He had sufficiently
understood the hints of Pigeonswing to be prepared for such a
meeting, and at no time, of late, had he approached a cover, without
remembering the possibility of its containing Indians.
Instead of betraying alarm, therefore, when this cloud of phantom-
like beings rose before his eyes, le Bourdon stood firm, merely
turning toward the chiefs behind him, to ascertain if they were
taken by surprise, as well as himself. It was apparent that they
were; for, understanding that a medicine-ceremony was to take place
on the prairie, these young men had preceded the party from the hut,
and had, ununknown to all the chiefs, got possession of this copse,
as the best available cover, whence to make their observations on
what was going on.
"My brother sees his young men," said le Bourdon, quietly, the
instant a dead calm had succeeded to the outcries with which he had
been greeted. "I thought he might wish to say something to them, and
my bees told me where to find them. Does my brother wish to know
anything else?"
Great was the wonder of the three chiefs, at this exhibition of
medicine power! So far from suspecting the truth, or of detecting
the lucky coincidence by which le Bourdon had been led to the cover
of their warriors, it all appeared to them to be pure necromancy.
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