THE PLUME PIRATES 329 



in his powerful talons, dash his head against a rock 

 and carry the body back for the little eaglets' 

 breakfast. 



''Said Tlecsa, one day, 



'' 'I will show my brethren that an Indian is 

 stronger than Great Eagle, and to prove it, I will 

 ornament myself with Eagle feathers.' 



''So Tlecsa put some white paint in one side of 

 his mouth and some red paint on the other side. 

 Then he went out and stood by the river, as though 

 dreaming. 



"Great Eagle saw him, and swooping down 

 through the canon with a rush like the wind when 

 it is seeking a quarrel, he clutched Tlecsa and 

 bore him above the cliffs with three strokes of 

 his mighty wings, each of which was as large as 

 a canoe. When near the top of the cliff, he dashed 

 Tlecsa violently against the rock. 



"Tlecsa was badly hurt, but he said nothing. 

 Only he opened his mouth on the one side and all 

 the red paint ran out. His brothers, watching be- 

 low, said, 



" 'He is dead, see his blood!' 



"Still Great Eagle was not satisfied. He knew 

 that an Indian might bleed and still not be dead, 

 and so he hurled Tlecsa against the rock a second 



