“Yes,” said Souwanas, “until we come to the next.  For a long time after Gray Wolf received the beating he kept away from them, although his heart was full of anger and revenge.  Although he was a big fellow he feared to again threaten her who, although she seemed but an ordinary-sized Indian maiden, possessed the strength that had enabled her to give him such a thrashing.”

CHAPTER XIV.

The Pathetic Love Story of Waubenoo—­The Treachery of Gray Wolf—­The Legend of the Whisky Jack.

“It came about in this way,” said Souwanas, “and it is such a sad story about beautiful Waubenoo.”

“Will it make me cry?” said the tender-hearted Minnehaha.  “If so, I do not think I want to hear it.”

“Stay and hear it, you little pussy,” said Sagastao.  “I am sure it is not worse than the Babes in the Wood.”

“Well, you always cry first, when we read that story together,” said Minnehaha.

At this the lad had nothing to say, for in spite of his apparent brusqueness his heart melted more quickly, and his eyes filled easier with tears, at a pathetic story, than did his sister’s.

“Well, go ahead, Souwanas,” said Sagastao.  “We each have a pocket handkerchief, and when they are used up you can lend us a blanket.”

At this quaint speech everybody laughed, and then the old man began his second story about Waubenoo.  “It all came about because little children have long tongues, and this story should warn little children that, while they have two eyes and two ears, they have but one tongue, and that they should not at any time talk about or repeat half of what they have seen and heard.

“The little brothers and sisters of Waubenoo had been warned that they should say nothing about the visit of Nanahboozhoo to their wigwam.  In fact, Nanahboozhoo was such a queer fellow that he did not at any time want people to be gossiping about him, and, if he had done any good deed for anyone, he did not wish them to be ever speaking about it.  Then another reason why Nanahboozhoo did not want them to talk about his visit and help was the fear that Gray Wolf, finding out how it was that he had received such a beating, would be more bitter and revengeful against Waubenoo and would again try to get her in his power.  The little children were, of course, delighted that their wigwam was no longer visited by Gray Wolf, whose coming had always filled them with terror, while Waubenoo was so pleased at having thus got rid of him that she was happier and brighter than she had been for a long time.  It was not long before some of the other Indians noticed the change.  They were surprised that Gray Wolf had so suddenly stopped his visits, and that he seemed so dejected and sullen.  Naturally their curiosity was excited, and they were anxious to find out what had happened.”

“Better to have been minding their own business,” broke in young Sagastao, who seemed to see the drift of the story.