Frank Merriwell's Athletes Part 39

Little did she know how dangerous was the ground upon which she was so fearlessly treading.

CHAPTER XX-THE SUN DANCE

By this time the boys had arisen, hastily made their toilets, eaten a "s.n.a.t.c.hed" breakfast, and were coming forth to witness the ceremonies.

It was interesting to watch the crowd gathering from all directions.

Some who had come to witness the ceremonies had traveled many hundred miles. There were many Mexicans, not a few cowboys, Indians from various tribes, ranchers and sports, travelers and women.

While ma.s.s was going on in the little white chapel, the Pueblos, for whose benefit it was said, were busy elsewhere with preparations for the religious ceremony, in which they have the fullest belief.

The men were in the subterranean _estufas_, dressing their bodies and performing those secret rites which no white man is ever permitted to witness.

The women were in the labyrinths of the great pyramids, decking themselves out in their finest apparel for the celebration, for the Pueblos had Sunday clothes, and not a few of the garments were rich and handsome.

Ma.s.s was over at last, and then came the procession of the saints.

In the chapel were several images. These were taken up in mysterious awe by the women present and carried to the door.

Outside the chapel a piece of sheeting was raised aloft on poles by four Indians to form a canopy to protect the images from the heat of the sun.

The procession moved off toward a little bower of green limbs near the bigger pyramid.

At the head of the company marched the idiot drummer, beating away with might and main on his snareless drum.

Close behind him followed two Pueblos, who fired guns as rapidly as they could load them, presumably to frighten away evil spirits.

Then came the women with the images.

The figures were placed in the little bower, so they might overlook the field where the races and sports were to take place.

Not far away on a pole at least forty feet high were suspended a sheep, pieces of bread known as tortillas, and little sacks that were filled with various kinds of grain.

These were the fruits of the field, and were thus hung as a thank offering to the Sun Father, by whose grace it was possible to raise enough to supply the community.

At length the male Pueblos were seen emerging from holes in the ground, entrances to their subterranean council chambers.

Women and children, bedecked in their handsomest garments, appeared on the terraces. They wore bright robes and sheepskin leggins, the latter being white as paper.

Ordinarily these Indians wore clothes in which they could have pa.s.sed muster in any civilized community, but now all who were to take part in the ceremonies appeared stripped to the breechclout, some of which were fancifully decorated and adorned.

Some of the men had worked red ribbons and skeins of yellow yarn into their long black hair, and all were painted, although, unlike Northern Indians, the Pueblos try to please in their appearance, instead of making themselves as horrible as possible.

Some were half white and some half blue, while others were marked with geometrical figures. Some were of one solid color from crown to toe.

Not a few of them were adorned with handsome white eagle feathers, and some had their heads almost entirely covered with downy feathers.

Among the Pueblos the feather is a symbol of prayer. They say the eagle soars toward the sun at will, and his soft white feathers float upward on the breeze, like thoughts.

When the eagles are breeding the Pueblos go into the mountains and capture the young, which are kept in captivity for Saint Geronimo Day.

And so it is that when the Indian decorates himself on this great occasion with fluttering feathers each feather is equivalent to a prayer that is constantly ascending to the Sun Father.

To say the least, the idea is poetical.

By the time the sun dance was ready to begin more than fifteen hundred witnesses had a.s.sembled, and more were coming.

Inza and Miss Abigail intrusted themselves to the care of the boys, who found for them a fine position to witness the celebration.

"Where is Merriwell?" asked the spinster, looking around. "I heard him talking to you in front of the tent, Inza, but I have not seen him this morning."

"I believe he is trying to make some arrangements so that the boys may take part in the sports of the day," answered the girl, quietly.

"Gracious!" exclaimed Miss Abigail. "What a crazy notion! I don't understand how he can want to have anything at all to do with them horrid Indians! If the Indians were beaten at any of their games, they might get angry and kill us all."

"Nefer you been afrait mit dot," said Hans, who had been egged on by Barney and Ephraim to make one more attempt to win the good will of Miss Abigail. "Uf they tried dot mit you they vos sure to get left alretty queek. I vos here, und I don'd let yourself be scalped. Yaw!"

The spinster gave him a look that nearly froze him on the spot.

"You!" she exclaimed. "You would fall all over yourself trying to get out of the way if you thought there was any danger."

"You don'd pelief me!" cried Hans. "I vos a corker to fight. Somedime ven dere vos some dangers meppy I peen aple to shown you der sort uf a heroes vot you don'd know I peen."

This was very amusing to Barney and Ephraim, who were chuckling with satisfaction.

Frank appeared.

"It's all right, fellows!" he exclaimed, his face glowing with satisfaction. "I have arranged it."

"Good stuff!" exclaimed Harry. "But what are we going to do?"

"Take part in everything but the religious performances."

"What else occurs?"

"A ball game, races, wrestling match, and so forth!"

"Hurro!" cried Barney Mulloy, in delight. "It's shport we'll be afther havin' wid th' spalpanes!"

"By gum!" grinned Ephraim Gallup. "It's goin' to be a sight better'n a circus!"

"I shouldn't have been able to fix it if it hadn't been for John Swiftwing," confessed Frank. "He did all the business for me."

"Is he going to take part in any of the sports?" asked Diamond.

"Yes."