White Otter Part 3

Sun Bird had not been long in concealment when he saw two of the hors.e.m.e.n from the camp approaching the very ridge on which he was hiding. Feeling sure that they would climb the ridge to reconnoiter the country beyond, the young Sioux realized that his predicament was serious. For a moment he thought of crawling down the side of the ridge, and moving out on the plain. However, upon second thought, he realized that if he left his hiding place he might be unable to return before dark, and in the meantime the Utes might move their camp. Therefore, he determined to remain where he was.

Having made this bold decision, Sun Bird sought to lessen the chance of discovery by tying branches of sage to his head and shoulders. Then he pressed himself against the ground, and waited for the approaching hors.e.m.e.n, who were already within arrow-range. It was evident that the Utes were making almost directly for his place of concealment. However, Sun Bird had little fear, for he had pa.s.sed through several similar experiences, and he hoped to be equally fortunate this time.

When the hors.e.m.e.n reached the base of the ridge they stopped, and one dismounted and left his pony with his comrade. A few moments later Sun Bird saw the unmounted warrior crawling directly toward him. The Sioux believed that he had been discovered. An encounter appeared unavoidable.

Sun Bird had already fitted an arrow to his bow, and now he prepared to drive it through the heart of his foe.

Then the Ute turned aside to avoid some bowlders, and crawled to the crest of the ridge several bow-lengths away. Sun Bird was much relieved to know that he had not been seen. He had no desire to force an encounter, for he knew that even if he were victorious the Utes would learn of his presence in the vicinity of their camp, and then it would be impossible to secure the ponies without a desperate battle.

The Ute peered carefully over the ridge, and Sun Bird smiled as he realized that for the moment he held his foe completely at his mercy.

However, he overcame the desire for personal glory, for he knew that the recovery of the Sioux ponies should be his first consideration. A moment afterward the Ute signaled to his companion, and the latter brought the ponies. The two warriors spent some time in earnest conversation, and then they mounted and rode slowly down the ridge. When they reached the level plain they rode away at a gallop.

"That is bad," Sun Bird told himself, as he watched them disappear toward the north. Two alarming possibilities suggested themselves to his mind. He feared that the Utes would find the trail of Sitting Eagle, and if they failed in that he feared they might discover his friends in the distant ravine. He encouraged himself with the a.s.surance that the Sioux were far too wise to be caught unawares. However, as the day wore on, and the two scouts failed to return, his uncertainty increased. He knew that they had not gone in search of buffaloes, for in that event they would have ridden toward the south. Furthermore, the haphazard manner in which they had chosen their route led him to suspect that they had originally planned to travel in another direction. Why had they changed?

He wondered if they antic.i.p.ated the appearance of a Sioux war party.

Toward the end of the day all the other riders returned, but the two warriors who had ridden into the north failed to appear. Sun Bird feared that their tardiness betokened a meeting with his friends. The thought kept him in trying suspense. He wondered if there had been a skirmish.

Perhaps the Sioux had either killed or captured the two Ute scouts. His heart bounded at the possibility. However, he knew that it was equally possible that the Utes had discovered the Sioux war party, and were waiting to learn the strength of the invaders before returning to warn their people.

Twilight was already settling upon the plain when the perplexed young Sioux finally saw two hors.e.m.e.n approaching from the north. As they drew nearer he recognized them as the Ute scouts. They were riding at the top speed of their ponies, and Sun Bird wondered if they were bringing news of the Sioux war party. They crossed the ridge some distance from him, and raced toward the camp, shouting and waving their weapons. A number of people ran out to meet them, and from the general excitement it was evident that the riders brought news of considerable importance.

Sun Bird was greatly disturbed. He knew that if the Ute scouts had discovered his friends the camp would be closely guarded, and it might be impossible to obtain the ponies. He watched with much anxiety, therefore, hoping to get some clew which would enable him to guess the nature of the information which the two hors.e.m.e.n had brought their people.

As darkness fell he waited impatiently for the glow from the Ute camp-fires. When he finally saw them he was filled with delight, for he felt sure that the Utes knew nothing of the approaching war party. Then an alarming doubt entered his mind. He wondered if the crafty Utes were repeating the stratagem which they had employed at the water-hole.

Perhaps they were again deserting their camp under cover of the night.

It might also be possible that they had learned the weakness of the Sioux in numbers, and were attempting to lure them into a trap. As Sun Bird watched the twinkle of the distant fires he had grave fears for the safety of the courageous little company who were advancing to meet him.

Still he saw no way of warning them, for he feared to leave his hiding place lest he should pa.s.s his friends in the dark. He waited, therefore, listening eagerly for the signal from Sitting Eagle.

CHAPTER IV

A PERILOUS ADVENTURE

Each moment seemed an age to the anxious lad watching on the crest of the ridge. The night hush had fallen upon the plain, and the very stillness oppressed him. His mind became a prey to all sorts of gloomy forebodings. He began to give way to his imagination. He feared that he was surrounded by prowling, sharp-eared scouts from the Ute camp, and that some of them had concealed themselves on the ridge to wait for the Sioux war party. The thought startled him. Every few moments he held his breath to listen. The slightest rustling of the sage set his heart beating wildly, but his fear was not for himself. He had already been exposed to sufficient peril to make him indifferent. However, this was the first time he had gone out as a war leader, and he knew that his reputation would suffer severely if disaster befell the little company who had enlisted under him. He raised his face toward the vast starry heavens, and asked aid from the Great Mystery.

A few moments later the sharp, snappy bark of the little gray fox sounded through the night. Sun Bird fairly trembled with delight. He felt sure that it was Sitting Eagle, but he determined to take every precaution. He waited, therefore, until the signal had been repeated twice more, and then he knew it was genuine. Fearing to reply from his hiding place, the wily lad crawled stealthily from concealment, and wriggled cautiously down the ridge. Then as he heard nothing to rouse his suspicions he glided away in the direction of the sound. When he had gone an arrow-flight he stopped, and barked twice, very softly. Then he listened for an answer. It came out of the darkness directly ahead of him, and he fitted an arrow to his bow and advanced as noiselessly as a shadow. When he finally heard the soft, guarded tread of a led pony he stopped and uttered a low-voiced challenge.

"If you are a Dacotah you will tell me about something," he said.

"It is good; what your eyes do not see, your ears must tell you,"

replied the familiar voice of Sitting Eagle.

A few moments afterward they met. Sitting Eagle said that the war party was waiting some distance back on the plain. When Sun Bird told about the two Ute scouts the older warrior a.s.sured him that the Sioux had seen nothing of them. He declared that they had kept a sharp watch, and that it would have been impossible for the Utes to have discovered them without being seen.

"Then I do not know about this thing," acknowledged the perplexed young Sioux.

"Come, I will go up on this ridge and look around," proposed Sitting Eagle.

Then Sitting Eagle surrendered his pony to Sun Bird, and said that he would climb the ridge alone. When Sun Bird objected the older warrior reminded him that one must remain with the pony.

"My brother, you have seen this thing. Now I must see it. Then we can talk about it. Yes, I will ask you to wait here until I come back," said Sitting Eagle.

"You have been on many war journeys. I will listen to your words,"

agreed Sun Bird.

A moment later Sitting Eagle disappeared into the night. He was gone a long time. When he returned he said that he had reconnoitered the ridge and the plain on both sides of it, and was convinced that the approach to the Ute camp was unguarded.

"The Black Faces will not know about this thing until we have run off the ponies," said Sitting Eagle. "Now, my brother, I will ask you to wait here. Yes, I am going back to call our friends."

When Sitting Eagle had gone Sun Bird again crawled to the summit of the ridge to watch the distant fires. The actions of the two Ute hors.e.m.e.n still troubled him. He was unable to convince himself that their apparent excitement had nothing to do with the Sioux war party. He dismissed the doubts from his mind, however, for he knew that he would never become a great war leader by giving way to imaginary perils.

"No, when my friends come I will lead them to that camp to lead out the ponies," he declared, resolutely.

It was not long before he again heard the call of the little gray fox, and a few moments afterward he joined his friends at the base of the ridge. As he took his pony from Sitting Eagle, Sun Bird realized that he must a.s.sume command of the enterprise. He knew that the time for doubting had pa.s.sed, and that he must fill the hearts of his comrades with courage and confidence.

"My brothers, you have come with me to do a great thing. It is good.

Yes, we will take many ponies from our enemies, the Black Faces. Pretty soon you will see the fires in that camp. The Black Faces are like children; they do not know how to watch. My brothers, I will ask you to follow me to that camp. Perhaps we will fight. Then we will remember that we are Dacotahs. I have finished," said Sun Bird.

"Sun Bird has spoken like a brave war leader. I believe we are about to do a great thing," said Feather Dog.

Then Sun Bird called White Otter to his side, and together they led the gallant little company forward to invade the camp. They stopped on the summit of the ridge a few moments, and then they rode carefully down the slope and moved cautiously across the plain. The Ute fires were still twinkling among the trees and the Sioux realized that they could do nothing until the camp became dark. They approached slowly, therefore, until they were as near as Sun Bird thought it wise to venture and then he ordered a halt.

"My brothers, now we are near our enemies. I will tell you what I am going to do," said Sun Bird. "I will ask my brother White Otter to go into that camp with me. I will ask my brother Sitting Eagle to go into that camp with me. I will ask my brother Little Raven to go into that camp with me. I will ask my other brothers to wait here with the ponies.

I will tell you that your ears must be as sharp as the ears of the wolf.

I will tell you that your minds must be as wise as the mind of the fox.

I will tell you that your hearts must be as brave as the heart of the bear. Perhaps the Black Faces will hear us. Perhaps there will be a fight. When we call you, my brothers, you must come as fast as the deer and as strong as the buffalo. Now we will go close to the camp to wait until we can go in after the ponies. I have finished."

"I have listened to the words of Sun Bird. I have been in many war parties. Yes, I have gone into many camps to lead out ponies. Sun Bird has told the best way to do this thing. I would like to go into that camp and lead out some ponies, but I will not go. No, I will wait here.

My brothers, I will ask you to remember what Sun Bird has spoken. I have finished," said Feather Dog.

His words received the silent indors.e.m.e.nt of his companions, and it was evident that Sun Bird possessed the full confidence of his friends. As there was no opposition to his plan, therefore, the youthful war leader determined to carry it out without delay. Leaving their ponies with their comrades, the four daring scouts who intended to enter the camp hurried away on their hazardous undertaking.

"The son of Rain Crow is very brave," said Spotted Elk. "I believe he will lead out many ponies."

"Yes, he will bring us some good horses," replied Feather Dog.

Sun Bird and his companions made their way across the plain with great caution, for the story of the Ute scouts had roused their suspicions and they feared a trap. As they drew near the camp they stopped and lay down beside one another to watch. The fires were still burning brightly, and the Sioux wondered whether the Utes had again fled under cover of the night. Then one of the twinkling lights was blotted from their sight for a few moments, and their hopes revived.

"It is good. My eyes tell me that the Black Faces are in that place.

Yes, someone was moving around that fire," said Sun Bird.

"What you say is true," agreed White Otter. "But I will tell you another thing. Perhaps the Black Faces are getting ready to ride away. I am thinking about that time at the water-hole."

"You are as wise as the fox," replied Sun Bird. "Yes, we will find out about this thing. Come, we must go nearer to that place."

Determined to learn what the Utes intended to do, the four scouts rose and advanced toward the camp. They moved along close together, peering anxiously into the night and listening eagerly for a warning of the sentinels who they feared might be scattered about the plain. As they advanced they noticed that one of the fires was growing dull.

"See, that fire is dying down. Yes, I believe the Black Faces will stay here," said Sitting Eagle.