CHAPTER XVII
A PEEP INTO THE PAWNEE CAMP
THE lads rode continuously throughout the night, guiding themselves by the stars, and traveling toward the south. At dawn they again found the tracks of the Pawnee ponies. However, they feared to follow the trail in daylight. They had little doubt that alert Pawnee scouts had been stationed on the ridges to watch for the Sioux war party. There seemed nothing to do, therefore, but to spend the day in concealment, until darkness again made it safe to venture forward in search of the Pawnee camp. It meant another perilous delay, and White Otter's heart sank at the thought of the possible consequences. Still, he knew that it would be foolhardy to risk being seen by hostile scouts. He felt sure that such an unfortunate mishap would destroy the last chance of the prisoners whom he wished to save.
"Yes, we must wait here until it is dark," he told Little Raven. "It is bad. But I believe it is the only thing to do. If we go ahead, perhaps the Pawnees will see us. Then they will know what we are trying to do. It is enough. They will kill Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse. They must not know about us. We will wait here. Now we must look around for a good place to hide in."
"Well, if that is how the thing is in your heart, then we must do it," replied Little Raven.
The plain was still shrouded in the dim, misty half-light of dawn, and they had little fear of being seen. Riding a short distance west of the Pawnee trail, they came upon the dry rocky bed of a stream. As it was considerably below the level of the plain, it offered an ideal place of concealment. Furthermore, it led away in a general southerly direction, and the eager young scouts hoped that by following it they might eventually come within sight of the Pawnee camp.
Once in the bottom of the ravine, the Sioux immediately set out along the tortuous, rocky stream-bed. As daylight strengthened, White Otter crept up the bank to reconnoiter. A long, undulating sweep of the plain obstructed his view toward the south, but in every other direction he saw to the horizon. The ground was open and bare of cover, and he discovered nothing to awaken his suspicions. The south, however, was still a mystery. The low ridge that barred his vision suggested many alarming possibilities, and White Otter regarded it with much distrust. He saw that the stream-bed apparently cut through it, in a deep ravine, farther to the west. It looked like an ideal spot for an ambush. He wondered whether Pawnee sentinels were concealed at that perilous pass. Then, having learned all that it was possible to know for the moment, the Ogalala descended into the gully to join his companion.
"Well, I have looked around and I will tell you about it," he told Little Raven. "I did not see any Pawnees. No, on both sides, and back there where we came from, I saw everything. There is no place to hide, and there is nothing to harm us. But ahead of us it is different. Yes, that way I saw a ridge. Perhaps some scouts are watching there. Perhaps the Pawnee camp is behind it. I do not know about it. But I will tell you that this gully goes through it. Yes, over there I saw the place where it crawls through. I believe we will be in great danger if we go over there before it is dark. But if we wait, perhaps it will be too late to help Wolf Robe. Yes, I am going ahead to find out about this thing. When we come near that place I will ask you to stay behind with the ponies. Then I will crawl ahead as easy as the fox. I believe it is the only thing to do."
"I will listen to your words," agreed Little Raven.
They advanced cautiously along the dry watercourse until it made an abrupt turn toward the west. Then White Otter again crawled carefully to the top of the bank. He saw that the bed of the stream continued still farther toward the west, and then turned sharply toward the ravine that cut through the ridge. He believed, therefore, that it would be perilous to take the ponies any farther until he had made a thorough reconnoissance.
As White Otter was about to descend into the ravine to announce his plan to Little Raven, his sharp eyes discovered something against the sky, above the crest of the ridge. For several moments he was unable to convince himself that he had actually seen it, and he watched anxiously to learn whether his eyes had played him a trick. Then he saw it again, more distinctly than before, and his heart beat wildly. It was smoke. Aware that he was within a short distance of the great Pawnee camp, White Otter scrambled frantically down the rocky bank of the ravine to tell Little Raven of his discovery.
"My brother, my eyes have found a great thing!" he cried, excitedly. "Yes, I saw smoke rising behind that ridge. We are close to the great Pawnee village. We must be very cautious. I believe it would be foolish to go any nearer before it is dark. We will wait here and watch. Then, when it is dark, I will go ahead. I will crawl through that ravine, and try to get near the camp. Perhaps I will find out about Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse. Now I am going to crawl up there to watch."
"White Otter, I have listened to your words," replied Little Raven. "You have told how you will do this thing. Well, I must tell you that I will go with you. If you do not find your people, then you will rush into the camp to die. I will not stay behind. No, I have told what I will do. I must go through with it. I have spoken."
"What you say is true," declared White Otter. "I will not keep you from doing what you have set out to do. But first I must find out about this thing. I will tell you that if I do not see my people in that camp, then I will come back. Yes, I will tell you what I am going to do. If you feel like going into the camp to die with me, then you must do it. But perhaps I will find my people. You must wait here until I know about it. I am the son of Standing Buffalo, and I have spoken."
"You say that you will come back here," replied Little Raven. "It is enough. I will wait. But I must tell you something different. Perhaps the Pawnees will come here and find us before it is dark."
"When the fox hides, it is hard to find him," declared White Otter. "We will be very cautious."
Although the lads watched steadily until night-fall, they failed to see anything of their enemies. However, they had little doubt that a number of Pawnee scouts were concealed along the summit of the ridge. The possibility made them extremely wary, and they waited until the last ray of light had faded from the plain before they ventured to advance. Then, when they reached the sharp turn toward the south, White Otter left his pony with Little Raven, and disappeared into the night.
The young Ogalala moved cautiously along the rocky bed of the stream, with the swift, noiseless tread of a panther. He advanced until he saw the sharp, clear-cut edge of the ravine showing against the sky. Then he stopped. For some moments he crouched in the shadow of the bank, listening for some warning of his foes. The stillness failed to quiet his suspicions. He felt sure that the narrow pass was guarded by keen-eared sentinels. He feared it. For a moment or so he was undecided just how to proceed. Then he made his decision, and climbed noiselessly up the side of the gully.
Once on the plain, White Otter made a short detour toward the east. Then, when he was several arrow-flights from the stream, he turned directly toward the ridge. As he came within bow-shot of it, he again stopped to listen. Hearing nothing to arouse his fears, he advanced through the darkness as quietly as a shadow. He reached the low, grassy slope in safety, and crawled cautiously to the summit. As he peered carefully over the crest of the ridge, he saw the fires twinkling in the great Pawnee camp. It was scarcely more than a bow-shot away, and the anxious Ogalala fairly trembled with eagerness.
Fearing that a moment's delay might prove fatal, White Otter crept slowly over the summit of the ridge, and descended to the level plain on the other side. Then he hurried toward the Pawnee village. As he neared the edge of the camp, he sank to his hands and knees, and crawled forward with the stealth and caution of a lynx. He advanced to the very border of the village. Then he concealed himself in the heavy shadows from the lodges, and peered anxiously into the camp. It was brightly illuminated by a number of great fires, and White Otter was able to study his foes at close range. The entire tribe seemed to be assembled, and he believed that the people were discussing something of importance. Then, as his eyes traveled swiftly over the great company of warriors, he started, and almost cried out in his excitement. With the Pawnees were Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse. Both were securely bound, and closely guarded, but neither seemed to have been harmed. White Otter looked upon them with amazement. His great joy bewildered him. He had approached the camp with little hope of finding them alive. Now, as he saw them apparently uninjured, he could scarcely believe his eyes. He wondered why the Pawnees had spared them. However, he lost little time attempting to solve the riddle. His one thought was how he might take advantage of the temporary respite that had been granted to his tribesmen.
White Otter was soon convinced that no matter what the final fate of the prisoners might be, they were to be spared for the night at least. The thought filled him with hope. If the Pawnees would only wait until the following night, he believed he could save the captives. He felt sure that by that time the great Sioux war party would be within striking distance of the camp, and he believed they would surprise and completely overwhelm their foes. Still, he knew that unless he could think of a way to protect the helpless prisoners, the Pawnees would kill them at the first warning of an attack. He waited, therefore, until he saw Wolf Robe and Yellow Horse taken to one of the lodges. Then he withdrew from the camp, and made his perilous return to Little Raven.
"My brother, my heart is filled with the songs of birds," White Otter cried, joyously, as he finally rejoined the loyal Minneconjoux. "Yes, I have seen my grandfather, the great chief, Wolf Robe, and Yellow Horse, the wonderful medicine-man. They are alive in the Pawnee camp. I watched until I saw them taken into a lodge. Then the camp quieted down. Now I know where they are. I do not believe that the Pawnees will kill them before another sun goes by. I believe we will get them out of that camp."
"Your words have filled my heart with sunshine," declared Little Raven. "You have done a good thing. I believe we will take your people out of that camp. But I must tell you another thing. After you went away, I heard something. I listened a long time. Then I heard someone coming. I tried to lead away the ponies. But someone was right behind me. Pretty soon I heard two people talking. They were speaking Sioux words. Then my heart was glad. I called out and told them my name. Pretty soon Short Bear and two Uncapapas came here. Yes, the great war party is back there on the plain. The Uncapapas have gone away to tell about us, but Short Bear will take us to Curly Horse."
"Where is Short Bear?" inquired the Ogalala.
"I am here, my brother," replied the famous Minneconjoux, as he suddenly appeared out of the night.
"It is good. We will go," said White Otter.
