SMOKE SIGNALS
As Sun Bird and White Otter rode cautiously over the ridge they saw the Minneconjoux war party moving slowly across the plain. As soon as the Minneconjoux discovered the two horsemen they immediately stopped to watch them.
"Our brothers are as cautious as Hitunkasan, the weasel," laughed Sun Bird. "Well, we will tell them who we are."
He raised his arms and clasped his hands together above his head. It was the sign for friends. Then the two scouts rode rapidly toward the war party. The Minneconjoux soon recognized them, and came across the plain. Little Raven raced on in advance of his friends.
"Well, my brothers, I see that you have come back," he said, as he rode up to them. "It is good. What became of that scout?"
"He has gone away," White Otter told him.
"Did you kill him?" Little Raven inquired, eagerly.
"No," replied Sun Bird. "When we rode after him he ran away."
"Well, when he saw that you were Dacotahs he was frightened," Little Raven said, boastfully.
While they were talking the war party came up to them. Sun Bird found Lean Wolf in command. He said that he had followed the Crows until he felt sure that they were going to their village. Then he left Running Dog to scout along the western flank of the war party, and returned to his companions.
"Do you believe those people know about us?" Sun Bird asked, anxiously.
"No," Lean Wolf assured him. "They are far away. The scouts did not go far from their people. Those Crows have killed plenty of game. They are afraid the Blackfeet will catch them, and take it away."
"Have you seen Feather Dog?" inquired Sun Bird.
"No," replied Lean Wolf.
Then the Minneconjoux inquired anxiously about the solitary horseman. They said that Little Raven had told them about him, but they were eager to know who he was and where he had gone.
"I cannot tell you that," Sun Bird told them. "He was far away, and we could not find out who he was. When we went after him he ran away. Perhaps Feather Dog will tell us about him."
"Yes, yes, perhaps Feather Dog will find out about him," the Minneconjoux told one another, hopefully.
"Well, my brothers, we will keep going ahead until we find a good place to stop," said Sun Bird. "Then we will wait for Feather Dog and Proud Hawk, and Running Dog. I believe they will have something to talk about."
The day was little more than half gone, however, when they saw three riders approaching from the east. As the horsemen did not stop when they discovered the war party, the Sioux believed that two of the riders must be Feather Dog and Proud Hawk. As they came nearer they recognized them.
"They are bringing a prisoner!" the Minneconjoux cried, excitedly. "It must be that scout. Hi! now we will see who he is."
Then they were suddenly astonished into silence. The three horsemen had come sufficiently near so that the Minneconjoux could plainly discern the dress and features of the third rider. They could scarcely believe their eyes. They looked many moments before they were convinced. Then they were thrown into an ecstasy of joy.
"See! See! It is Dancing Rabbit!" they shouted.
The young Minneconjoux who had disappeared when the Blackfeet ran off the band of Sioux ponies was riding between Feather Dog and Proud Hawk. He was mounted on a pinto pony, and as Sun Bird and White Otter recognized it the mystery of the lone horseman was solved.
"That is the pony we saw on the ridge," they told their friends.
As the riders joined the war party, the Minneconjoux crowded eagerly about their young tribesman to learn the story of his adventures. He was a tall, sinewy youth of about fifteen winters, and he exhibited the dignity and reserve of a seasoned warrior.
"Come, Dancing Rabbit, tell us how you come to be here," said Sun Bird.
"My brothers, you are great warriors," replied Dancing Rabbit. "I am a young man. I cannot talk big. I will tell you that the Blackfeet carried me away to their village. Well, they treated me very bad. Then I found a chance to get away. I took this pony. It is fast. I got far ahead and the Blackfeet did not come up with me. I was going to our village. Then I saw three riders. I hid behind a ridge and watched them. They were far away, and I could not make out who they were. I said, 'Perhaps they are Blackfeet scouts. Perhaps they are Crows.' Then they rode after me and I ran away. Then I found Feather Dog. That is how I come to be here."
"It is good," Sun Bird told him. "Your words are the words of a warrior."
Feather Dog then explained how he had chanced to encounter the young Minneconjoux.
"I was watching for our enemies," said Feather Dog. "Then I saw some one riding toward me. He was a long ways off, but he was coming fast. I rode my pony down into a gully to hide. Then I crawled up the side of the gully and peeped out. That rider was coming right where I was. I waited for him. When he got near I was going to jump up and shoot my arrows at him. Well, when I jumped up I saw who he was. Then we rode away and found Proud Hawk. Then we came here. That is all I know about it."
"Did you see any Blackfeet?" Sun Bird asked him.
"Yes, we saw four Blackfeet scouts," said Feather Dog. "Two of them were the same riders we saw before. This time they were close, and we could see them. Then we saw that they were Blackfeet. They were going straight ahead. I believe they are going to the Blackfeet village. I do not believe they know about us."
"It is good," declared the Minneconjoux.
"Yes, it is good," Sun Bird told them. "But we must watch out. Perhaps we will run into those scouts. The Blackfeet are sharp. If they see us it will be hard to get near the camp."
"I will tell you something about that," Dancing Rabbit said, suddenly. "The Blackfeet have moved their lodges. Yes, they have gone away from the place where they were. They have gone over there in the shadow of the big mountains."
The Minneconjoux were astounded at the announcement. They looked anxiously toward the northwest, where a long range of dim, shadowy peaks showed against the sky. They had expected to find the Blackfeet camp on the open plain, a number of days' journey toward the north. It had never occurred to their minds that the Blackfeet might have decided to change the location of the village. The words of Dancing Rabbit gave them several reasons for concern. First, they knew that they had already gone considerably out of their way. Again, they realized that to reach the new Blackfeet camp they must go far to the westward, where they would be in peril from their old enemies the Crows, as well as from the Blackfeet.
"It is bad," declared Sun Bird.
"It is bad," agreed his companions.
As there seemed to be a difference of opinion as to just which way they should proceed, Sun Bird immediately called a council. Some of the Minneconjoux believed it would be safer to continue directly toward the north until they were about in line with the Blackfeet camp, and then turn toward the west. Others thought that they should move directly toward the new camp, and reach the mountains as soon as possible. There was considerable discussion.
"My brothers, I believe the best thing to do is to turn toward the mountains," said Sun Bird. "Then if we see our enemies we can hide. If we go to the mountains we can climb high up, and look for the Blackfeet camp. It will be hard for the Blackfeet to see us. In the day we will hide in the timber. When it grows dark we will send scouts to find out about the ponies. Yes, my friends, I believe it is the best way to get near the camp."
"My brothers, Sun Bird has given us good words," declared Lean Wolf. "I believe he has told us the best way to go to the Blackfeet camp. He is a good war leader. We must listen to his words."
"My friends, what Lean Wolf says is true," said Feather Dog. "I believe it would be foolish to keep going ahead. I have told you about those four Blackfeet scouts. I believe they are going to the Blackfeet camp. Pretty soon they will turn this way. If we keep going straight ahead we will meet them. We must turn toward the mountains."
"White Otter, how do you feel about this thing?" inquired Sun Bird.
"My brother, I believe you have told the best way to go to the Blackfeet camp," White Otter replied, quietly. "I believe what Feather Dog says is true. If we keep going ahead perhaps we will run into those Blackfeet scouts."
The opinion of the famous young Ogalala seemed to make a deep impression upon the Minneconjoux. It was only a few moments before those warriors who had suggested traveling toward the north changed their views, and agreed that it would be safer to ride toward the west.
"Well, my brothers, I see that we all feel the same about this thing," Sun Bird said, when all had agreed. "It is good. Come, we will ride toward those great mountains."
Having made their decision, they rode boldly toward the west, ready and eager to meet their foes. It was late in the day, however, before they saw any evidence of them. Then they discovered a smoke signal some distance to the northward. Three columns of yellow smoke were ascending into the sky. The Sioux watched them with considerable uneasiness. They wondered if the Blackfeet scouts had discovered the war party.
"No, I do not believe it," Feather Dog declared. "That smoke is a long ways off. Those scouts could not get so far ahead of us. It must be some one different."
"Perhaps the Blackfeet are calling the scouts to the camp," suggested Proud Hawk.
"No, the camp is not in that place," Dancing Rabbit told them.
Convinced that the smoke signals did not concern them, the Sioux continued on their way. Feather Dog said that there was a good camp site with plenty of grass and water a short distance ahead of them, and as the day was drawing to a close they determined to stop there for the night. They had not ridden far, however, before they saw three more columns of smoke rising a considerable distance to the westward of the first signals.
"It must be the Blackfeet," declared the Minneconjoux. "It is the danger signal. They are telling their people about us."
"Perhaps they have found the Crows," suggested Feather Dog.
A few moments later a horseman swept into view, far to the westward. He was riding at a furious pace, and seemed to be coming directly toward them. They had little doubt that it was Running Dog, and they watched him in great suspense.
"Running Dog is coming to tell us about something big," they cried.
As the Minneconjoux scout came nearer, he began to point excitedly behind him. The Sioux looked anxiously toward the west, expecting to see a company of their foes racing along on the trail of Running Dog.
"Perhaps the Crows are coming, we must be ready," said Sun Bird.
Roused by the possibility, the hot-tempered Minneconjoux immediately got ready to fight. Then, as Running Dog finally came within shouting distance, they began to cry out and question him.
"Are the Crows coming?" they inquired eagerly.
"No! no!" shouted Running Dog.
Then he dashed up to them. As he threw the panting pony upon its haunches, his companions gathered about him to learn what had sent him racing across the plain.
"Listen, my brothers, I will tell you about it," said Running Dog. "The Crows and the Blackfeet are getting ready for a big fight over there behind that ridge. I was watching them. Then I saw you coming that way. Then I came over here to tell you to hold back. Do you see that smoke up there? Well, the Blackfeet are calling the people to fight. You must watch sharp. I saw many warriors over there behind that ridge."
The words of Running Dog were received in silence. The Minneconjoux looked gravely into each other's faces. They realized the peril to which they were exposed, and they waited for the war leaders to speak. All eyes were turned upon Sun Bird.
"My friends, Running Dog has told you about those warriors over there behind that ridge," said Sun Bird. "We are in great danger. Something must be done. We must try to find a place to hide in until it grows dark. Then perhaps we can get away from here. If we meet our enemies we must fight them. We are Dacotahs. It is enough."
"My brother, I will tell you about a place to hide in," said Dancing Rabbit. "I found it when I was running away from the Blackfeet. It is a place where water used to run. Now it is dry. It is deep. It goes a long way across the plain. We can ride into it, and no one will see us."
"Where is this place?" Sun Bird asked anxiously.
"Over there," said Dancing Rabbit, pointing toward the north.
"Come, my brothers, we will go to this place, and hide until it grows dark," proposed Sun Bird. "I will ask three scouts to go over to that ridge to watch those warriors. I will ask White Otter to be the leader."
"I will go," White Otter volunteered, eagerly.
Most of the war party desired to accompany the Ogalala on his perilous reconnaissance. Having been appointed as leader, however, White Otter was privileged to choose his companions.
"I will ask Lean Wolf and Little Raven to go with me," said White Otter.
"I will go with you," replied Lean Wolf.
"I will go," Little Raven said, eagerly, as his eyes flashed with boyish enthusiasm.