"I don't
care; I'm going, if you ain't," said she, and forward she went. Flora
followed.
The tents were arranged like houses on a street, with the open doors
fronting each other. In each tent was a counter loaded with baskets and
little birch-bark canoes, and an Indian woman sat behind it to sell
them.
The girls went from one tent to another and stared about them. Besides
the baskets and canoes, there were sea-gulls' wings and little fur
slippers and pouches. They saw everything. The Indian women offered to
sell, but they shook their heads shyly and soberly.
Finally they went into the tent where the Princess kept store. She was a
large stout woman and a real Indian Princess. Under the counter a little
Indian baby, fast asleep, was swinging in a tiny hammock. Nancy and
Flora nudged each other and eyed it with awe. But it was on the
Princess's counter that they saw _the_ sweet-grass basket. They both
looked at it, then at each other. It was made of sweet-grass, it was
oblong, and had a cover and long handles.
Finally Flora pointed one slim little finger at it. "How much does that
cost?" she asked the Princess.
"Fifty cent," replied the Princess.
Nancy had just eight cents at home. Flora had nothing at all. Her father
sent her money every month, and the last instalment was all spent.
Neither of them could buy the basket, and fifty cents sounded enormous,
but their faces were quite dignified and immovable.
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