A DARING ATTEMPT
The night was almost gone when Short Bear and his companions finally
reached the great company of Sioux warriors. They were concealed behind
a high ridge, about half a day's journey from the Pawnee camp. White
Otter found that Spotted Bear and a strong force of Ogalalas had joined
the war party. The lads went directly to Curly Horse, and told him what
they had learned. When the Ogalalas heard that their two famous
tribesmen were still alive, they were beside themselves with excitement.
Some of the more impulsive warriors wished to attack the Pawnees at
once, but the war chiefs and the older men advised them to wait.
"Men of the Dacotah nation, you have heard good words," said Curly
Horse. "Yes, White Otter has found his people in the Pawnee camp. It is
good. We must try to get them away. I will tell you the best way to do
this thing. Pretty soon it will be light. Well, it would be foolish to
go ahead when the Pawnees can see us. Then the scouts would ride into
the village, and tell about us. If the Wolf People see us coming to
fight them, I believe they will kill those two brave Ogalalas. No, we
must not let them see us. We will wait here until another sun passes.
But we will send out scouts to watch. Then, when it is dark again, I
will send some brave men to crawl into the camp. They must go to the
edge of the village, and wait. Then this great war party will go ahead.
When we come near the lodges, we will rush forward. When we make our
great war cry, then those men at the edge of the village must run into
the camp, and save the Ogalalas. I believe it is the best way to do this
thing. But I will ask my brother, the great chief, Laughing Bird, to
talk about it. Yes, I will listen to the words of the brave Ogalala
leader, Spotted Bear. I have finished."
"Dacotahs, you have listened to a great man," declared Laughing Bird.
"What Curly Horse says is true. He is a good leader. Yes, I know that
he has been in many battles. I believe he has told the best way to get
our brothers out of that camp. I will not say anything different. I have
spoken."
"My brothers, I am an Ogalala," said Spotted Bear. "Our great chief,
Wolf Robe, and Yellow Horse, the great medicine-man, are in that camp. I
have come here to help them. I am the leader of my people in this fight,
but I am not a great chief. No, many of our great men have been killed.
That is how I was made the leader. I have fought in many battles. But I
will listen to the words of those great chiefs who have just talked. I
believe that they have told the best way to do this thing. No, I will
not say anything against it. I have finished."
The plan suggested by the Minneconjoux chief was quickly adopted, and
Curly Horse immediately called a council of the principal men in each
tribe, to work out the final details of the attack against the Pawnee
camp. When they finally completed their task day had already dawned.
"My brothers, I will tell you what we have decided to do," declared
Curly Horse. "First, we will send scouts to watch the Pawnees. Then we
will wait here until it is dark. When it is dark, I will ask Spotted
Bear to send some of his people into that camp. Then this great war
party will separate. Laughing Bird and his warriors will go on one side
of the camp. I will lead the Minneconjoux in the center. Spotted Bear
and the Ogalalas will come up on the other side. We will ride ahead
until we find the Pawnee scouts. Then we will rush into the village. I
have told you how we must do this thing."
When he had finished speaking, Curly Horse selected a number of warriors
to act as scouts. These men, most of whom were Minneconjoux, immediately
mounted their ponies and galloped away to watch the Pawnee camp. Then
the great host of Sioux fighting men picketed their ponies, and threw
themselves upon the plain to rest until the time for attacking the
hostile camp arrived.
In the meantime Spotted Bear had made White Otter the leader of the
gallant little company who were to invade the Pawnee village in an
attempt to save the Ogalala prisoners. It was a great honor, and the
fearless young warrior determined to justify the confidence reposed in
him. He chose three famous Ogalala warriors to accompany him; they were
Little Wolf, High Eagle and Black Moccasin. Besides, he asked Sun Bird
and Little Raven.
"Yes, my brother, I will go with you," declared Sun Bird. "It is a great
thing to do. If I come out of this fight, I will have something good to
talk about."
"You have asked me to go with you to do a great thing," said Little
Raven. "That makes me feel very brave. I will do the best I can."
The Sioux waited impatiently while the tedious day dragged slowly along.
The scouts returned at frequent intervals, and reported about their
foes. They said that the Pawnees had stationed watchers on all the
ridges in the vicinity of the camp. It was evident, however, that they
thought it quite unnecessary to send riders farther out on the plain to
reconnoiter beyond sight of the sentinels. The Dacotahs hoped,
therefore, that failing to see anything to rouse their suspicions, the
Pawnees might somewhat relax their vigilance and make it easier for the
little company of Ogalalas to enter the camp.
As twilight finally gathered upon the plain, Curly Horse sent for White
Otter and the warriors who were to accompany him in his perilous
undertaking. They found the stern Minneconjoux war chief and Laughing
Bird waiting to receive them.
"My brothers, I have called you here to tell you what is in my heart,"
said Curly Horse, as the Ogalalas stood before him. "Pretty soon you are
going ahead to do a hard thing. You will be in great danger. White
Otter, you are the leader. You are a young man. It is true that you have
done some great things. But I have seen many more winters. Yes, I have
been in many more battles. You must listen to my words."
"When the great chief, Curly Horse, speaks, my ears are open," replied
the young Ogalala.
"It is good," resumed Curly Horse. "Now I will tell you what to do. If
you live to get to the edge of that camp, you must wait there until you
hear the great Dacotah war cry. When you hear that, you must rush into
the camp. After that you must do whatever comes into your heart. If you
get your people away, then you must keep shouting, so that we will not
kill you. Yes, we will be right up to the camp. Then we will go in and
take some ponies. I believe it will be a great fight. Now I have told
you all I know about it."
"Curly Horse, I will keep your words in my heart," White Otter assured
the Minneconjoux chief. "I see that the great chief, Laughing Bird, is
standing beside you. Well, I will ask him if he has any words."
"My young brother, I am not the leader of this great war party," replied
Laughing Bird. "Curly Horse has told you what to do. It is enough. But I
will tell you that if you do this thing, it will be something to talk
about. You are standing here with those brave men who are going with
you. I see that two of them are very young. It makes me feel sad.
Perhaps I will never see any of you again. I see that four of you are
Ogalalas, and two of you are Minneconjoux. I am an Uncapapa, but you all
are my brothers. Yes, we are Dacotahs. The Dacotahs have hearts like
the bear. It is good. Go. I have finished."
Soon afterward White Otter and his gallant little company rode away to
risk their lives in the desperate attempt to save the Ogalala captives.
Night had fallen upon the plain, and they had little fear of being
discovered before they actually neared the Pawnee camp. Still, they
determined to take every precaution, for they fully realized the heavy
responsibility that rested upon them. White Otter and Sun Bird each led
an extra war pony, for the use of Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse. They had
gone some distance when they were suddenly stopped by the sharp bark of
the little gray fox.
"It is a Sioux," said White Otter.
After he had repeated the signal three times, they heard the slow,
measured hoof-beats of a walking pony. A few moments afterward a
Minneconjoux scout appeared out of the darkness.
"Ho, my brother, Big Weasel," said Sun Bird. "You have the ears of a
fox."
"Ho, my brothers," replied the Minneconjoux. "I see that you are going
ahead to do something. Well, I will tell you that there are Pawnee
scouts watching on the ridges near the village. Now I will ask you what
you are going to do."
"We are going into that camp, to help Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse," White
Otter told him. "Yes, we will wait near the lodges until we hear the
great war cry of our people. Then we will rush ahead to keep the Pawnees
from killing our brothers."
"Well, it is a brave thing to do, but I believe you will be killed,"
declared Big Weasel.
"We are Ogalalas," boasted High Eagle. "Wolf Robe is our chief. Is a
Dacotah afraid to die for his chief?"
Then Big Weasel left them, and they continued their perilous journey
toward the south. They had gone but a short distance, however, when they
heard the Minneconjoux imitate the bark of the prairie fox six times in
rapid succession. They knew at once that he was advising his companions,
in other parts of the plain, that a company of six Sioux were passing.
When White Otter finally came upon the dry stream-bed where he and
Little Raven had concealed themselves, he warned his companions that
they were nearing the ridge that hid the camp. They advanced with great
caution until they came within sight of the long slope itself. Then they
stopped, and, after they had muzzled the ponies, the young Ogalala
issued his instructions.
"The great Pawnee camp is behind that ridge," he said, softly. "Our
people are in that camp. We have come here to help them. Now I will tell
you how to do it. First, I will ask my brother, Little Wolf, and my
brother, Black Moccasin, to wait here with the ponies. Then I will lead
Sun Bird, and Little Raven, and High Eagle to the edge of the camp. I
believe that Little Wolf and Black Moccasin would like to go with us.
Well, I will tell you that someone must be ready to help us with the
ponies. When you hear us make the long howl of the big gray wolf, then
you must rush ahead with the ponies until you find us. If you do not do
this thing, then we will surely be killed. I have finished."
"My brother, it is true that I would like to go with you," declared
Little Wolf, striving to conceal his bitter disappointment. "But I know
that you have told us the best way to do. Yes, I know that we will have
a hard thing to do. I believe that we will get into the fight. Well, I
will wait here with the ponies."
"White Otter, I have listened to your words. You are the leader. I will
do as you say," said Black Moccasin.
"It is good," replied White Otter.
Then the four daring scouts who intended to enter the camp surrendered
their ponies to Little Wolf and Black Moccasin, and advanced fearlessly
into the darkness on foot. They knew that each stride forward was
placing them in greater peril, and the thought made them as wary as
deer. White Otter led, and the others followed in his cautious
footsteps. He knew that hostile scouts were on guard along the summit of
the ridge, and he realized the difficulty of crawling between them
without being discovered. Therefore, when he finally came within
bow-shot of the low slope that caused him so much uneasiness, he asked
his companions to wait while he crawled forward to investigate.
He was gone a long time, and his three anxious comrades were growing
impatient when he finally returned. He told them that he had actually
crawled to the top of the ridge, and looked upon the flickering Pawnee
fires. Then he asked them to follow him.
When they arrived at the foot of the slope, they stopped and spent some
time listening anxiously. As they heard nothing to furnish them with a
clew to the whereabouts of their foes, they saw no reason for further
delay. Dropping to their hands and knees, they followed White Otter up
the ridge. Just as they reached the top, however, they heard someone
talking a few bow-lengths to the west of them.
Warned by a low hiss from White Otter, the alarmed Sioux prepared their
weapons, and began to wriggle slowly down the south side of the ridge.
They feared to move rapidly, for they knew that careless haste would be
almost sure to betray them to their enemies. Their one hope was to get
far enough down the slope to avoid being seen if the speakers should
advance in their direction. But it soon was evident that the Pawnees
were moving in the opposite direction. The Sioux' hearts filled with
relief at the thought. Still, they knew that the danger had not passed.
A dislodged bowlder or the tell-tale rattle of sliding gravel would be
quite sure to reach the sharp ears of the suspicious sentinels who had
just passed. Therefore, they continued down the ridge with the greatest
caution, feeling carefully with their hands and feet before they
attempted to move their bodies.
Once at the base of the slope, they lost little time in advancing toward
the camp. As they eventually crept within bow-shot of the lodges, White
Otter again asked them to wait, while he went forward to reconnoiter. It
was not long before he returned, and told them that the Pawnees were
holding an important council.
"I believe that they are talking about Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse," he
said.
"Did you see our people?" High Eagle asked anxiously.
"No, I did not see them," replied White Otter. "But my heart tells me
that they are alive."
Then he led the way toward the hostile camp. They crept cautiously
forward, one behind the other, keeping in the heavy shadows, and moving
toward the spot from which White Otter had made his reconnoissance. It
was a low, bushy knoll within leaping distance of the edge of the
village. When they finally reached it, they sank to the ground and
peered eagerly into the camp.