So you understand why it was that Alice did not start and show any fear when she looked around and saw the warrior standing less than ten feet off, and attentively watching her.
"You can't play Jack Stones as well as I," she said, looking saucily up at him.
"I beat you," was his reply, as he strode forward and sat down cross legged on the grass.
"I'd like to see you do it! You think you're very smart, don't you ?" A shadowy smile played around the stern mouth, and the Delaware, who had studied the simple game long enough to understand it, began the sport under the observant eyes of his little mistress.
While both were intent on the amusement, Mrs.Ripley came to the door and stood wonderingly looking at them.
"It does seem as if Indians are human beings like the rest of us," was her thought; "but who could resist her gentle ways ?" Up went the single stone in the air, and Omas grabbed the batch that were lying on the ground, and then caught the first as it came down.
"That won't do!" called Alice, seizing the brawny hand, which--sad to say--had been stained with blood as innocent as hers; "you didn't do that fair!" "What de matter ?" he asked, looking reproachfully into the round face almost against his own.
"I'll show you how.

Now, I lay those three on the ground like that.

Then I toss up this, pick up one without touching any of the others, keep it in my hand and pick up the next--see ?" She illustrated her instruction by her work, while her pupil listened and stared.
"I know--I know," he said quickly.

"I show you." Then the wag of a Delaware tossed the first stone fully twenty feet aloft, caught up the others, and took that on the fly.
"I never saw anybody as dumb as you," was the comment.

"What is the use of your trying?
You couldn't learn to play Jack Stones in ever so long." She was about to try him again, when, childlike, she darted off upon a widely different subject, for it had just come into her little head.
"Omas, when you were here the other day, you promised that the next time you came to see me you would bring Linna." "Dat so--Omas promise." "Then why haven't you done as you said ?" "Omas never speak with double tongue; he bring Linna with him." "You did ?--where is she ?" asked Alice, springing to her feet, clasping her hands, and looking expectantly around.
The Delaware emitted a shrill, tremulous whistle, and immediately from the wood several rods behind them came running the oddest looking little girl anyone could have met in a long time.
Her face was as round as that of Alice, her long, black hair hung loosely over her shoulders, her small eyes were as black as jet, her nose a pug, her teeth as white and regular as were ever seen, while her dress was a rude imitation of her father's except the skirt came below her knees.