Star

e had travelled it only once he did not forget it, and what was still more strange, he, like other

when he could not see them. But he slept in the daytime, taking short naps, or just

warriors and all the Comanche ponies. If Star had not seen his mother's fright and had not heard the fire

her. Her teeth were sharp and her jaws strong, and his back still hurt where she had bitten him. She had often pinched him, but never before had Running Deer hurt her colt. It was not actually the bite t

to dodge him when, with a squeal of fury, he raced after them. He knew that they could not catch him as long as he was awake and could see the

he not been anxious about his mother, Quannah, and the Comanche pony herd. Songbird, he believed quite safe in t

y from fires in the tepees, children were playing in front of their homes, and the squaws were moving about attending to t

he thought for the first time. "Maybe the

l that all the ponies were with Quannah, and that it had taken a journey of one week to get to this camp. Of course he di

pees. Someone called to Songbird, and as the child ran out of her father's big tepee, Star gave a shrill nicker and raced pell-mell down the slope until he gained he

o understand how Star had come alone to the camp. Many of them were certain that Quannah

, and so they left Songbird and Star and hastened to make preparations for the

too dark to see anything except the flickering fires and the shadowy figures near the light, Songbird and Star moved slowly down the hillside. The pony's head drooped, for he was very tired, and Songbird's

quered the white men, and I shall paint Songbird, the daughter of Quannah, and St

"What will you paint if my father

nd praise, but women fight alone and no one knows when they fight. Brave women do not weep. You are the daughter of the chief. His mother rod

Moko was very low and tremb

disappeared into the chief's tent. Moko shook her white head sadly as she gave some dried corn to Star, then tethered him with a long rop

re about to start up the hill on the morning of the eighth day, a Comanche warrior, mounted on a black pony, appeared on the point above the camp. Star was the first to see him. Star knew that black

r before him, the chief rode down into the camp, while Songbird's eyes glowed with pride and joy. Sta

ound, their shields were held aloft, and the silver trinkets on each pony jingled loudly. One by one the Comanches dashed furiously into the camp, formed in

ed her father as he sat on Running Deer towering above all the other warriors. Her little hea

ears, and a necklace of bear's claws hung about his neck. Quannah had killed those bears, and each one had been big and very fierce. Only a brave warrior could have killed them alone. Tight

ong scalp-lock. It was a disgrace for a warrior to have no scalp-lock. In battle

ies, such as blacks or bays, did not need such precautions. Running Deer, being coal-black like Star, had not been painted. The mare's bridle was heavy with silver ornam

relate to the eager squaws and papooses how their chief had outwitted and evaded the white men who had hoped to capture the Comanches. For Quannah had lured them over misleading trails, up and down

peded the white horses were praised and feasted by the squaws, envied by all the

the hill tops. That night the warriors were to celebrate the Pipe Dance, and when the

ve the honour of standing with the squaws in the Dance. Already a ring was forming. In the very centre were the women, whom Songbird joined, and with the

chief, all moving in the same direction, like a revolving wheel. As each man came opposite Quannah, the chief held out the smoking pipe and the warrior

en squatted near the big camp fire where a feast had been set. The light of the moon made each face as distinct as though it were being seen in early

dren rose and went to their homes, where, with a few parting words to one another, they lifted the flaps o

for the rest of the night. Among the sleeping animals was the old white troop horse, and Star

ig, gray animal. Just now he was moving nervously and lifting h

ground. Star, too sleepy to think of anything but rest, closed his eyes and pillowed his head comfortably on h

ing brand from the smouldering camp fire and tossed it at the shadowy, skulking form. Countless little sparks scattered a