But Caleb took no notice.

Presently Yan said, “Don’t the Injuns play games, Mr. Clark?

“Well, yes, I kin show you two Injun games that will test your eyesight.”

“I bet I kin beat any one at it,” Guy made haste to tell.  “Why, I seen that Deer before Yan could—­”

“Oh, shut up, Guy,” Yan now exclaimed.  A peculiar sound—­“Wheet—­wheet—­wheet”—­made Sappy turn.  He saw Sam with an immense knife, whetting it most vigorously and casting a hungry, fishy glance from time to time to the “yaller moss-tuft” on Guy’s neck.

[Illustration:  Archery Coup Feathers Their Special Marks Target Coup Feather Long-distance Five-in-air-at once]

“Time has came,” he said to nobody in particular.

“You better let me alone,” whined Guy, for that horrible “wheet—­wheet” jarred his nerves somehow.  He looked toward Yan, and seeing, as he thought, the suggestion of a smile, he felt more comfortable, but a glance at Sam dispelled his comfort; the Woodpecker’s face was absolutely inscrutable and perfectly demoniac with paint.

“Why don’t you whet up, Little Beaver?  Don’t you want your share?” asked the Head Chief through his teeth.

“I vote we let him wear it till he brags again about his Deer-hunting.  Then off she comes to the bone,” was the reply.  “Tell us about the Injun game, Mr. Clark.”

“I pretty near forget it now, but le’s see.  They make two squares on the ground or on two skins; each one is cut up in twenty-five smaller squares with lines like that.  Then they have, say, ten rings an’ ten nuts or pebbles.  One player takes five rings an’ five nuts an’ sets them around on the squares of one set, an’ don’t let the other see till all is ready; then the other turns an’ looks at it while some one else sings a little song that one of the boys turned into: 

  “’Ki yi ya—­ki yi yee,
  You think yer smart as ye kin be,
  You think yer awful quick to see
  But yer not too quick for me,
  Ki yi ya—­ki yi yee.’

“Then the first square is covered with a basket or anything and the second player must cover the other skin with counters just the same from memory.  For every counter he gets on the right square he counts one, and loses one for each on the wrong square.”

“I’ll bet I kin——­” Guy began, but Sam’s hand gripped his moss-tuft.

“Here, you let me alone.  I ain’t bragging.  I’m only telling the simple truth.”

“Ugh!  Better tell some simple lies, then—­much safer,” said the Great Woodpecker, with horrid calm and meaning.  “If ever I lift that scalp you’ll catch cold and die, do ye know it?”

Again Yan could see that Caleb had to look far away to avoid taking an apparent interest.