Adventure Magazine Cover, March 20, 1925 — page 119: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Bush Lopers Without moving a muscle Carcajou asked in Ottawa— “Is it black or white wampum between us?” ‘White. White to the death. But we must fight again. If you refuse I shall hate you. If you fight, I will love you.” “T will break your thick neck sometime. Now follow me into the village and tell me something.” Dubeau, much pleased by the threat, lounged after him until the lodges hid them from the shore. Carcajou pulled the blanket from his face and anxiously asked— “Will the Ottawas stand by us?” Dubeau shrugged his massive shoulders and muttered: ‘“‘Who can tell what those children will do? Nansoaskouet is holding them in hand now. But Durantaye is a fool to feed them rum. The Hurons would have turned against us on the lake after we met the English if it had been for Nansoaskouet. And even he may change his mind over night. So I say it is bad to give them rum. The Hurons are hungry for English trade and favors. My mother was a Huron. I know. But Durantaye has been looking for you. Where did you run to?” “I did not run. I went to warn Nicolas Perrot of a Fox plot against his life. Do the Indians believe I killed any of them?” Dubeau’s small eyes lighted with amuse- ment. ‘That is the queer part of it. Some one told the commandant that. He ran around trying to find you. But the Ottawas and Hurons do not believe it. If they had you’d have had an ax sticking in your head before we beached our canoes. But when can we begin our fun? I’m wanting to take you apart and see how you're hitched to- gether, my friend.” “You shall have your chance very soon. But next time I shall not be easy with you.” “Even if I have to kill you I shall call you my brother,” cried Dubeau admiringly. “Now I’ll be going back to get some of the rum.”’ “Don’t run. Tell me if any trade is ex- pected to arrive at the point.” “There are some Saulteurs (Chippewas) at the Sault. They should be coming in soon,”’ said Dubeau. ‘But Durantaye will not stop to trade with them. He must be off at once to whip the Iroquois. You’d better keep out of his path.” IOI “T will laugh in his face after Nicolas Perrot comes.” Dubeau appeared to be surprized. “An Ottawa man came to the point the day be- fore we sailed down the lake and said Perrot had no Indians. That is why we did not wait for him. He said the Foxes, Kickapoos and Mascoutens had listened to a Loup talk and wouldn’t follow Perrot.” “Tf they refuse to come it will be because they are not canoe-Indians and would have to join the Miamis, who are also ‘walkers,’ and come across country to Detroit. They are afraid the Iroquois will have men down there to trap them.” | “The Ottawa man brought a different talk. He said the Indians were afraid the French would hitch them up like cattle after whipping the Iroquois and would make them drag plows.” ‘“‘Whatever the Ottawa said was a poor talk,” coldly observed Carcajou. ‘But the Potawatomi, the Menominees and the Win- nebagoes will come with Perrot. He will be here any day now. fardieu! Wait till he gives a talk to these Ottawas and treacherous Hurons. He’ll talk the thick hide off their backs. And M’sieur Du- rantaye will go slow when it comes to mis- treating a friend of Perrot.” “He should step very softly before doing that,” agreed Dubeau with a grin. “But you’d better keep the blanket over that big head till your friend arrives. Now I must go back. There will be much rum and fighting. Better keep out of my path after I begin drinking unless you are ready for a fight.” “T will hide till it’s safe to show my head,” mocked Carcajou. “And the Saulteurs? They are at the Sault and have the winter hunt with them to trade?”’ “That is so. They may have held back because some Huron talk reached them about the English coming with a good trade and higher prices. I would laugh if they came, thinking the English had crowded the French off the point.”’ Dubeau ran back to the shore. Carcajou cast about until he found La Blanche. The old man was talking with several Ottawa men. Getting him aside, he asked— ‘Will they tell the fort I am here?” ‘They will say nothing. I shall steal an extra keg of rum for them. But the soldier has told:by this time.” “Eh, bien. Whocares? I snap my fingers at Durantaye. Perrot will come tomorrow; COMiICclooOo (©