Three stained eagle
feathers were fastened on his crown in the long black hair, and his
hunting shirt, leggings, and moccasins were bright with different
colored beads and fringes. In the red sash which passed around
his waist were thrust a hunting knife and tomahawk, while one hand
clasped a cumbersome rifle, which, like all firearms of those times,
was used with ramrod and flintlock.
Omas would have had a rather pleasing face had he let it alone;
but his people love bright colors, and he was never seen without
a lot of paint daubed over it. This was made up of black, white,
and yellow circles, lines, and streaks that made him look frightful.
But Alice was not scared at all. She and Omas were old friends.
Nearly a year before, he stopped at their cabin one stormy night and
asked for something to eat. Mrs. Ripley gave him plenty of coarse
brown, well baked bread and cold meat, and allowed him to sleep on
the floor until morning.
Benjamin was rather shy of the fierce looking Delaware, but Alice
took to him at first. She brought him a basin of water, and asked
him to please wash his face.
The startled mother gently reproved her; but Omas did that which
an Indian rarely does--smiled. He spoke English unusually well,
and knew why the child had proposed to him to use the water.
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