RED DOG'S STRATAGEM
Shortly after the Sioux had disappeared, the Cheyennes discovered what appeared to be smoke, far away to the westward. They watched for some time before they became convinced that it was not a cloud. Then as they finally agreed that it was smoke, they felt sure that it was a signal from the Kiowa war party.
"It is bad," said Red Dog. "I believe the Kiowas are waiting for more warriors. They are sending up that smoke to tell them where they are."
"It must be so," declared Painted Weasel, a famous scout.
The possibility filled the Cheyennes with gloom. Already outnumbered by the war party in the distant ravine, they realized that there was little chance of holding the village against a still stronger force of foes. For a moment they gave way to despair. Some of them proposed to abandon the camp, and seek safety in flight.
"No, no, that would be useless," Red Dog cried fiercely. "Look about you. Do you see the old people and the women and children? Well, my brothers, think about it. They cannot travel fast. If we try to get away, the Kiowas will soon come up with us. Then most of us will be killed. We must stay here and fight. We are Cheyennes. Does a Cheyenne throw away his women and children to save himself? I am your chief. I will stay here and fight back the Kiowas until our brothers come to help us."
The words of Red Dog roused the fighting blood of his warriors. They replied with a ringing war cry that echoed threateningly across the plain, and carried a bold challenge to their foes. The courage of their chief gave them confidence, and they were eager to meet the Kiowas. Some of the old men ran for the war drums. Then the warriors gathered in the center of the camp, and began to dance and sing their boastful war songs.
"It is good," cried Red Dog. "I see that you are ready to fight. If the Kiowas come to the village we will kill them and take away their ponies."
Once begun, the war ceremonies were continued far into the day. Then they were suddenly brought to an end by the appearance of one of the scouts who was racing toward the camp. When he came nearer they recognized him as White Horse, a noted warrior. As he rode his sweating pony into the village, the Cheyennes gathered eagerly about him to learn what he had seen.
"It is bad," White Horse told them. "Many more Kiowas have gone into that gully."
"Come, get off your pony and tell us about it," said Red Dog.
"Well, my brothers, I was watching with Running Buffalo and Thunder Hawk," said White Horse. "For a long time we did not see anything. Then we saw some smoke. It was far away. Pretty soon it stopped. Then we saw some smoke coming out of that gully. Then we said, 'Some more Kiowas are coming. They are over there where we saw that first smoke. They are trying to find the war party.' Then we watched close. Pretty soon we saw a scout crawl out of that gully. He looked all around. He could not see us. Then he looked toward that place where the smoke was. He looked a long time. Pretty soon we saw some one on a pony over there. Then the man who came out of the gully began to wave a robe. Then the man on the pony began to ride around. Running Buffalo said, 'Those Kiowas are talking to one another.' We kept watching. Pretty soon we saw many riders coming out of the place where the smoke was. They were riding toward that gully. Then some more Kiowas came out of the gully to watch. They were waving their arms. The riders came faster. Then they all went into that gully. My brothers, it is a great war party. I believe they will come to the village when it gets dark. Now I have told you about it."
The Cheyennes remained silent for some moments after White Horse had ceased speaking. His words had confirmed the significance of the distant smoke signal. They believed that the odds against them had doubled. The thought sobered them. They felt little inclination to talk. At last, however, old Ghost Bear rose to address them.
"My friends, White Horse has brought bad words," he told them. "He says that many Kiowas are hiding over there in that gully. What I told you about the great war bird has come true. I believe we will have a big fight. Well, we are Cheyennes. We have fought the boastful Kiowas many times. We have killed many of their warriors. We have run off many of their ponies. Pretty soon I am going to burn some sweet grass, and sing the Medicine Songs. Then I am going to talk to the Above People. I am going to ask them to help us. They will make us strong. Cheyennes, you must be brave. I believe we will hold off the Kiowas until our brothers come. I have finished."
A few moments later Red Dog spoke. The Cheyennes turned to him with eager attention. He was a great war leader, the son of their beloved chief, War Eagle, who had been killed in a disastrous battle with the Pawnees, and they looked upon him with respect and admiration. They believed that he might find a way to overcome the advantage of the Kiowas, and save the camp.
"My people, Ghost Bear has given you good words," said Red Dog. "I believe what he says is true. I believe the Kiowas propose to fight us. I am not thinking about that. I am thinking about the old people and the women and children. We must try to get them away before the Kiowas come.
"Now, my brothers, listen sharp. I will tell you what I propose to do. We will keep watching until its gets dark. I do not believe the Kiowas will come while it is light. When it begins to get dark we will send the old people and the women and children away. Some of you must go with them. You must ride far over toward the Place-where-the-day-begins. Then you must circle around and go toward the lodges of our brothers, the Ogalalas. You must send a scout ahead to tell the Ogalalas about it. They will come to help you.
"After the women and children have gone away, the rest of us will get ready to fight the Kiowas. We will try hard to keep them out of the camp. Perhaps we will be wiped away. I cannot tell about that. We are Cheyennes. A Cheyenne is not afraid to die."
The Cheyennes immediately approved the plan of Red Dog. They believed it offered the only chance of saving the women and children. All of the warriors, however, wished to remain at the camp with Red Dog to fight the Kiowas.
In the meantime old Ghost Bear came from the Medicine Lodge with the sacred Medicine Pipe. He called the Cheyennes to assemble in the camp. When they had formed the council circle, Ghost Bear asked a boy to bring some dry willow sticks. Then he asked a warrior to kindle a fire. As the sticks began to burn, Ghost Bear unwrapped the Medicine Pipe. Then he rose, and tossed a handful of sweet grass upon the fire. As it burned he raised his aged face toward the sky, and chanted a Medicine Song. Then he took some dried bark of the red willow from a small buckskin bag, and filled the bowl of the pipe. Having made these preparations, he turned to the Cheyennes.
"My brothers, I have called you here to take part in the great Medicine Ceremony," he told them. "I have made many smokes to the Above People. It is good. I believe they will help us. Now I am going ahead with the great Medicine Ceremony. You must watch close, and see what I do."
He drew a blazing stick from the fire, and lighted the pipe. For several moments he extended the pipe stem toward the sky, while he invited the mysterious Above People to smoke. Then he drew upon the pipe and puffed the smoke toward the sky, the earth, the east, the south, the west and the north. Having begun the ceremony, he passed the pipe to Red Dog, who puffed the smoke toward the sky. The chief passed the pipe to the warrior at his right, and thus it went round the circle, each warrior puffing smoke toward the sky and calling upon the Above People to help him.
After all had smoked, the pipe was returned to Ghost Bear, who replaced it in its wrappings. Then he began a weird, melancholy chant, while he moved slowly around the little fire, shaking a medicine rattle. The Cheyennes watched him in superstitious fascination. They believed implicitly in the strange Medicine Beings with whom old Ghost Bear claimed relationship, and they hoped that he might arouse them against the Kiowas.
When Ghost Bear finally ended the mysterious Medicine Ceremony, the Cheyennes again stationed themselves along the edge of the camp to watch the plain. The day was almost finished. The thought of darkness filled them with doubts. They believed that the night threatened them with disaster.
"Pretty soon it will be dark," they told one another, uneasily.
As the sun finally disappeared behind the western rim of the plain, they saw a horseman riding toward the camp. They watched him in great suspense. It seemed a long time before he came within bow range. Then they recognized him as Running Buffalo, one of the scouts.
"Running Buffalo is coming to tell us something about the Kiowas," they said.
"My brothers, the Kiowas are singing the war songs and making many talks," Running Buffalo told them. "I believe they will set out to fight us as soon as it gets dark. It is bad. There are many Kiowas. Yes, each of us will have to fight three Kiowas. I do not know what will become of the old people, and the women and children. I will not talk about it. My heart is heavy."
"Running Buffalo, we know that many Kiowas are over there in that place, but we are not afraid," Red Dog told him. "We are ready. We will make a big fight, and try to hold them back until our brothers come to help us. Our friends, the Sioux, have gone to bring them.
"Now listen to what I am about to say. I am going to fool the Kiowas, and let the old people and the women and children get away. I am going to send them to our friends, the brave Ogalalas. Now I will tell you what I propose to do. When it gets dark some of us will ride away toward the Place-where-the-warm-wind-blows. We will not go far. Then we will turn around, and ride back to the camp. We will make a big noise. Our brothers in the camp will make a big noise. When the Kiowas hear it they will say, 'Hi, some people have come to help the Cheyennes.' Then they will stop, and send out scouts. Well, while we are making that noise, the women and children will get away. They will go toward the Place-where-the-day-begins. Then they will circle around and ride fast toward the Ogalala lodges. Some of us will go with them. Some one will ride ahead and ask the Ogalalas to help us. If the Kiowas go that way you must tell us about it. Now you know what I propose to do. See, the light is going. Ride back there and tell your brothers about it."
"It is good," said Running Buffalo. "I will go. When the Kiowas ride toward the village we will keep ahead of them. When you hear the little gray fox barking you will know that the Kiowas are coming."
He mounted his pony and rode away into the west. The Cheyennes watched him in gloomy silence. The light was fading. The day had ended. Night was close at hand.
Then Red Dog began preparations for the defense of the camp. The boys and old men were piling brush and wood along the edge of the village, to be lighted if the Kiowas attempted to enter. Fires had already been lighted in the center of the camp. The war ponies were brought in, and securely picketed. The frightened women were packing meat for their journey into the north.
Red Dog called the warriors to the fire. It was a pitiably small company. The Cheyenne chief looked upon them with pride. They were great broad-shouldered fellows in the prime of life. Their solemn faces and serious eyes told him that they understood the peril which threatened them. Still there was no trace of fear in their hearts. They waited calmly for the words of their chief.
"My friends, the light has almost gone," Red Dog told them. "We must get ready to send away the women and children, and the old people. I will ask some of you to go out on the plain. Do not go far. Then you must turn around, and ride to the village. Call out, and sing the war songs. Make a big noise.
"Now I will call out the names of some warriors to go with the women and children. Cloud Eagle, and Two Dogs, and Walks Alone, and Hairy Robe, and Lame Bear must take these people to the Ogalalas. I will make Cloud Eagle the leader. Now you must get ready to go. When we make that big noise you must ride away."
The five warriors who had been selected to guard the women and children on the perilous journey into the north were eager to remain and fight the Kiowas. They concealed their disappointment, however, and began to round up the ponies.
"Listen, Cheyennes," old Ghost Bear cried, excitedly. "I am an old man, but I am not going away. My arms are strong. My eyes are sharp. I will stay here and help you fight the Kiowas."
Encouraged by his example, many other valiant veterans of the war trail offered their services against the Kiowas. Red Dog accepted them. He realized that in the emergency their assistance might be valuable.
"My brothers, you are very brave," he told them. "All of you have fought in many battles. If you feel like staying here to fight, I will tell you to stay. Perhaps you will kill many Kiowas."
Having made preparations for the daring stratagem by which he hoped to save the women and children, Red Dog divided his little force into two companies. He appointed Painted Weasel as leader of the company that was to ride out on the plain, while Red Dog assumed command of the warriors in the camp. Then the Cheyennes waited for darkness.
When night finally settled upon the plain, Painted Weasel and his companions mounted their ponies and rode away toward the south. At the same time Cloud Eagle assembled the women and children. Then the Cheyennes listened for the signal that would set the camp in a tumult.
"Hi, they are coming!" cried Red Dog.
The hoofbeats of galloping ponies sounded across the plain, and a moment afterward the night rang with the wild shouts of the riders. The warriors in the camp replied with the piercing Cheyenne war cry. Then a perfect bedlam of sounds rose from the village. Men shouted, dogs barked and ponies whinnied.
"Come, come, ride away!" Red Dog told Cloud Eagle.
A moment afterward the little company galloped toward the east. The hoofbeats of the ponies were smothered by the noise from the camp. When the wild tumult finally subsided, the warriors raised their voices in the war songs, and the sounds carried far across the plain. Red Dog felt certain that the noise had reached the ears of the Kiowas.
"It is good," he cried. "We have frightened the Kiowas. They will be cautious. It will be a long time before they come close. The women and children have got away."
The Cheyennes became quiet. They stood at the edge of the village, listening anxiously. The plain was silent. A great joy filled their hearts. They believed that their women and children had escaped from the Kiowas.