Red Plume — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

88 “RED PLUME. ) : use. Black Beaver will put on these things, and make him- self Blackfoot, and go to camp to-night.” “No, you won’t, Beaver, if I can. help it!’ exclaimed Steele. ‘“ That is just the job for me to do, and you have suited me finely this time. Ican rig myself up, with your help, to look as thorough a scoundrel and thief as any of them, and I can talk the Blackfeet lingo, too. Let me have, the things, Beaver, and I will go to the camp to-night, and will gee the girl, if it is possible, and arrange a plan for her escape.” The Delaware had no objection to this arrangement, ag Frank was so anxious to visit the camp, and Bush, after con- siderable persuasion, was induced to consent to it, though he feared that Frank would hardly be able to adopt the gait and manner of an Indian. Black Beaver took upon himself the duties of valet-de- chambre. He arranged the young man’s hair in the Black- feet fashion, crowned his head with the arch of feathers, in- dued him with “ breech-clout”” and leggings, and then, with the pigments that he always carried, painted his fice and breast in the true Blackfeet style, and stained his hands and arms a dirty copper-color. This done, he threw the blanket over Steele’s shoulders, and stepped off to admire his work. “T think it must be well done, Beaver,” said Frank, “ for I feel as if I could take a scalp at this minute, and as if I could shoot a bow and arrow better than a rifle.” “For my part,” said Bush, “I think Beaver is a maste!- hand. It wouldn’t be safe fur you to meet this hoss at night. in that rig, Cap’n Frank. I’m kinder duberous about this thing, though. Ef you should git rubbed out, the old maa would lay all the blame on me. MHowsever, a willful man must have his way, and when a gal is pullin’ at one end of the rope, thar’s no use in my layin’ hold on t’other.” Haying refreshed himself with a hearty supper, young Steele set out, just as it grew dark, on his perilous errand. He was accompanied a part of the way by Bush, Carver, and the Delaware, who took a station on the bluff, from which they could plainly see the Indian village. Frank werked his way, carefully and silently, down thé slope and over the plain, until he reached the lodges, when b¢ commicloooks.comny