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 seem of little value, but it is ours. I am here to get it from you."

"That is strong talk," Iskatappe answered. "I have no knife of yours. Where is your knife?"

"Who has it?" the medicine-man asked, in quick low voice, of Scar Head.

"Skidi," whispered Scar Head.

The medicine-man pushed forward to Baroney, and spoke with him.

"This man says your warrior named Skidi has his knife," said Baroney, to Iskatappe.

"We will see," replied Iskatappe. He called Skidi, and told him to throw back his robe; and sure enough, there was the knife.

"I did not know that it was that man's knife," Skidi defended. "I found it on the trail. Now it is mine. If I give it up, I must have another to take its place."

"Your warrior lies," Chief Pike flatly retorted, to Iskatappe. "He stole the knife. Otherwise, how did we know that he had it?"

Matters looked bad. The Pawnees were surrounding thicker and thicker, and the other Americans had gone on. But Chief Pike gave no sign that he was afraid; neither did the medicine-man. Only Baroney acted uneasy, and Scar Head's heart beat rapidly.