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[Illustration: "The hunt became a mad break-neck scramble across the
rocky plain." [PAGE 143]]
WHITE OTTER
BY
ELMER RUSSELL GREGOR
AUTHOR OF "CAMPING ON WESTERN TRAILS," "THE RED ARROW," ETC.
FRONTISPIECE BY
D. C. HUTCHISON
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
NEW YORK LONDON
1924
By ELMER R. GREGOR
JIM MASON, BACKWOODSMAN
JIM MASON, SCOUT
_Western Indian Series...._
WHITE OTTER
THE WAR TRAIL
THREE SIOUX SCOUTS
_Eastern Indian Series_
SPOTTED DEER
RUNNING FOX
THE WHITE WOLF
COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
Printed in the United States of America
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. RIDERS OF THE NIGHT 1
II. THE WAR PARTY 14
III. TRAILING THE ENEMY 31
IV. A PERILOUS ADVENTURE 50
V. A SURPRISE 66
VI. A FIGHT IN THE DARK 85
VII. THE MINNECONJOUX CAMP 97
VIII. VISITORS FROM THE NORTH 114
IX. THE GREAT BUFFALO DRIVE 137
X. AN ADVENTURE AMONG THE PEAKS 156
XI. A CALL TO WAR 177
XII. A NIGHT OF UNCERTAINTY 189
XIII. RACING TO THE RESCUE 212
XIV. THE PLIGHT OF THE OGALALAS 222
XV. WHITE OTTER'S BOLD RESOLVE 241
XVI. A BAFFLING TRAIL 253
XVII. A PEEP INTO THE PAWNEE CAMP 267
XVIII. A DARING ATTEMPT 278
XIX. A SPLENDID VICTORY 292
XX. THE CROWN OF EAGLE PLUMES 305
WHITE OTTER
CHAPTER I
RIDERS OF THE NIGHT
It was the time of the new-grass moon. The long cold winter had finally
passed, and the season of abundance was at hand. The Sioux gave thanks
to the Great Mystery with song and dance. They knew that vast herds of
buffaloes would soon appear from the south, and then every want would be
supplied. The hunters were already making plans for the great buffalo
drive which would provide the camp with meat for many days.
It was at this season that White Otter, the grandson of Wolf Robe, the
famous Ogalala war chief, had planned to visit the Minneconjoux camp to
see his friends, Sun Bird and his brother Little Raven. The three young
warriors had shared many perilous adventures the previous year, when
White Otter won fame by recovering the Red Arrow, a Sioux medicine
trophy which had been stolen by the Pawnees, and Sun Bird rescued his
brother from captivity. At that time the lads pledged themselves to an
undying friendship, and Sun Bird and Little Raven accompanied White
Otter to the Ogalala village. When they departed White Otter gave each
two splendid ponies, and promised to visit them the following spring.
Now the time was at hand and he was eager to go.
When Wolf Robe learned White Otter's intention he said: "It is good; the
Minneconjoux are our brothers. Curly Horse, their chief, is a great man.
You will see many brave warriors in that camp. Sun Bird and Little Raven
are your friends. They will tell their people about you. Go and tell the
Minneconjoux that Wolf Robe is thinking about them."
Two days later White Otter set out upon his journey. As he was anxious
to make a good appearance before the proud people whom he planned to
visit, he had arrayed himself with elaborate care. He was dressed in all
the finery of a Sioux warrior. He wore soft doeskin leggings extending
to his thighs, a buckskin breech-cloth, moccasins gayly decorated with
dyed deer-hair, a rawhide belt from which hung his knife-sheath, his
weaselskin pouch containing his fire-sticks and a small buckskin bag
filled with dried meat. His bow and arrows were in a wolfskin case which
was slung across his back, and at his side hung his buffalo-hide war
shield. His robe was a beautifully tanned pelt of the grizzly bear. His
hair was arranged in two braids which were bound with otter fur, and
fastened to his scalp-lock was a tail-feather of the golden eagle, which
proclaimed him a warrior. He rode his fastest war pony, a nervous little
roan, and in its mane and tail he had fastened many hawk feathers, and
strips of fur. Thus equipped, the lad of seventeen winters was an
imposing figure. Tall and manly, he carried himself with the commanding
dignity which he had inherited from his father, Standing Buffalo, and
his grandfather, Wolf Robe, the stern old war chief of the Ogalalas.
As White Otter left his grandfather's lodge and rode through the center
of the village the people greeted him with shouts of approval. He had
won an everlasting place in their hearts, and they looked upon him with
pride and affection. Most of the boys, many of the old men and some of
the women followed him from the village, singing his praise and calling
his name. Once he had left the camp, however, White Otter soon urged his
pony into a canter, and rode away from his enthusiastic admirers.
"The Minneconjoux will see that White Otter, the grandson of the great
war chief of the Ogalalas, is a man," said Yellow Horse, the
medicine-man.
"Yes, he is brave like his father, Standing Buffalo, who has gone on the
Long Trail," replied Wolf Robe, as he looked admiringly after his
grandson.
White Otter rode away with a light heart, for he was overjoyed at the
thought of rejoining his friends. He had never been to the Minneconjoux
village, but he knew that it was far to the westward near the great
mountains, and as Wolf Robe had carefully described certain prominent
landmarks along the route he had little fear of missing his destination.
The young Sioux had heard many tales relating to the courage and valor
of his distant tribesmen, and he was eager to meet the famous warriors
of whom he had heard. He was particularly anxious to see Curly Horse,
the renowned Minneconjoux war chief, and Sun Bird's father, Rain Crow, a
famous medicine-man.
At midday White Otter came to a great village of the little Underground
People, the prairie dogs. He rode slowly between the small earth lodges,
and saw hundreds of the eccentric little creatures sitting up to watch
him. One old gray-whiskered sentinel chattered shrilly as the pony
approached, and finally dove frantically into his burrow. Most of the
Underground People followed his example. White Otter laughed at their
fright. He stopped his pony and waited for them to reappear. When the
gray nose of the cautious old patriarch finally came in sight, the young
Sioux called a greeting.
"Ho, you Underground People. Do you see who I am? Ho, you old man. Why
do you chatter like a frightened old woman? Come out and call to your
people. Tell them that White Otter is their friend. See, at my side is
the scalp of your enemy, the weasel. See, on my back is the scalp of
your enemy, the wolf. See, in my hair is a feather of your enemy, the
great war bird. I am telling you about this so that you can tell it to
your children. Now I am going away from here. Keep my words in your
heart."
As White Otter rode slowly on his way all the little Underground People
came from their burrows, and sat up on the low mounds of earth to watch
him. When he looked back and saw them he laughed, and raised his hand in
greeting. Then he cantered away and disappeared from sight over a low
rise of the plain. He rode until sunset, when he saw the first of the
landmarks which Wolf Robe had described: it was a small grove of aspens
which he had been told concealed a water-hole.
Although he was still on the hunting grounds of his people, and believed
he had little to fear from prowling enemies, White Otter approached the
spot with his customary caution. He knew that carelessness had betrayed
more than one brave warrior into the hands of his foes, and he
determined to run no unnecessary risks. Before exposing himself within
arrow range, therefore, he rode slowly around the grove, watching for a
sign of concealed foes, and studying the ground for fresh pony tracks.
When he had ridden several times around the spot without discovering
anything to rouse his suspicions, he drew his weapons, and dropped to
the side of his pony. Then he walked boldly toward the trees. He found
the grove unoccupied, and as it contained a pool of fresh water he
decided to camp there for the night.
It was barely dark, however, when White Otter's fancied security was
shattered by a noise which filled him with alarm. Rushing to the edge of
the plain to listen, he caught the unmistakable sound of galloping
hoofs. The truth instantly flashed into his mind. A company of horsemen
were approaching his camp-site. Were they friends or foes? White Otter
dared not wait to learn. He realized that safety lay in flight. There
was not a moment to spare, for the riders would soon be within bow-shot.
Running to his pony, he fastened a buckskin muzzle over its nose, and
leaped upon its back. Then he rode cautiously out upon the plain.
After he had gone a short distance the young Sioux stopped to assure
himself that the unknown horsemen were continuing in his direction. He
was surprised to learn that the sounds had ceased. However, the
stillness failed to deceive him. He knew that, like himself, the riders
were taking every precaution against a surprise. He believed that the
main company had stopped some distance out on the plain to wait until
one or more unmounted scouts could steal up to the water-hole to
reconnoiter. Fearing that these scouts might circle about the grove and
eventually discover him, he turned his pony toward the east and rode
slowly away.
White Otter made his way toward a deep ravine which he had crossed a
short time before he reached the water-hole. He planned to picket his
pony in the ravine, and then hurry across the plain on foot to
reconnoiter the camp of the mysterious horsemen. He had not gone far,
however, when he heard an owl calling in the vicinity of the pool, and
he knew that the scouts who had been sent forward to reconnoiter were
calling their companions. The signal was answered by the cry of a coyote
on the open plain, and it was evident that the riders were advancing
toward the grove.
Soon afterward White Otter found the ravine, and picketed his pony. Then
he climbed to the plain, and set out to spy upon the camp in the aspen
grove. As he made his way cautiously through the dark he tried to guess
the identity of the people who had driven him from the water-hole. It
was possible that they might prove to be a party of Sioux hunters from
the Minneconjoux village, but White Otter determined to risk nothing on
the chance. He believed it far more probable that they were a scouting
party of Crows or Blackfeet from the north who had ventured upon the
Sioux hunting grounds to look for buffaloes.
White Otter hurried across the vast star-lit plain with a firm
determination to solve the riddle. He realized that to learn what he
wished to know he must expose himself to considerable danger, but he was
without fear. He had already established an enviable reputation as a
warrior, and had passed through many perilous adventures on the war
trail.
The young Sioux guided himself by the stars, and soon arrived in the
general vicinity of the aspen grove. When he believed that he was within
hailing distance, he stopped to reconnoiter. He stood a long time
peering anxiously into the dark to catch the glow of a camp-fire, and
listening for some sound which would tell him the exact whereabouts of
the people whom he wished to see. His efforts were fruitless, however,
and he realized that he was farther from the camp than he had supposed.
As there was nothing to gain by loitering where he was, he continued
across the plain.
White Otter had gone some distance farther, when he was suddenly stopped
by the shrill whinny of a horse. It sounded directly ahead of him, but
apparently quite far away. Believing that the call had come from the
vicinity of the grove, White Otter looked eagerly in that direction. For
a few moments he saw only the vast black plain, and the star-studded
heavens. Then he caught a gleam of light far off to the westward. It
filled his heart with joy, for he knew that he had located the camp. It
also assured him that the horsemen had actually stopped in the grove,
and he felt greatly relieved. More than once he had been troubled by
the fear that the travelers had merely visited the pool to refresh their
ponies and had then resumed their journey. However, now that he was
certain of finding them in the grove, he was more perplexed than before.
He knew that a hostile war party would be almost sure to travel by
night, especially when they found themselves in the very center of the
Sioux hunting grounds. Therefore, White Otter concluded that these
people were hunters either from the Minneconjoux village, or from that
of one of the hostile tribes farther to the north.
Having definitely located the camp, the young Sioux determined to
approach it without further delay. He knew that to learn the identity of
these people he must get near enough to reconnoiter while the light from
the fire made it possible to see them. Therefore, he drew his weapons
and advanced toward the water-hole. As he finally neared the grove he
stopped at the end of every third stride to listen. Then when he heard
the ponies stamping restlessly he knew that he was within arrow-range,
and he sank noiselessly to the ground. He realized that if these people
were enemies they had probably stationed scouts about the grove, and he
feared to move lest he might encounter one of the alert sentinels at any
moment.
As White Otter lay upon the plain determining the safest way to approach
the camp, he heard sounds which led him to suspect that the horsemen
were preparing to leave the grove. At the same time he noted that they
were placing fresh fuel upon the fire. The maneuver made him suspicious.
"These people are not Sioux," he told himself.
Fearing that they would go away before he could identify them, the eager
lad rose and hurried toward the grove. Before he had covered half the
distance, however, the unknown riders mounted their ponies and rode away
at a gallop. They went toward the south, and White Otter felt sure that
they were foes.
The young Sioux listened with a heavy heart until the mocking hoof-beats
finally died away in the distance, and then he made his way to the
little pool. The fire was blazing fiercely, and he felt certain that it
had been left to give the impression that the riders were encamped in
the grove. Their hasty departure convinced him that the horsemen
believed themselves pursued. It seemed as if his earlier fears had been
confirmed. These people were evidently retreating from a larger company
of foes. The thought made White Otter serious. He wondered if his
tribesmen, the Minneconjoux, were involved in the mystery.
However, as White Otter saw no way of learning what he wished to know
until he reached the Minneconjoux camp, he told himself that he must be
patient. He concealed himself near the pool and waited some time, hoping
that a pursuing company of horsemen might soon appear. But the
possibility that they might be Crows or Blackfeet caused him
considerable uneasiness, and he finally determined to return to his pony
and spend the balance of the night in the ravine.