Girl in a Buckskin

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 Blue Feather walk slowly down the beach, their heads bent over Eseck’s musket like women admiring a new trinket.
    When they were gone Becky joined Dawn-of-the-sky an they worked side-by-side for several hours, giving each other curious, sidelong glances and occasionally a shy smile. They soaked the skins in the kettle mixture and then, placing them around the trunk of a tree, they pulled and kneaded and twisted, returning them to the kettle and then pulled and kneaded and twisted some more to work them dry. Then they stretched them again on the drying frame, and with rubbing sticks rubbed and rubbed until they were completely dry. Later they would roll them up and smoke them and then Becky would have her buckskins.
    But when they had finished their strenuous work Becky's face was shining with heat. “Isn’t it hot,” she said to Dawn-of-the-sky. “A hot day!”
    Dawn-of-the-sky looked at her inquiringly. “Howt?” she repeated, and seeing the expression on Becky’s face laughed and pointed to the lake.
    Becky shook her head. “Not water. Hot.”
    But Dawn-of-the-sky had already slipped out of her skirt and was running down to the lake. With a graceful dive she plunged under water and came up a moment later with her black hair streaming. “Hi-yee,” she squealed with delight.
    Becky broke into a smile. So she had understood after all! Hesitating only a moment she flung off her own tattered clothes and dived in beside her. Dawn-of-the-sky’s eyes brimmed with mischief as she watched Becky flounder around like a dog, her head up, her arms and feet wildly churning the water. Leaning over she splashed Becky and a minute later they had forgotten their shyness and the barrier of language and were shouting with wild laughter.
    Presently, when they had tired of diving and splashing, Dawn-of-the-sky brought a log into the water and they floated far out on the lake, resting their chins on the log and idly paddling with their hands. It seemed that after all Eseck was right, and that a smile was as telling as a spoken word, for by every gesture and look Dawn-of-the-sky showed herself. Her eyes brimmed with mischief almost every moment and it was only by dropping her lids over them that she might look demure or matronly with any success. She was a sunny creature and far different from the stiff and proper girls whom Becky had observed down country. The Leggett girls, sitting in the parlor with their handiwork, had spent hours giggling over trifles.