I explained, and Kachina and Peter rolled closer to listen.
"Wah!" gasped the girl, when I had finished. "This god Hawenneyu is a great god! He has sent the horse to aid us to escape."
"How can that be?" I answered her peevishly. "We lie here bound and helpless. If the whole herd came and waited next the stallion we could not use them."
"Nevertheless, it is good medicine," insisted Tawannears. "My heart grows strong again."
"Ja," agreed Peter with more interest than he usually exhibited. "We hafe der middle of an egscape. If we get der first part——"
Sunkawakan-kedeshka's silken ears shot forward across my face. I heard the padding of moccasined feet.
"The herd-guard!" I exclaimed. "Remember, I am crying out in fear. The stallion is biting me."
And straightway I gave vent to a series of fearsome shrieks, at which the spotted stallion drew back in amazement, unable to understand the antics of the man he considered his friend. The youthful herdsman broke into a run, and Tawannears hailed him in a mixture of Dakota and Comanche phrases:
"Come quickly! Is this the way to treat captives? The horse is biting my white brother!"
The Comanche laughed, peering through the starlit darkness, and I noted with interest that as soon as he identified the horse he approached with marked caution.