"
For a wonder, Sagastao was silent for a time; but at length he found
something to say, and his words were a bit of a confession and promise of
amendment:
"Now that I know why it is that the prickles are on the wild roses I'll not
get mad even if my fingers bleed when I am gathering a bouquet for mother."
At this moment the two favorite dogs, Jack and Cuffy, came bounding up. By
this the children knew that their father was not far behind, and they were
not disappointed. At first he looked anxious when he saw the little hands
wrapped up in green leaves, but as with merry laughs they told him what the
leaves were for everything was bright again.
Souwanas was greeted very cordially, as usual, and assured that at the
mission house he would find in the mistress a willing purchaser of his
ducks and rabbits. The children were always interested in the game,
although Minnehaha strongly declared that it was a pity to kill the pretty
creatures. Souwanas and their father were chatting together while the
children were turning the ducks and rabbits over.
"See what red eyes some of the ducks have," said Sagastao. "They look as
though they had been crying."
"Guess you would have cried too," rather indignantly replied Minnehaha, "if
you had been shot as they were."
"Huh!" he replied with a tinge of contempt, "how could they cry after being
shot? I don't believe that is it at all. And, look here, Minnehaha, I am
going also to ask why it is that, while all the rabbits were so white in
winter, they are all now so brown in summer.
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