CHAPTER XI
A CALL TO WAR
LATE the next day, as the lads came within sight of the Sioux camps, they were astonished to hear the ominous booming of the war drums. As they stopped to listen they heard the people singing and shouting, and it was evident that the camps were in a wild commotion.
"My ears tell me that our people are getting ready for war," said Sun Bird. "Perhaps our enemies, the Crows, are coming to fight us."
"Well, we will go and find out about it," proposed White Otter.
They galloped toward the Minneconjoux village at top speed. When they reached the camp they found the people in an uproar. Then White Otter saw High Eagle, a warrior from his own tribe, and his heart was immediately filled with grave misgivings.
"It is bad; something has happened to my people," he cried, as he dismounted and ran to question the Ogalala scout.
"My brother, our enemies, the Pawnees, have come to fight us," declared High Eagle. "They are on every side of the camp. It is a great war party. They are like the grass. When Wolf Robe saw so many warriors he said: 'High Eagle, when it is dark you must crawl away and go and ask the Minneconjoux to help us.' Well, I will tell you that I got away when it was dark. Now I have told this thing to the great chief, Curly Horse. He has told his warriors about it. See, they are ready to fight. Yes, the Uncapapas are dancing. Laughing Bird, their chief, has talked to them. They will go to fight the Pawnees."
"High Eagle, your words have filled my heart with clouds," declared White Otter. "Perhaps my grandfather has been killed. Perhaps the Pawnees have captured the village. Perhaps they have killed my grandmother. Do you know about it?"
"No, I do not know about it," replied the scout. "But I will tell you that I do not feel it in my heart. I did not see the fight, but I believe our people drove the Pawnees away."
Somewhat reassured by High Eagle's confidence, White Otter hurried away to tell Sun Bird what he had learned. The young Minneconjoux had already heard the story from his father, and White Otter found him preparing for the war trail.
"Yes, I know about this thing," said Sun Bird. "I will go with you to fight our enemies, the Pawnees."
"You are a brave warrior, and a true friend," White Otter declared with considerable emotion.
As the Ogalala left the lodge to find Curly Horse, he met Little Raven. He saw at once that the latter, too, was preparing to join the war party.
"My brother, I have heard the words of High Eagle," said Little Raven. "The Pawnees are our enemies. Yes, the great chief, Curly Horse, and his warriors are going to help their brothers, the brave Ogalalas. And I will tell you that I have heard the Uncapapas singing their war songs. Yes, those fearless warriors are going with my people. Now I will tell you that I am going with my brother, White Otter. I have finished."
"You are very brave, like your brother, Sun Bird," declared White Otter, as he clasped Little Raven's hand.
When White Otter reached the center of the village, a few moments later, he found a number of warriors already engaged in the war dance. The company was composed of both Minneconjoux and Uncapapas, and his heart filled with gratitude toward the brave men who were willing to risk their lives to help his people. It was a splendid exhibition of the loyalty that existed between the various tribes of the great Dacotah nation, and it made White Otter thrill with pride. He saw High Eagle participating in the ceremony, and, as he heard the dancers calling him, he hastened to join them.
The dance was stopped, soon afterward, by the appearance of Curly Horse and Laughing Bird, accompanied by the most prominent men in both tribes. These famous warriors had been sitting in council to decide the best way to deal with the unexpected emergency, and the people were anxious to learn their verdict. Therefore, as they advanced slowly from the council-lodge, and took their places inside the circle of warriors, a sudden hush fell upon the camp. The drums were stilled, the songs ceased, the dancers stood quietly in their places, and the vast assemblage waited silently to hear the decision of the great war chiefs. In a few moments Curly Horse began to talk.
"People of the great Dacotah nation, you know what has happened," he said. "Our brothers, the brave Ogalalas, have asked us to help them. There is only one thing to do—we must go. But I will tell you that we must think about another thing. Our enemies, the Crows, are somewhere about. We must not leave our women and children behind us. We cannot take them on the war trail. Well, I will tell you how we must do this thing. I will lead half of the warriors to help our brothers, the Ogalalas. Rain Crow will stay behind with the other half of the warriors to guard the camp. It is the best thing to do. I have finished."
The plan of the Minneconjoux war chief met with the instant approval of his people, although the warriors immediately began to debate about who should go to fight and who should remain behind to guard the camp. As all of them were eager to meet the Pawnees, the selection of the war party threatened to be a serious problem. While they were discussing it, however, Laughing Bird began to speak, and the argument was temporarily halted.
"Men of the Uncapapas, you have heard the words of the great chief, Curly Horse," said Laughing Bird. "He has told you the best way to do this thing. Now I will ask you to listen to my words. The Minneconjoux are our brothers. They are going to fight the Pawnees. The Ogalalas are our brothers. They have asked us to help them. We are Dacotahs. Does a Dacotah stay back when his brothers go to war? No, we will go to help these brave men. I will lead our people to fight the Pawnees. But I will tell you that we must follow the advice of Curly Horse. Yes, we must leave some warriors here to guard the camp. I will tell you how to do this thing. First, I will ask Two Dogs to stay here. Yes, he will be the leader. Now I will call out the name of a warrior. That man will go with me to fight the Pawnees. Then Two Dogs will call out the name of a warrior. That man will stay here with him to guard the camp. Then we will keep calling out until every one is taken. It is the only way to do. I have finished."
Thus the diplomatic Uncapapa chief quickly settled the dispute over the selection of the war parties. His plan offered no chance for argument. Everyone saw at once that it was the wisest and fairest way of arranging the matter, and there was no further discussion. The Minneconjoux accepted it as willingly as the Uncapapas, and the four leaders immediately began to select their men. It was a time of intense excitement, as the people of both camps crowded eagerly around the rival bidders to learn the names of the men they had chosen. The warriors listened with breathless interest, each hoping that he might be sufficiently fortunate to be enrolled in the war party. The men who won the honor immediately withdrew from the throng, and rushed away to get their favorite ponies, and array themselves for the war trail. Among these lucky ones were White Otter, Sun Bird and Little Raven. As each tribe contained a great host of fighting men, the day had ended and the evening shadows were already settling upon the plain when the last warrior was called.
Then several great fires were started in each camp, and the warriors whom fate had forced to remain behind attempted to overcome their disappointment with the strenuous exertions of the war dance. While they were thus employed their more fortunate comrades appeared in full war regalia. They looked like weird demons from another world, as they led their decorated ponies into the light, for they had blackened their faces with charcoal, and streaked and spotted their bodies with red and yellow clay. Their scalp-locks were ornamented with the feathers of the eagle, and some of the more famous warriors wore splendid war bonnets of those coveted plumes, whose trailing streamers touched the ground behind them. Each member of the war party carried his favorite weapons, his buffalo-hide war shield and his robe.
When the two forces had finally assembled, they united before the Uncapapa camp. Then, as the Minneconjoux were somewhat stronger in numbers, Curly Horse was chosen as the leader of the entire force. It was an honor for even one as famous as he, for the combined company numbered hundreds of warriors, each one a veteran of the war trail. They were men accustomed to hardship and indifferent to peril; men for whom death had no terrors. Their stern faces, and bold, defiant eyes proclaimed their fearlessness. As crafty and cautious as the fox, they possessed the unconquerable courage of the bear. Once aroused, they would fight to the death. Willing to sacrifice their lives for their friends, they were unforgiving and merciless to their foes. These were the men whom Curly Horse was leading to the rescue of Wolf Robe and his people.
"Dacotahs, I will only give you a few words," cried the Minneconjoux chief, as the war party was about to ride away. "You see many brave warriors. Some are Minneconjoux. Some are Uncapapas. But we all are Dacotahs. You see the great war chief, Laughing Bird. He is a great man. Well, you know what we are going to do. Perhaps some of these brave men will not come back. But you must not think about that. Now I will tell you that many brave men have been left here. It is good. Our hearts will be easy. Yes, we will know that the Crows will be afraid to try to get into the camp. But if those people come, then Rain Crow must send a rider to tell us about it. Then we will send some of these fearless men back to help you. I see two great leaders staying here with you. Rain Crow is a brave man. Two Dogs is a great Uncapapa leader. Now we are going away. Yes, I hear the calls of my brothers, the Ogalalas. Come, my brothers, we will go to help those brave people drive away the Pawnees."
Then the great host of fighting men raised their voices in the thrilling battlecry of their nation, and thundered away into the night. As they raced across the plain, their shouts were echoed from the camps, where their comrades were dancing, and singing the war songs, to bring success to the expedition. Once beyond hearing of the camps, however, the Sioux slackened their pace, for they had several days' journey before them, and they were anxious to save their ponies. Most of the warriors were provided with two animals, a good horse for ordinary riding, and a fiery war pony for use in battle. After the first flurry of excitement had passed, Curly Horse called White Otter and High Eagle to ride beside him.
"My brothers, you are Ogalalas. You know about this country. I will ask you to go ahead, and see what you can find. If you want anyone to go with you, tell me about it. You must keep in sight of us. If you see the Wolf people, you must ride back here and tell us about it. Now you know what to do," said the Minneconjoux.
"I have listened to the words of Curly Horse; they are good," replied White Otter. "We will do as you say. Now I will tell you that I will ask my brother, Sun Bird, and my brother, Little Raven, to go ahead with me."
"It is good," said Curly Horse.
Then White Otter turned back to find his friends. They were riding some distance in the rear.
"Come, my brothers, we are going ahead to watch out for our enemies," White Otter told Sun Bird. "The great chief, Curly Horse, has told me to do this thing. I will ask you to go with me. High Eagle will go with us."
"My brother, we will go with you," replied Sun Bird.
"Yes, we will keep together," declared Little Raven.
Then the four scouts urged their ponies to a faster pace, and made their way to the front of the cavalcade. They stopped a few moments to talk with Curly Horse and Laughing Bird, and then they galloped away and disappeared into the night.
