IN PURSUIT OF THE KIOWAS
The Kiowa trail was easy to follow, for the great herd of ponies had
left many tracks. White Otter felt sure that the Kiowas would lose
little time in getting to their camp. The trail confirmed his
decision. It led toward the southeast, the direction of the Kiowa
village. White Otter believed that it would be useless to attempt to
overtake his foes. Some of the younger, more impulsive warriors were
eager to race ahead, but White Otter held them back.
"It is useless to kill your ponies," he told them. "The Kiowas have
reached their lodges."
When they had passed beyond sight of the Cheyenne village, he began to
take precautions. Two possibilities suggested themselves. He realized
that the Kiowas might have expected pursuit and left scouts behind to
watch their trail. He also knew that the Pawnees were abroad, and he
feared that they might have followed the trail of the Cheyenne
hunters. He sent scouts to ride ahead and on both sides of the war
party.
"If you see anything, tell us about it," he told them.
Then the war party continued across the plain. White Otter realized
that while his force was large enough for a sudden attack against the
Kiowa camp, it was not sufficiently strong to risk a fight in the
open. Besides, he hoped to accomplish his purpose without bringing
further loss upon the Cheyennes.
The day passed without alarm. Toward sunset they saw one of the scouts
returning. They believed he had discovered something. White Otter
called Running Crow to act as interpreter.
"He says he saw some buffaloes over there," said Running Crow, as he
pointed toward the south.
"Then I believe the Pawnees are near," White Otter told him. "We must
watch out for them. Tell your brother to go back there, and keep
watching. Tell him when it gets dark to come to the place where many
trees grow. He will find us there."
Running Crow repeated the instructions, and the scout rode away. It
was not long before one of the scouts who was riding in advance came
back. He was a warrior named Standing Bull, who spoke the Sioux
dialect.
"We looked sharp but we did not see anything," he told White Otter.
"Sitting Bear and Black Beaver are riding ahead. I came back to find
out where to find you when it gets dark."
"You will find us at the place where many trees grow," White Otter
told him. "Do you know that place?"
"Yes, I know it," said Standing Bull. "There is good water there."
He rode ahead to join his companions. He had barely gone before one of
the other scouts joined the war party. He, too, reported that he had
seen nothing to arouse suspicion. When he learned where the Cheyennes
planned to spend the night he rode away.
"It is good," said Running Crow, who rode beside White Otter. "Our
brothers have seen nothing but some buffaloes."
"Perhaps those buffaloes will bring the Pawnees," replied White Otter.
"No, my brother, I do not believe we will see the Wolf People,"
Running Crow told him. "They have killed many buffaloes. They have
plenty of meat. I believe they will take it to their people."
Shortly afterward they came in sight of a large grove of aspens. It
was a familiar camp site, and White Otter had been there before. As
they drew near the timber they stopped, while scouts went forward to
investigate. They rode cautiously about the grove to make sure that it
was free of foes. The Cheyennes watched closely. They realized that it
offered a tempting hiding place to Kiowa scouts. One of the riders
finally disappeared into the timber. A few moments afterward be
signaled the war party to advance.
"The way is clear," said Running Crow.
When the Cheyennes entered the grove the scouts showed them a number
of fresh pony tracks. White Otter examined them with much interest.
They seemed to cause him considerable uneasiness.
"Well, my brother, how do you feel about those tracks?" Sun Bird asked
him.
"It looks bad," said White Otter. "There were three ponies in this
place. It was not long ago. Perhaps it was Kiowa scouts. Perhaps they
saw us coming here. Perhaps they have gone to tell their people about
it. We must watch out."
"If the Kiowas come here the scouts will tell us about it," said
Running Crow.
"Yes, that is true," replied White Otter. "But some one must keep
watching out there on the plain. The Kiowas are sharp. Perhaps they
will creep past the scouts."
Several warriors offered to go out on the plain to watch. Then the
Cheyennes picketed their ponies, and lay down to rest. For two days
they had ridden hard, and they were tired and sore.
"White Otter, I have something bad to tell you," Sun Bird said, as he
seated himself beside the Ogalala.
White Otter turned inquiringly.
"The Kiowas took away our ponies," said Sun Bird. "Painted Weasel told
me about it. Running Buffalo found Little Raven's pony, but our ponies
are with the Kiowas."
"Hi, that is bad," cried White Otter. "Well, I will get back my pony.
Curly Horse, your chief, gave it to me. I will not let it go. It is
the fastest pony I ever rode. Yes, I will take it away from the
Kiowas."
"We will get them back," Sun Bird declared, confidently. "My pony is
very fast. I will not let the Kiowas keep it."
The loss of the ponies saddened them. White Otter felt sure that
neither friend nor foe owned a pony with the speed and endurance of
the little piebald which he had received from the Minneconjoux chief.
Sun Bird was equally attached to the little roan. It had beaten most
of the ponies in the Minneconjoux camp, and had carried him to safety
in several thrilling escapes from his foes.
"How did the Kiowas get those ponies?" White Otter asked, suddenly.
"Painted Weasel says that all the war ponies were in the camp," said
Sun Bird. "When the Kiowas ran into the village, the Cheyennes ran to
get the ponies. They had a big fight. The Kiowas got many of those
ponies. Our ponies were with those ponies they took away."
The sun had disappeared, and the twilight shadows were forming on the
plain. Many of the Cheyennes were asleep. The ponies had finished
feeding, and most of them were lying down. The camp was in peaceful
repose. White Otter looked on with satisfaction.
"It is good," he said. "The Cheyennes and their ponies are resting.
They will be strong to fight."
Then, as night closed down, White Otter left his companions and seated
himself at the edge of the grove. He was serious and thoughtful. He
suddenly realized his responsibility. The Cheyennes had placed
themselves under his leadership. They were depending upon him to save
their chief. He knew the difficulties and perils which were before
him. He wondered if he would be able to overcome them. For a moment he
felt doubtful. Would he fail? Would he bring another staggering
disaster upon the unfortunate Cheyennes? He grew weak at the thought.
Then he realized that he was yielding to fear. The idea roused him. He
felt ashamed. He rallied from the mood. He recalled that he had
overcome the Kiowas under still greater difficulties. It restored his
confidence. His courage returned. He laughed away his fears.
"I am an Ogalala," he said, proudly. "I will do what I have set out to
do."
He rose, and turned his face toward the heavens. He asked
Wa-kan-tun-ka, the Great Mystery, to give him strength and courage to
overcome his enemies. Then he returned to his friends. He found Sun
Bird and Little Raven asleep. Running Crow was seated a short
distance away. White Otter joined him.
"My brother, why are you awake?" White Otter asked. "I am the leader.
I will watch. Come, Running Crow, lie down and sleep."
"No, I cannot sleep," Running Crow told him. "My heart is heavy. I am
thinking about my people. I am thinking about my friends who were
killed by the Kiowas. I am thinking about Red Dog. Perhaps the Kiowas
have killed him."
White Otter remained silent. The words of Running Crow revived his
fears. He knew the bitter enmity between the Kiowas and the Cheyennes,
and he feared that Red Dog might have been killed soon after entering
the camp. Running Crow seemed to understand the significance of his
silence.
"I see that you believe Red Dog is dead," Running Crow said, sharply.
"No, I do not believe it," White Otter told him. "We cannot tell about
it until we get to the Kiowa camp. I----"
He ceased speaking. A pony had called, close at hand. Running Crow
sprang to his feet. The Cheyennes sat up to listen. White Otter stared
anxiously into the night.
"It is one of the scouts," said Running Crow.
"Watch," White Otter cautioned him.
For some moments all was still. Then they heard some one riding toward
them. They had little doubt that it was a scout, but they were
cautious. The Cheyennes had risen and moved to the edge of the grove.
The rider had stopped. They became suspicious. They waited anxiously
for a signal. At last it came.
"Do not be afraid, my brothers," said a familiar voice.
A moment later Fighting Wolf, one of the scouts, appeared out of the
darkness. Running Crow began to talk with him. The Cheyennes listened
eagerly. The Sioux, however, were unable to understand his words.
"Fighting Wolf says that he heard the call of the great gray wolf,"
Running Crow told White Otter. "It was far away."
"The Pawnees made that call," declared White Otter. "We will be
cautious."
At dawn the scouts returned to the grove. With the exception of
Fighting Wolf and his companions who had heard the wolf call, they
declared that the night had passed without alarm. White Otter felt
considerably encouraged. He believed that the Kiowas had failed to
guard their trail. It was evident that they had little fear of being
overtaken before they reached their camp.
"I believe they will keep a sharp watch around their village," White
Otter told Running Crow.
The sun had not appeared when the war party left the grove and
cantered away toward the Kiowa camp. White Otter asked Running Crow to
select the most expert warriors to ride in advance, as he believed
there was great danger of encountering Kiowa scouts. When half of the
day had passed, White Otter began to notice familiar landmarks which
told him that he was approaching the vicinity of the Kiowa camp. He
became more cautious.
"We are getting close to our enemies," he told Running Crow.
Soon afterward they saw the famous scout, Painted Weasel, racing
toward them. White Otter immediately called a halt. They watched the
scout with considerable anxiety. He was lashing his pony, and pointing
behind him.
"Perhaps the Kiowas are coming," they told one another.
When Painted Weasel came within shouting distance he called out to
White Otter in the Sioux tongue.
"So-ta, so-ta!" he cried.
"Painted Weasel says smoke," White Otter told them.
"My brother, we saw some smoke a long way ahead of us," Painted Weasel
said, excitedly. "We were peeping over the top of a hill. We saw many
trees. We were watching sharp. Then I saw that smoke. I believe the
Kiowa camp is over there. I came to tell you about it."
"Yes, it is true," White Otter told him. "The camp is in that place. I
know about it. Where are your brothers?"
"Standing Bull and Red Crane are watching."
"It is good," said White Otter. "Running Crow, tell your people about
it."
The Cheyennes became greatly excited. Almost within sight of the Kiowa
camp, they were eager to approach and begin the fight. Some of the
warriors proposed riding back to the ridge with Painted Weasel to
reconnoiter. White Otter kept them back.
"Cheyennes, you have made me the leader," he cried. "You must do
as I tell you. Now listen to my words. Red Dog your chief is in
that camp. If you let the Kiowas know that we are here, Red Dog
will be killed. There is only one way to do this thing. We must
hide until it gets dark. Then some of us will go ahead and try to
find out something. There is a gully over there toward the
Place-where-the-warm-wind-blows. I will take you over there. It
is a good place to hide in. Before we go there we must call in
our brothers, and tell them about it."
Running Crow repeated the words to his tribesmen. They heartily
indorsed the plan.
"The Ogalala is a great leader," they said.
Then a warrior rode out on each side of the war party and galloped his
pony in a circle. The scouts were visible, far away across the plain.
They soon saw the riders and understood the signals. In a few moments
the Cheyennes saw them riding in. In the meantime Painted Weasel had
ridden away to acquaint his companions with the plans of the war
party.
"Now we will go to that gully," said White Otter.
He circled more to the southward, and led them across the plain at a
brisk canter. The scouts finally overtook them, and rode along beside
them. They kept a sharp watch for their foes, but except for a few
stray bunches of antelopes, the plain appeared lifeless. The day was
well advanced when they eventually reached a deep ravine that
extended far across the plain.
"We will hide here and watch until it gets dark," White Otter told
them.
Guards were appointed to watch the ponies, and then most of the
warriors crawled up the side of the ravine to watch the plain. They
looked eagerly into the east in the hope of discovering smoke from the
Kiowa camp.
"Perhaps it has died out; perhaps it is too far away," Running Crow
told them.
Sun Bird and Little Raven had joined White Otter. The three young
scouts lay beside each other at the top of the ravine. They stared
silently across the plain. The sun had set, and the evening shadows
were already gathering in the east.
"See, see, some one is riding this way," Little Raven cried suddenly.
Three horsemen were racing toward the ravine. The Cheyennes were
talking excitedly. They felt certain that the riders were the scouts
who had gone to watch from the ridge to the eastward. The Sioux also
believed that Painted Weasel and his companions were returning with
word of some important discovery. Running Crow hastened to join White
Otter.
"It looks bad," he said suspiciously. "Something has happened."
"Pretty soon we will know about it," White Otter said, quietly.
As the scouts approached the ravine, the foremost rider raised his
hand above his head as a token of friendship. Then they recognized him
as Painted Weasel. When he reached them he called for White Otter.
"Here is White Otter," Running Crow told him.
"The Kiowa scouts have gone to that hill to watch," said Painted
Weasel. "We got away before they saw us."
"It is good," replied White Otter.
"Now it will be hard to get near the camp," said Running Crow.
"We will fool them," White Otter assured him.