"
"Don't want count ALL," answered Pigeonswing. "Want to know how many
dis side of great salt lake."
"That's another matter, and more easily come at. I understand you
now, Chippewa; you wish to know how many of us there are in the
country we call America?"
"Juss so," returned Pigeonswing, nodding in assent. "Dat juss it--
juss what Injin want to know."
"Well, we do have a count of our own people, from time to time, and
I suppose come about as near to the truth as men can come in such a
matter. There must be about eight millions of us altogether; that
is, old and young, big and little, male and female."
"How many warrior you got?--don't want hear about squaw and
pappoose."
"No, I see you're warlike this morning, and want to see how we are
likely to come out of this struggle with your great Canada father.
Counting all round, I think we might muster hard on upon a million
of fighting men--good, bad, and indifferent; that is to say, there
must be a million of us of proper age to go into the wars."
Pigeonswing made no answer for near a minute. Both he and the bee-
hunter had come to a halt alongside of the bear's meat, and the
latter was beginning to prepare his own portion of the load for
transportation, while his companion stood thus motionless, lost in
thought.
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