For a moment we were so taken up with the wonder of his darting
pace, that it was not until we saw him reaching his long shoeing-pole to
Ongyatasse across the ice, that we realized what he was doing. He had
circled about until he had found ice that held, and kicking off his
snowshoes, he stretched himself flat on it. I knew enough to catch him
by the ankles--even then I couldn't help wondering if the scar was still
there, for we knew instantly who he was--and somebody caught my feet,
spreading our weight as much as possible. Over the bridge we made,
Ongyatasse and Tiakens, who had come to himself by this time, crawled
out on firm ice. In a very few minutes we had stripped them of their wet
clothing and were rubbing the cramp out of their legs.
"Ongyatasse, dripping as he was, pushed us aside and went over to White
Quiver, who was stooping over, fastening his snowshoes. It seemed to
give him a great deal of trouble, but at last he raised his head.
"'This day I take my life at your hands,' said Ongyatasse.
"'Does Young-Man-Who-Never-Turns-Back take so much from a Crop-Head?'
said the Lenni-Lenape in good Tallegewi, which shows how much they knew
of us already and how they began to hate us.
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