Read Online Girl in a Buckskin by Dorothy Gilman - Free Book Online

scoured. The mist was gone, too, and the pinkness had left the lake and the sandpiper had disappeared. Becky built a fire on the shore, and bringing out her kettle, prepared to make buckskin out of the rawhide that was stretched on Eseck’s drying frame. She had carefully saved the brains of the deer he had brought home. Laying them in the kettle with water covering them she let them simmer for a few minutes and then mashed out the lumps with her fingers. Taking the mixture to the drying frame she began to mb it thoroughly into the wet hide.
    While she worked Eseck was making a second drying frame, suspending it between two poplars on the hill behind the cave. He was whistling cheerfully as he worked and Becky thought how good it was to have him home instead of roaming the hills for game. Hearing his whistling abruptly cease she glanced to see him staring over her head at the opposite shore. “Someone is coming,” he said, his eyes narrowed against the sun.
    Becky whirled. Two small black shapes with packs on their backs were trudging along the west shore. For a moment Becky knew the taste of fear in her throat, and she bent to pick up the knife at her feet “They come without stealth,” remarked Eseck, his hand on the musket, “and there are but two of them. We will wait and meet them.”
    The two figures grew m size as they rounded the cove and as they emerged from the shadows Becky saw the brown of their bodies and the red paint on their faces. It was Blue Feather and Dawn-of-the-sky. Dropping his musket Eseck went to meet them and Becky slowly followed.
    “Welcome,” Eseck said as they met, and over his shoulder Becky smiled at Dawn-of-the-sky whose eyes were fixed demurely on the ground.
    Eseck turned to Becky with a smile. “Blue Feather says we have chosen a good camp. Much a-mis-que —beaver— here. The lake is called Shoonkeekmoonkeek by his tribe.”
    “Shoonkeekmoonkeek,” Becky repeated. “That is a lovely name.”
    “He says that he and Dawn-of-the-sky have broken an ear of corn together and live in the same lodge now. They’re married.”
    At this Dawn-of-the-sky lifted her eyes and smiled proudly at Becky. “Tell them I wish them much happiness,” Becky said gravely. “Will they stay for food?” Eseck’s smile deepened. “They will probably stay for many meals. Black Eagle has sent word that in the autumn, before the frosts, he will trade corn with us for our skins. Blue Feather has come to go hunting with me. He is much interested in the musket.”
    “You’ll go with him?” Becky said in consternation. “But if you go—and leave me with Dawn-of-the-sky— what shall I say to her? She speaks no English.”
    Eseck shook his head. “You’ll have no trouble. You’ll be friends.”
    Becky glanced doubtfully at Dawn-of-the-sky who was watching her with a bright smile. Lifting her hands Dawn-of-the-sky made sign talk and Eseck nodded. “She will help you,” he said, and as he said this Dawn-of-the-sky moved
    past them and frankly inspecting the hide Becky was paring she stood on tiptoe and began to work on it.
    “You see?” said Eseck. “You will have your buckskins in no time at all.”
    Dawn-of-the-sky turned to Eseck and asked him a question. “She wants to know what color you are going to make the skins.”
    Becky glanced thoughtfully at Dawn-of-the-sky’s slit skirt. “I would like it to be pale yellow, like hers.”
    Eseck nodded. “She’ll help you. Her skins were smoked over the ashes of very young cedar chips. She’ll find them for you.” Picking up his musket he glanced warmly at Blue Feather. “Blue Feather and I will go out and look for meat now.”    1
    Becky glanced at him with exasperation, for there was meat enough in the cave. But for two weeks Eseck had carved and whittled and sharpened and lugged for her and by the look on his face she knew he longed to be in the forest again. “Very well,” she said gravely, like any good squaw, and watched him and