THE WAR PARTY
At daylight White Otter crept cautiously up the side of the gully to
survey the plain. Far away toward the west he saw the little grove of
aspens, and he wondered if another company of riders were encamped at
the water-hole. He searched the sky above the trees for a trace of
smoke, but he believed that the precaution was useless, for he told
himself that a war party on the trail of foes would never betray
themselves in such a manner. White Otter watched a long time, but saw
nothing except a distant band of antelope, and several animals which he
thought were prairie wolves. Soon after sunrise he led his pony from the
ravine, and rode away.
Once again the young Sioux circled cautiously about the aspens, and when
he had made sure that the spot was free of foes he entered the grove. He
and his pony drank heartily at the little pool, and then resumed their
journey toward the Minneconjoux camp. White Otter was still pondering
upon the identity of the mysterious riders. He was sorely disappointed
at the failure of his bold reconnaissance the previous night. However,
he consoled himself with the thought that his friends might be able to
tell him something about the horsemen. The possibility made him
impatient, and he hurried along at a rapid pace. He kept a sharp watch
for buffaloes, but it was evident that those great beasts were still
farther south. Antelope were plentiful, but as White Otter had a
sufficient supply of dried meat he made no attempt to hunt them.
Later in the day as he was crossing a wide stretch of grassy prairie
White Otter saw a solitary horseman watching him from the summit of a
distant knoll. Convinced that he had already been discovered, he
realized that it would be folly to attempt to hide. He stopped his pony,
therefore, and waited to see what the stranger would do. The latter,
however, was apparently using the same tactics against White Otter. Thus
many minutes passed while the two riders sat motionless on their
ponies, and watched with distrust and suspicion. They were too far apart
to identify each other, but neither showed any inclination to approach
nearer. At last the stranger turned his pony, and disappeared over the
crest of the rise.
White Otter did not know exactly what to do. The appearance of the lone
horseman had filled him with all sorts of alarming suspicions. First of
all, he felt quite sure that the rider was a scout reconnoitering in
advance of a war party. The idea suggested several interesting
possibilities. Perhaps it was a company of Sioux. The thought thrilled
him. He realized, however, that he must not permit the hope to betray
him. He feared it more likely that he was confronted by a roving band of
foes. As the horseman had made no attempt to conceal himself, White
Otter believed that he was endeavoring to decoy him into a trap. It was
quite probable that a large body of warriors were lurking behind the low
ridge over which the rider had disappeared. The thought was somewhat
alarming, and for a moment White Otter was tempted to flee. As the plain
was level and open, however, and he was well beyond bow-shot of the
ridge, he believed that he was in little immediate danger after all. He
saw that it would be impossible for an enemy to steal upon him
unobserved, and the assurance made him bold. Banishing all idea of
retreating until he learned more about the lone horseman, he determined
to hold his ground and wait for further developments.
It was not long before the rider again showed himself on the summit of
the knoll. A moment afterward he was joined by a companion. The
appearance of the second horseman convinced White Otter that a war party
was concealed behind the ridge. He watched anxiously to learn what the
two scouts intended to do.
In a few moments one of the riders raised his right hand above his head
and moved it slowly to the right and left. White Otter instantly
understood the signal, which meant, "I do not know you. Who are you?"
Unwilling to proclaim himself until he knew more about the strangers,
the young Sioux replied by repeating the question. Then the horseman who
was conversing with him again raised his right hand, but this time be
held it motionless. It was the sign for friendship. The second horseman
waved his robe, and then spread it upon the ground. White Otter
understood it as an invitation to come and talk with them. He began to
hope that he was in communication with a company of his own people.
Still he realized that he must take every precaution before exposing
himself. Therefore, he answered the invitation by clasping his hands and
raising them above his head, which meant, "Are you peaceful?" The
horseman pledged himself by repeating the signal.
"My heart tells me that these people are Sioux," White Otter assured
himself.
Then he again raised his right hand above his head, and swept it forward
and downward to his side, which meant, "Come here." He watched eagerly
while the horsemen seemed to be considering the invitation. At length
one of the riders turned his pony down the ridge and rode toward White
Otter. The latter saw that his invitation had been accepted, and he
determined to be very cautious. When the horseman finally stopped, and
signaled for White Otter to advance, the lad made no reply. He had no
intention of placing himself one stride nearer the ridge until he knew
the intentions of the strangers. As he showed no inclination to meet the
horseman, therefore, the latter betrayed considerable impatience. After
repeating the sign for friendship a number of times, and asking White
Otter to meet him, he finally turned to rejoin his companion.
In the meantime White Otter had been studying him closely, and although
he could not be sure at that distance he believed that the disgruntled
warrior was a Sioux. Therefore, as the latter showed every intention of
terminating the interview, White Otter made haste to pacify him. As the
scout looked back to make sure that he was not followed, the young Sioux
rode slowly forward.
The stranger instantly wheeled his pony and waited for White Otter to
approach. The latter advanced with the alert, watchful caution of a fox.
He made no attempt to conceal his suspicions, and to reassure him the
unknown rider raised his hand in token of peace. Neither White Otter nor
the warrior who awaited him had drawn their weapons, for to have done
so under the circumstances would have been a grave breach of etiquette.
However, White Otter stopped before he was within arrow-range, and
looked searchingly at the man before him. He had all the characteristics
of a Sioux, but the cautious lad determined to take nothing for granted.
As he was now sufficiently near to open negotiations in the sign
language, White Otter extended his right hand a short distance and
turned the open palm slowly from right to left. Then he pointed toward
the rider. The signs meant, "Who are you?"
The horseman replied by raising his right hand to the level of his
shoulder, and drawing his flat palm swiftly across his throat, which was
the sign for the great Sioux nation.
The announcement filled White Otter's heart with joy. Still he
determined to demand further proof before venturing within arrow-range.
He, too, made the sign for Sioux. Then he elevated his hands and brought
the tips of his fingers together so that his palms formed the familiar
outlines of a lodge or tepee, which was the sign for village. Then he
repeated the signs for "Who are you?" Thus he demanded to know from
what tribe or village the stranger had come.
The latter extended his clenched fists in front of him, and placed the
right thumb upon the left thumb, twisting his hands to represent the
motion for grinding corn. Then he opened his hands, and held them before
him with the thumbs uppermost and the fingers pointing forward. He moved
his hands by wrist action so that the fingers moved downward and to the
front, and then raised them and moved his hands slightly to the right.
These motions were repeated several times.
White Otter uttered an involuntary exclamation of delight, for he knew
that the motions were the signs for Minneconjoux Sioux. Then as the
rider was demanding an answer, White Otter pointed to the ground,
brought his clenched right hand, with the back outward, in front of his
face and snapped his fingers toward his eyes. It was the symbol for
Ogalala Sioux.
Having convinced each other that there was no need for further caution,
the two riders advanced. As they came within easy hailing distance the
Minneconjoux scout raised his hand and called a greeting.
"Ho, my brother, I see that you are a Sioux. It is good; we will talk
together."
"Ho, my brother, I have heard your words. They are the words of my
people. Yes, I will talk with you," said White Otter, as he hurried
forward to meet his tribesman.
A few moments later they dismounted and clasped hands. White Otter saw
that the Minneconjoux was a tall, broad-shouldered warrior in the prime
of life. He looked as sinewy and active as one of the great mountain
cats, and White Otter recalled the stories he had heard about this
powerful tribe of the Dacotah nation.
"I see that you are a young man. But you wear a feather of the great war
bird, and I know that you are a warrior. I do not know who you are, but
I will tell you that I am Feather Dog. I have fought in many battles.
You say that you are an Ogalala. Those people are very brave. I have
talked with the great chief Wolf Robe," said Feather Dog.
"Feather Dog, I have listened to your words. I believe you are a brave
warrior. The great chief Wolf Robe is my grandfather. I am White Otter;
my father was Standing Buffalo. You say that you are a Minneconjoux. I
am going to your village to see the great chief Curly Horse, and Rain
Crow, the medicine-man. I will meet my brothers, Sun Bird and Little
Raven," replied White Otter.
"Yes, now I know about you," said Feather Dog. "You are young, but you
are a great warrior. I have heard my people talk about you. You have
done a great thing. You call Sun Bird and Little Raven your brothers. It
is true. I will tell you about them."
Feather Dog told White Otter that he and Sitting Eagle, who was still
watching from the summit of the ridge, were scouting in advance of a
small Minneconjoux war party. He said that they were in pursuit of a
band of Utes from the south, who had stolen a number of Sioux ponies.
When White Otter heard that, he knew at once the identity of the
mysterious riders at the water-hole.
"I will tell you about those people," he told Feather Dog.
"Yes, tell me about them," the Minneconjoux scout said, eagerly.
"One sun back I camped over there," said White Otter, pointing toward
the east. "It is a place my grandfather told me about. Over there are
many of the trees whose leaves always tremble, and some good water. Do
you know about it?"
"Yes, I have been there many times," said Feather Dog.
"When I was at that place I heard some ponies. Yes, it was dark, and I
said: 'Perhaps it is my brothers, the Minneconjoux.' But I did not wait
there. No, I rode away, and left my pony in a ravine. Then I went back
to look at those people. When I got near them I heard them going away.
Then I hurried ahead to see them. But it was dark, and they went away. I
said: 'Those people are not Sioux. They are running away. Perhaps my
brothers, the Minneconjoux, are chasing them.' Now I know about it,"
said White Otter.
"Come, we will go over there, and tell this thing to Sitting Eagle,"
proposed Feather Dog.
As they cantered across the plain White Otter learned that the war
party was farther toward the west, as the Minneconjoux believed that the
Utes had retreated along the edge of the great mountains. White Otter
was overjoyed to learn that both Sun Bird and Little Raven were in the
war party. Feather Dog told him that among the ponies carried away by
the Utes was one which White Otter had presented to Sun Bird. Feather
Dog said that a boy was driving the animals toward the village, when the
Utes rode out of a gully and ran off the Minneconjoux ponies.
"I do not know those people," said White Otter.
"No, they do not go to your country. They are enemies of my people,"
replied Feather Dog.
"Then I will go to fight them," declared the loyal young Sioux.
A few moments afterward they joined Sitting Eagle on the crest of the
ridge. Feather Dog soon told his companion what White Otter had seen,
and Sitting Eagle listened with much interest. He, too, was a man in his
prime, and his splendid physique and bold flashing eyes filled his
young tribesman with admiration. When Feather Dog finished speaking
Sitting Eagle remained silent, while his eyes searched the face of the
youthful Ogalala. White Otter met his gaze unflinchingly, and the stern
Minneconjoux scout seemed impressed by the lad's boldness.
"Feather Dog has told me your words. I have listened. They are good. I
know about you. You have done a great thing. Yes, the Sioux will talk
about it a long time. You say that you have found the trail of our
enemies, the Black Faces. It is good. See, our people are coming over
there," he said, as he extended his arm toward the west.
A company of horsemen were riding rapidly toward them. When they saw the
three riders on the ridge they seemed to grow suspicious. They were
still too far away to recognize Sitting Eagle and Feather Dog. It was
evident that they intended to take every precaution. They had already
stopped, and were apparently gathered in council. Then Sitting Eagle
rode down the ridge and galloped to meet them. This maneuver soon
dispelled their suspicions, and when the scout raised his voice in the
Sioux war cry, his companions came on at the top speed of their ponies.
White Otter watched them with considerable emotion. Even at a distance
he recognized the two friends with whom he had shared so many
adventures. As they approached he was tempted to ride across the plain
to meet them, but he saw Feather Dog watching him closely, and he
determined to conceal his feelings. However, when the approaching
horsemen learned the identity of the rider with Feather Dog, Sun Bird
and Little Raven urged their ponies to a furious sprint and raced
forward in advance of their companions. When they reached the top of the
ridge they jumped to the ground and ran forward to greet their comrade.
"My brother, I have taken your hand, and my heart is filled with
sunshine," said Sun Bird.
"I have been thinking about you a long time," replied White Otter. "Now
I am talking with you. It is good; your words are like the songs of the
birds in my ears."
"See, my brother, I am riding the pony which you gave me. Yes, I am a
warrior. But I am not thinking about these things. I am singing in my
heart because I have taken your hand," said Little Raven.
"Your words are the words of a true friend. I will keep them in my
heart," replied White Otter.
Then as the warriors gathered about them White Otter told of his
experience at the water-hole. Convinced that the mysterious horsemen
were the Utes who had stolen the ponies, the war party determined to
ride to the aspen grove. The sun was still some distance above the
horizon, and they felt sure that they would reach the camp-site soon
after dark. As there was little chance of overtaking the Utes before
they reached their village, the daring Sioux resolved to follow them to
their camp, and retaliate for the affront by running off a large bunch
of ponies. They planned to spend the night at the water-hole, therefore,
and set out on the trail of their foes at dawn. When White Otter learned
their intention he volunteered to join the war party, and was speedily
accepted.
"When I see you riding beside me I feel very brave," said Sun Bird. "It
is good; we will take many ponies from our enemies, the Black Faces."
"Tell me about those people," said White Otter.
Sun Bird told him that they lived several days' journey toward the
south. He said that they were smaller than the Sioux, and very dark. "My
people call them the Black Faces," said Sun Bird. He added that they
were very fearless, and he said that the Minneconjoux had fought many
furious battles with them.
"It is good," said White Otter. "I will fight these brave people. Then I
will tell my people about it."
When the war party finally reached the water-hole night had already
fallen, and the wily Minneconjoux halted out of arrow-range, while
Feather Dog and Sitting Eagle went forward to investigate. It was not
long before they signaled that all was well, and the war party advanced.
After picketing the ponies in the timber, the Sioux made a fire of dry
sticks, and broiled a quantity of antelope meat which they had secured
earlier in the day. When they finished eating they stationed several
warriors to guard the horses, and then the balance of the company
wrapped themselves in their robes and went to sleep.
"Perhaps we will have a hard fight to get those ponies," said Sun Bird,
as he lay down beside White Otter.
"A Sioux is always ready to fight," replied White Otter.