REENFORCEMENTS
The Cheyennes were disheartened by the loss of the ponies. They rode
across the plain in gloomy silence. Having rallied from the
catastrophe which had fallen upon their village, they were completely
disheartened by the fresh disaster which had overtaken them.
"It is bad," said Running Crow. "The Evil Ones must be working against
us."
The credulous Cheyennes were impressed by the thought. It deepened
their gloom, and filled them with superstitious dread. Their recent
misfortunes suddenly assumed a new significance. They believed that
they had aroused the displeasure of the Evil Ones. The idea startled
them. They feared that still greater calamities might befall them.
As the disastrous day finally came to its end, they approached a
familiar camp site beside a large pool on the open plain. It was the
only water within a half day's travel, and as the plain offered
splendid pasturage for the ponies Red Dog determined to stop. Some of
the warriors were eager to pass by, and continue the retreat from the
Pawnee hunting grounds.
"No, it would be foolish," Red Dog told them. "We must stop here and
rest the ponies."
The Cheyennes slid dejectedly from the ponies, and threw themselves
upon the ground. They held the lariats, and watched indifferently
while the ponies grazed. There was little talk. Their hearts were
heavy. Their spirits were crushed. A splendid victory had ended in a
bitter defeat. A number of their comrades had been killed. The
Cheyennes felt subdued.
"Our brothers feel bad," Little Raven said, softly.
"Bad things have happened to them," declared Sun Bird.
White Otter made no comment. He, too, was serious and depressed. He
had expected a war party of his people to come to the aid of the
Cheyennes. He was at a loss to explain why they had failed to appear.
Having assured the Cheyennes that the Ogalalas would help them, he
feared that they might doubt the sincerity of his pledge. The thought
troubled him. He felt sure that if his tribesmen had joined the war
party, the Pawnees would have been beaten off.
"My people did not come," he told Sun Bird. "It is bad. I do not know
what to make of it."
"Perhaps the Cheyennes took a long time to go to your village," said
Sun Bird. "There were many women and children. They held back the
warriors."
"Many suns have passed," White Otter reminded him.
They became silent. For a long time they sat watching the plain. White
Otter looked hopefully toward the north. He knew that the Pawnees were
two full days' travel from their village, and they would be forced to
travel slowly with the great herd of ponies. If the Ogalalas should
appear before the night passed he believed they might still overtake
the Pawnees and recover the ponies. The possibility thrilled him.
Then, as darkness finally came, the great hope died from his heart.
"My brothers, night has come," Red Dog told his warriors. "I do not
believe the Pawnees will turn back to find us, but we must watch out.
We are in the country of our enemies. I will ask some of you to ride
out on the plain and watch."
"I will go," White Otter said, eagerly.
"White Otter, you are a great chief," Red Dog told him. "You have done
big things to help us. You must lie down and rest. My young men will
watch."
"No, no, I will watch," insisted White Otter. "Perhaps something good
will come of it. Red Dog, you must listen to my words."
"I will not talk against it," said Red Dog.
"I will go," replied White Otter.
"I will go with you," said Sun Bird.
"No, my brother, I must go alone," White Otter told him.
A few moments later four scouts left the company, and disappeared into
the night. One was White Otter. He rode away toward the north.
"I believe White Otter has gone to watch for his people," Little Raven
told Sun Bird.
"It may be true," said Sun Bird.
Once beyond hearing of the Cheyennes, White Otter struck the piebald
with his riding quirt, and the wonderful creature bounded away at
marvelous speed. He rode far into the north before he finally came in
sight of a dense cluster of trees. They were several arrow flights
away. He stopped the piebald, and listened sharply. All was still.
"It is bad," White Otter murmured.
He rode slowly toward the timber. Then the piebald suddenly stopped
and raised its head. White Otter peered eagerly into the darkness. A
moment later a pony called. It was within bowshot. White Otter drew
his arrows, and waited in trying suspense. The piebald was restless.
He believed that some one was approaching. Then he heard voices. They
were close by. He imitated the bark of the little gray fox. The sounds
subsided. He listened anxiously. Many moments passed. Hope gave way to
suspicion. Had he betrayed himself to his foes? The possibility
startled him. Then he heard an answer to his signal. The bark of the
little gray fox sounded a short distance ahead of him. His eyes
flashed. His heart bounded with joy.
"Ho, Dacotahs," he cried, eagerly.
"Ho, my brother, come ahead," some one replied.
"My ears tell me who you are, but I must be cautious," said White
Otter. "Come, Ogalala, tell me your name."
"Black Moccasin," said the voice.
"It is good," cried White Otter.
He rode forward, and met the famous Ogalala scout. They cantered
toward the trees.
"Have you fought the Kiowas?" Black Moccasin inquired, anxiously.
"Yes, we went to their village and took away Red Dog and many ponies,"
White Otter told him.
"Well, we came fast, but I see that we did not get here in time to
help you," said Black Moccasin.
"My brother, you must help us fight the Pawnees," replied White Otter.
"The Pawnees came up with us and ran off the ponies that we took away
from the Kiowas. That is why I came to find you."
"Hi, hi, that is bad," said Black Moccasin.
At that moment some one challenged them.
"It is good, my brother," cried Black Moccasin. "White Otter is here."
"Ride ahead," the scout told them.
They advanced and met Hollow Bear, another noted Ogalala warrior. He
accompanied them to the grove. White Otter was overjoyed to find a
great company of Ogalalas assembled at the campsite. With them were
the five Cheyenne scouts who had accompanied the women and children
to the Ogalala camp, and the company of warriors who had escaped from
the Cheyenne village. White Otter was welcomed with enthusiasm.
"My brothers, I have found you--it is good," he said. "There is little
time to talk. First I will tell these brave Cheyennes that Red Dog is
alive. We took him away from the Kiowas. We also ran off many ponies.
Come, Cloud Eagle, you know my words, tell your brothers about it."
The Cheyennes were wild with joy. It was some moments before White
Otter could proceed with his talk.
"Now, Cheyennes, I will tell you something bad," he said, finally. "We
were driving away those ponies. Everything was good. Then the Pawnees
came. They were very strong. They caught up with us and ran off those
ponies. We could not stop them.
"Ogalalas, we must ride after those Pawnees and try to get back those
ponies. The Pawnees are not far ahead of us. I believe they stopped
when it got dark. Their village is two sun's travel away. They cannot
travel fast. I believe we can come up with them. I will lead you.
Come, jump on your ponies, and follow me."
The warriors ran to untie the ponies. A few moments afterward they
followed their famous young war chief across the plain. It was a great
war party. Wolf Robe, the venerable Ogalala chief, had sent his best
fighters to aid the Cheyennes. White Otter thrilled at the thought of
leading them against the Pawnees.
"White Otter, how did you come to find us?" Black Moccasin asked
curiously.
"I knew about that place--it is a good place to stop," White Otter
told him. "When Red Dog stopped over there by the water I kept
watching to see you. You did not come. I felt bad. Then it got dark.
Then I said, 'Perhaps my brothers are close by.' Then I thought about
that place. I said, 'Perhaps my brothers are waiting there until it
gets light.' Then I came ahead to find out about it."
"Are the Cheyennes far away?" Black Moccasin asked him.
"No, we will soon find them," said White Otter.
He led the way at a fast pace, for he was eager to set out on the
trail of the Pawnees without further delay. When they finally
approached the spot where he had left the Cheyennes, White Otter raced
forward in advance of the war party.
"Watch out, some one is riding fast!" the Cheyennes cried in alarm,
as they heard a pony galloping toward them from the north.
"It must be White Otter," said Red Dog. "Perhaps he has found out
about something."
They sprang to their feet, and waited anxiously for the rider. As he
came within bowshot, they began to call.
"Who are you?" they inquired, suspiciously.
"Do not be afraid, everything is good," cried White Otter.
"Yes, yes, it is White Otter," the Cheyennes told one another.
A few moments afterward the Ogalala joined them. They gathered around
him to learn what had happened.
"Listen!" he cried. "Do you hear those ponies? They are bringing my
people. Cheyennes, my words have come true. The Ogalalas are coming to
help you."
They heard the hoofbeats of many ponies. The sound filled them with
joy. A great hope entered their hearts.
"It is the Ogalalas! It is the Ogalalas!" they cried, excitedly.
Then the great Sioux war party dashed out of the night. Their arrival
threw the Cheyennes into a tumult. For a moment all was confusion.
Then White Otter took command, and restored order.
"Come, come, my brothers, we are making too much noise," he said,
sharply.
The great company of fighting men instantly became quiet. They
dismounted and waited for instructions from their chief.
"Cheyennes, my people have come here to fight," White Otter said,
proudly. "We will ride after the Pawnees. We will bring back those
ponies. A Dacotah does not turn back. We will do what we set out to
do. Cheyennes are you ready to go into this fight?"
"Yes, yes, we are ready!" shouted the Cheyennes.
"It is good," declared White Otter.
"Wait, Ogalalas, I will give you some words," said Red Dog. "I have
talked with Cloud Eagle and Two Dogs and Walks Alone and Hairy Robe
and Lame Bear. Those warriors took our women and children to your
village. They gave me good words. Now I know that our people are safe
in your lodges. Now I know that they will have plenty to eat and a
good place to sleep in. Now I know that our people will stay with you
until we fight the Pawnees and bring back the ponies. It is good.
Ogalalas, you have good hearts for your friends. The Cheyennes feel
good about it. We will always try to help you.
"Ogalalas, your great chief, Wolf Robe, is too old to fight, but he
has sent you here to help us. It is good. Now we are strong enough to
fight the Pawnees. White Otter says that a Dacotah does not turn back.
It is true. The Dacotahs are very brave. Well, the Cheyennes will keep
close beside you.
"Ogalalas, White Otter, your chief, is a great leader. He took me away
from the Kiowas. He was the leader. He told my people how to get into
that camp. We did what he told us to do. Everything was good. All my
people came out of that fight. It is something to talk about.
Cheyennes--Ogalalas--listen to my words. I am going to ask White Otter
to be the leader of this great war party. He is as brave as
Ma-to-ho-ta, the bear. He is as sharp as To-ka-la, the fox. He fooled
the Kiowas. I believe he will fool the Pawnees. If White Otter is the
leader, I believe we will get back those ponies. Now you all know how
I feel about it."
His proposal was approved by the entire company. The Cheyennes
believed that the young war chief of the Ogalalas possessed some
mysterious power which made him immune from peril, and enabled him to
triumph over his foes. They believed that his leadership greatly
increased their chances for a victory over the Pawnees. The Ogalalas
were equally certain of success.
"I will be the leader," said White Otter. "Now we must get away.
Pretty soon the light will come. There is little time. Come, Red Dog,
send some one to call in the scouts. Then we will ride away."
Red Dog sent several riders to find the three Cheyenne scouts who were
watching on the plain. Then the Cheyennes gathered about the warriors
who had escaped from the Cheyenne camp to learn the details of the
disastrous battle with the Kiowas. It was not long, however, before
they were interrupted by the arrival of the scouts. They said that
they had watched carefully but had heard nothing of their foes.
"It is good," said White Otter. "Come, my brothers, get on your
ponies. We will go to fight the Pawnees."