While the woman was busy searching for the feathers, the two men partook of the food she had set before them sparingly, as it was a mere matter of etiquette.  But while eating they exchanged sly glances and winks, like bad boys bent upon some mischief.  At last, as Shotaye did not return, Zashue stealthily arose, removed one of the heavy grinding-plates from its frame, and placed it across the mouth of the gangway.  Then he stretched himself at full length on the floor with his back leaning against the slab.  Hayoue watched him and chuckled.

The light of the torch shone through the space which the slab could not cover; the mistress of the cave was coming back.  Very soon however the light disappeared and all grew silent.  The firebrand had been extinguished; the woman was inside, but kept perfectly still, giving no signs of impatience or disappointment.  The mischievous men looked at each other in astonishment; they had not expected that.

They waited and waited.  Nothing stirred in the inner room; it grew late and later.  Hayoue had intended to make other calls, and Zashue also became impatient to go.  So he called into the dark passage,—­

“Shotaye.”  No reply.

“Shotaye.”

“Shotaye sam[=a]m!”

All was as silent as the grave.  They sat in expectation for a while; then he again shouted,—­

“Shotaye sam[=a]m!  Come out!”

Nothing was heard.  He noisily removed the grinding-slab from the entrance and cried,—­

“Shotaye, we must go.  Bring the feathers.”

“Let me alone and go,” sounded the dull reply at last.

“Give me the feathers first,” Zashue demanded.

“Come and get them yourself,” replied the voice inside.

This was rather an awkward invitation, for both men, like almost everybody else at the Rito, were afraid of the medicine-woman’s private room.

“Do bring them,” Zashue begged.

“Go!  I will not come out any more,” growled the voice within.

“Shotaye, sister, bring me the feathers.  I will give you a fine deerskin for them,” implored the husband of Say.

“What do you want them for?”

“For the dance.”

“You lie!  There is no dance now.”

Anxiously and eagerly Zashue cried,—­

“There will certainly be a dance.  Three days hence we shall dance the ayash tyucotz!”

And Hayoue, who until then had quietly enjoyed the dialogue, now interjected emphatically,—­

“Certainly, sanaya, in three days.”

“What will you give me if I bring them?” came the dull query again from within.

“A hide.”

“Go!  I will keep my feathers.”

“I will give you two turquoises.”

“Give me four,” demanded the cave-dweller.

“It is too much,” cried both men at once.

No reply followed.  Shotaye remained silent.  The trade was broken off.  Still the younger brother felt disinclined to give up.  He went to the mouth of the passage and said aloud,—­