THE STAMPEDE
The Blackfeet made no attempt to follow the Sioux to the ravine. Instead, they turned about, and rode far from arrow range. They carried off their chief and several warriors who had fallen in the skirmish, and the Sioux were in doubt whether the famous war leader had been killed, or only wounded, by the blow from White Otter. It was plain, however, that the Blackfeet had finished the fight. They stopped for a few moments to shout idle threats against the Sioux and then rode slowly toward the north.
"Well, my brothers, the Blackfeet have gone," said Sun Bird. "It is good. We have done what we came here to do. We have taken away these ponies. We have made a big fight. We have sent the boastful Blackfeet back to their lodges. My friends, those are big things to talk about. Well, I will tell you that White Otter has done the biggest thing of all. You all know about it. Look at that black pony. You all know how it came here. It is something to tell about. Now, my brothers, I must tell you something different. We must not feel too big about these things. We are a long ways from our people. We have many ponies. We cannot travel fast. The Crows and the Flatheads are still ahead of us. Perhaps we shall meet them. We must keep thinking about it. Yes, my brothers, we must be cautious."
"My friends, those are good words," declared Lean Wolf. "What Sun Bird says is true. We have fought back the Blackfeet, but other enemies may be waiting for us. We have many good ponies. We must take them to our village. Perhaps it will be a hard thing to do. The Crows would like to get those ponies. Yes, I believe the Flatheads would like to get them. We would feel foolish if we lost them. We must be cautious."
The Minneconjoux found it difficult to restrain their enthusiasm. The younger warriors, especially, were eager to celebrate their victory over the Blackfeet. They rushed to the bottom of the ravine, and crowded forward to count coup upon the Blackfeet pony by striking it with their hands. The act was a substitute for striking an enemy, and gave them the privilege of reciting the details of some daring exploit which they had performed in the fight with their foes. Besides, the Minneconjoux still looked upon the black war pony as something mysterious, a strange Medicine Creature possessing superior powers of speed and endurance. They hoped that in laying their hands upon it they might in some way absorb some of its mystical powers.
In the meantime Sun Bird had sent scouts to follow the Blackfeet, to make sure that they were actually going to their village. Other riders had crossed the plain to the southward to learn if it would be safe to travel in that direction with the ponies. The day was well advanced when the scouts returned to the war party. The Minneconjoux gathered eagerly about them to learn what they had seen.
"The Blackfeet are still going ahead," said Running Dog, who had followed them. "I believe they are going to their village."
"Did you see anything of Many Buffaloes?" Sun Bird asked, anxiously.
"Yes, I saw him sitting on a pony," declared Running Dog. "He was between two riders. I believe they were holding him up. I saw some other warriors lying across the backs of ponies. I believe they were tied there. Perhaps they were dead. The Blackfeet are traveling slow."
"Well, we know that Many Buffaloes is alive," said Sun Bird. "No one can harm him. He must be very strong. Perhaps he is a Medicine Person."
"My brother, I will tell you something different," said Sitting Eagle. "Perhaps the Blackfeet expected us to follow them. Perhaps they were holding Many Buffaloes on that horse to fool us. Perhaps he was dead."
"Yes, that may be true," declared the Minneconjoux.
Still, as they could not be sure, they were unable to reach a definite conclusion regarding the fate of the Blackfeet chief. While they were discussing it the scouts from the southward returned. They declared that the plain was free from foes.
"It is good," said Sun Bird. "Now we will go ahead."
The cautious young war leader planned his advance with the care and skill of a veteran. He realized that one blunder might undo all that had been accomplished, and turn the splendid victory into a staggering defeat. The Minneconjoux were fatigued, and their ponies were jaded, and Sun Bird knew that it might be difficult to overcome a strong force of foes if they were fresh and eager for battle. He determined, therefore, to use every safeguard against encountering his enemies.
When the Sioux were ready to leave the ravine, scouts moved across the plain in advance and on both sides of them, and a small detail of warriors were left behind to make certain that the Blackfeet did not return. Then the war party was divided. White Otter and half of the force rode ahead. Behind them followed Sitting Eagle and the warriors in charge of the ponies. Sun Bird and the balance of the company brought up the rear.
The day was far spent, and the Sioux hoped to reach water by the time night came upon them. Sun Bird planned to stop when it grew dark, and allow the ponies to rest until daylight. Then he decided to travel in the early morning and after nightfall, and to stop in some suitable shelter during the heated hours of the day.
"We must keep the ponies fresh," he told his companions.
Shortly before dark they came upon a large shallow pool on the open plain. As there was a heavy stand of grass for the ponies, Sun Bird determined to stop there for the night. The ponies were immediately turned loose to feed, and guards were appointed to watch them until daylight.
It was not long, however, before the Sioux heard something which caused them considerable uneasiness. Low, rumbling peals of thunder sounded from the west. The Sioux looked anxiously into the heavens. The stars shone brightly overhead, but the distant sky appeared black and threatening. As they watched, a quick, darting flash of light zigzagged across the western sky. A dull, thudding crash of thunder boomed in the distance.
"The Thunder Birds are talking—it is bad," Sun Bird said soberly, as he seated himself beside White Otter.
"Yes, my brother, it is bad," agreed White Otter.
Then for some time they sat in gloomy silence, watching the sky. A great mass of ominous black clouds rose steadily out of the west and blotted out the stars. Sharp, jagged streaks of lightning cut through the night. A fresh breeze stirred across the plain. The thunder sounded louder. It was evident that the storm was approaching.
The possibility filled the Sioux with alarm. They looked anxiously toward the herd of ponies. They knew that it would be difficult to hold them under control when the storm broke upon them. Once thoroughly alarmed they might stampede, and race wildly across the plain. Then it would be necessary for the Sioux to ride recklessly through the night in an attempt to keep possession of the herd. It was a perilous task, in which many brave riders might lose their lives.
"My brothers, the Thunder Birds are coming—it is bad," cried Sitting Eagle, as he came to find Sun Bird. "The ponies are sniffing the wind. They are uneasy. Some of them are running around."
"We must hold them," said Sun Bird. "Every one must go out there and keep riding around them."
"It is good," replied Sitting Eagle, as he galloped away.
The war ponies had been either picketed or hobbled and left to feed, while the riders threw themselves upon the plain to rest from their exertions. Now, as the storm approached, there was great confusion as each warrior rushed to find his pony. Those who had picketed their ponies had little difficulty, but the hobbled animals had wandered some distance away, and their owners spent many anxious moments searching for them. White Otter and Sun Bird had picketed their ponies and they found them at once.
"White Otter, you have done some big things—it is enough," said Sun Bird. "You must stay out of this. You have taken away the great black war pony. You must not lose it. When the Thunder Birds fly over us you must hold fast to that pony. Do not try to do anything else. I am your brother. Listen to my words."
"I will do as you tell me to do," agreed White Otter.
"It is good," cried Sun Bird, as he galloped toward the ponies.
The riders had already stationed themselves about the herd and Sitting Eagle was racing about shouting instructions. The Sioux were in a high tension of excitement. The great storms which swept across the plains always filled them with superstitious awe. They believed that they were caused by the Thunder Birds, which they imagined to be two giant birdlike monsters that lived high up in the most inaccessible peaks of the loftiest mountains. The Sioux believed that these weird creatures possessed all sorts of mysterious powers and that at certain intervals they flew across the country to destroy those unfortunate people who had incurred their displeasure.
"Some one has made the Thunder Birds mad—they are coming to drive away the ponies," the Minneconjoux told one another, in alarmed whispers.
Their hearts filled with gloomy premonitions of impending disaster, as the storm rushed upon them. The breeze had freshened to a gale, the stars above them had vanished, the plain was smothered in darkness. Vivid flashes of light flickered across the sky. Loud, crashing peals of thunder rolled through the night. The ponies showed signs of terror. They crowded nervously together, with heads raised, snorting and whinnying. The Sioux rode anxiously around them, fearful that each startling flash would cause them to run.
Then the storm suddenly broke upon them. A dazzling flare of light was followed by a terrifying crash of thunder and the ponies leaped forward in blind panic. The Sioux made desperate efforts to hold them in the herd, but the panic had spread to the riding ponies, and they were rearing and plunging in a manner that demanded the entire attention of the riders. Some of the more fiery animals bolted from control and raced wildly through the night. A moment afterward the herd broke through the gap in the circle and thundered across the plain. The fears of the Sioux were realized—the stampede had begun.
Having witnessed the first break of the startled ponies, Sun Bird rode recklessly after the leaders in the hope of guiding them across the plain. Beside him rode Little Raven. Allowing their ponies to run at will, the Minneconjoux soon found themselves at the front of the herd. Then they suddenly realized their peril. Their lives depended upon the agility of their ponies. A fall meant instant destruction beneath the hoofs of the panic-stricken beasts behind them. However, there was little time to think of the danger. The foremost ponies had swerved toward the west and Sun Bird and Little Raven tried to turn them back.
"We must not let them go that way!" Sun Bird shouted, anxiously. "The Crows and the Flatheads are over there."
Lashing vigorously with their heavy riding quirts, they forced the ponies from their course and kept them running toward the south. Thus they rode through the height of the storm, risking their lives to redeem their pledge to return the ponies which the Blackfeet had driven away.
Then, as the storm finally spent its fury, and passed across the plain, the wild stampede suddenly came to an end. Having run themselves into exhaustion, the ponies were glad to stop. A third of the herd, however, were missing. Sun Bird was dismayed by the discovery.
"Come, my brothers, tell me how those ponies got away from you," he said, sharply.
"We could not hold them all together," said Sitting Eagle. "I saw some ponies breaking away and when I rode after them some more ponies got away."
"Yes, that is how it happened," declared Lean Wolf. "I saw two ponies turning away, and I chased them. When I was driving them back, I saw a big bunch of ponies turning around. Then I rode after them and brought some of them back. Then I stayed close by the herd. I saw it was the best thing to do."
"Well, my friends, it is bad, but I see that you did the best you could," Sun Bird told them. "We had a hard time getting those ponies. We must not leave them for our enemies. There is only one thing to do. Sitting Eagle, you must keep going ahead with these ponies. When you get near our village you must stop and wait for us. Do not let our people see you until we come. My brothers, most of you must go with Sitting Eagle to help him fight our enemies. Some of us must stay here until it gets light. Then we will go out and look for the ponies that got away. I believe we will find them close by. Now I will call out the names of the men who must go with me to find the ponies. Listen, my brothers, I am going to call those names: Lean Wolf, Little Raven, Feather Dog, Running Dog, Falling Eagle, Brave Bear, Two Elks. These men will go with me. The rest of you must go with Sitting Eagle."
As he finished speaking they heard two ponies galloping toward them. A few moments afterward White Otter appeared. The piebald and the Blackfeet pony were lathered with sweat. Neither, however, showed the slightest trace of exhaustion.
"I have been a long ways," said the Ogalala. "These foolish ponies ran the wrong way. It was a long time before I could turn them around. Then I came very fast."
"Now White Otter is here," said Sun Bird. "It is good. I am going to ask him to be the leader of the men who go with Sitting Eagle."
Then the Sioux separated. Sitting Eagle and his escort of warriors rode away toward the south with the ponies while Sun Bird and his company of scouts remained behind to search for the missing horses.