is well." said the . old man.
"You can suffer pain. Now your little
finger will swell up. but it will grad
ually become all right again. When it
is all right we will go and rescue your
brother and you shall be known as He-Who-Got-Supernatural-Power
- From-His-Llttle-Finger."
"My." said the boy. "that is a pretty
long name. Wouldn't it do just as well
to call me Slego?"
"Not officially," replied the Wise Old
Man. "When we go to get your little
brother away from Great Chief Always-ln-the-Cradle
you must be known as" 'He-Who-Got-Supernatural
- Power-From-Hls-Little
Finger."
Every day Slego went to see the old
man, and finally, after his finger had
been healed, the old man said to him
one day: "This is a good day to start."
Slego was surprised at this, for there was
a heavy fog and the sea was rough. But
the Wise One said: "When we come to
the middle of the water the sun will
shine. If we start now. in this fog. those
who are watching for Great Chief Always-in-the-Cradle
can not see us."
So oft they went in the old man's magic
canoe, which had feet like those of a
duck under it, and these paddled it along.
The sun came out and, after a long time
they saw the shores of a great rocky
island before them.
"Land here," said the Old Man. indi
cating the beach of a little cove into
which the canoe gilded. "Land here and
take that trail to the town. Right in
the trail, at the end of the town. Heron
is always repairing a canoe. He never
lets a stranger pass In to the town, but
I can tell you how to make him your
.covered It from end toend, a row of
black, blue, white and pink legs dangling
from either side, with the blue-capped boy
in front.
Pink Ribbons shook her curls and said:
"You're the engineer, and I'll be fire
man." A boy In a crimson sweater announced
his intention of being conductor, a tow
haired girl applied for the position of
brakeman. So a train was manned and
the others settled into place as passen
gers. "Choo-choo!" called the engineer, and
the conductor -started to collect tickets.
Now that is not an easy thing to do
on a round and slippery cannon, for of
course you must not get off while the
train Is moving. Crimson Sweater got
half way to the trunnions, slipped and
fell, taking with tiim several passengers.
"A train wreck! A train wreck!" yelled
the fireman. "Here, you brakeman. get
up and give a band to the injured folks."
Crimson Sweater was found to be the
only one seriously Injured. After his
nose bleed had been staunched he was
comforted by being allowed to choose the
next play.
"I choose It to be an automobile, and
me the cheffonier. You fellows can be
the machine."
"I'll be the tonneau." said a passenger.
"I'm a wheal," said Tow-Head. "I'm
another," said a small boy In knicker
bockers. "I'll be a rubber tire," said Blue-Cap,
casting himself around Knickerbocker.
"Hi! get off my back. I'm the hull
thing! Ef you're a tire you're an extra
of Indian Enchantment
friend. When he shouts, quickly put In
dian tobacco Into his mouth. Also throw
to him twisted limbs of cedar. Then he
will let you pass."
Slego went along on the trail until
he heard the sound of a hammer and
came in sight of a gigantic heron at
work repairing a canoe. He walked
boldly up to Heron. Heron looked at
the boy for a while, and shouted. As
soon1 as he opened 1 his mouth Slego
threw into it a lot of Indian tobacco.
"Who are you?" said Heron.
"I am He-Who-Got-8upernatural-Power-From-His-Llttle-Flnger,':
replied Sle
go, "and I come after my brother, who
is held captive by Great Chief Always-in-the-Cradle."
"Ah, yes, I know the
boy." replied Heron. "He rocks the
chief's cradle. But there come the
people. Hide!" And Heron grabbed
the boy up and hid -him under his wing.
When the people came running from
the village, they asked, "'What Is the
matter. Heron? Is anybody trying to
get into the village?"
"Oh, go home and don't bother me,"
retorted Heron. "I guess I can shout
If I want to."
Then one said to him: "There is a
human being somewhere about here, I
know. I can feel his presence. Let us
search."
So they searched, but, of course, could
not find Slego, who was safely hidden
under Heron s wing.
Then the people went back to the
village, and when they had gone Heron
said to the boy: "Now, Jump down
and run toward the village. But do
not go near the Chief's house. He has
a three-headed house-pole carved with
totems, which Is always on watch, and
It will see you. Walt until night by
the Spring. Then will come two men
to draw water for the Chief. Show
them a feather from my wing, and they
will help you."
So Slego did as Heron told him, and
when the two men came for water and
saw the feather, they said: "Oh, Chief,
we know who you are. You are He-Who-Got-Supernatural
- Power-From-
WHEN A CAPTIVE 16 BROUGHT
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one and must hang yourself on the back
of the car."
"Well," said Pink Ribbons. "I'll be the
gasoline. My mother washed my rib
bons in some this morning."
The auto started. How it flew! The ,
passengers, the various parts of the ma
chine, the "cheffonier" himself felt the
exhilaration. Down graded roads they
whirled In fancy, through little towns and
still forests. They climbed steep moun
tains and forded rivers. There was no
limit to their swift flight. Europe, Asia,
South America even the Atlantic Ocean
did not daunt them. All at once a light
breeze overtook them and flicked away
Pink Ribbons' opknot.
"The gasoline's give out!" shouted Blue
Cap, "and we're a thousand miles from
anywhere. We got to play something
else." '
He tumbled off and scrambled after
the ribbon.
"I'm goln' home," said Knickerbockers,
sadly. "I see mother coming. She told
me to go to the store for cinnamon an"
blueing."
One by one the children drifted off
till only Blue. Cap, Tow Head and Pink
Ribbons were left.
"Let's play elephant," said the versa
tile Blue Cap. "I'll be the Sultan."
"Oh. all right," said Pink Ribbons. "I
don't care. I'm going to be the Grand
Vizier."
"Well, I'll be a howry," said Tow
Head. "What's a howry?"
"Oh. it's a lady a Turk lady. I av
a picture of one. he's very beautiful,
with purple hair and melty eyes, and
she wears yellow silk trousers.",
"Well, you can't be with that tow hair
of yours. I'm going to be a howry my
self." .
"Why don't you both be "em?" said the
conciliatory Blue Cap. "Then I will
marry you both and we'll all ride to
gether on the elephant."
So the cannon became a gray elephant,
and the trio rode through an Arabian
Night's dream, sparkling with diamond
valleys and Aladdin's lamps. They rode
on and on until a mild and investigating
donkey ambled up in a friendly manner.
"A dragon! A dragon!" yelled Blue
Cap. "Let's slay him! I'm St. George.
Come on!"
With a whoop and howl the elephant
was abandoned. The startled donkey
turned tail and careened down the hill,
followed by St. George and the two erst
while "howrys." Pell-mell, whoop, bang!
An awful bray from the donkey and
they all swept out of sight.
Around the old parade ground rose the
sounds of tea-bells from the various
dwellings.
Then it grew still. The cannon was
there, immovable, sphinx-like, with its
graping. idle mouth.
Two young swallows wheeled down
ward and lit on the edge of the black
muzzle.
"What a place for a- nest!" said Mr.
Swallow.
"It's too large." said young Mrs. Swal
low. "Not at all," said her lord. "We
can' block up with mud all except a nice
opening and think what a back yard for
the children to play in till they learn
to fly."
"Why aren't all chimneys built length
wise like this?" said Mrs. S. "Our nest
can never tumble down in here. Yes,
when Spring comes we must build here."
Then they darted off. and night fell over
the old parade ground.
I His-Little-Finger. Your brother is
I rocking the cradle of the Chief. In the
middle, of the room is a fire built on
stones. When we come in with the
buckets of water we will manage to
spill them on the flre so that the room
will be filled with steam. Then, rush
In through the steam and get your
brother out before anybody sees you.
Come follow us, atyi stay close to the
door. It is dark now, and the house
pole cannot see."
Everything wenj; off as the two men
had planned, and before he fairly real
ized It Slego was running down the
trail with his little brother in his arms.
"Here,", cried Heron, "under my
wings now both oa. you." And he hid
them one under each wing.
The people came and cried out that
a stranger had run away with the
Chief's captive.
"Heron, I believe you are hiding
them somewhere," said one, and they
searched the bushes all around, but
found no- trace of the fugitives.
Then they declared that Heron knew
more than he would tell, and began
pushing him about. "You had better
stop pushing me about," said Heron.
"You make me tired," and ha began to
threaten them with his great bill. So
the people left him and went, back,
quarreling among themselves as to
who should taKe the place of the res
cued boy as rocker of the Chief's cradle
until another captive could be pro
cured. Nobody wantud the job.
As for Slego, he and his brother ran
along the dark trail until they came to
where the old man waited in his
magic canoe. As soon as they were on
board the Wise One cried out, "Back to
Ti, oh! canoe of the many feet." And
before daybreak Slego stood at the
door of his home holding his little
brother by the hand.
They still tell his story around the
fires of the camp In the long Alaskan
night, but always speak of him by the
name given him by the Wise Old Man
"He-Who-Got-Supernatural - Power.
From-HIs-Little-Finger."
TO HIM HE, HTI AT I
CRADLE '
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