“All right, sir,” responded Captain Benteen; and the general trotted on. At a nod from the captain, Ned made haste to mount and follow.
“Probably we approach as close as we can, to reconnoiter; and early in the morning we’ll attack,” was remarking to the captain Lieutenant Gibson, as Ned sped away.
“There can’t be more than twelve or fifteen hundred. We can trim that number easy,” was the answer.
Who was there to tell that over the ridge, well concealed in the crooked valley of the Little Big Horn, lay in one great village—another village like the village on the Washita, only larger—the allied bands of the Oglalas, the Minneconjous, the Sans Arc or Bowless, the Brules or Burnt Thighs, the Hunkpapas, the Blackfeet, the Northern Cheyennes: 15,000 Indians, with at least 3000 of them fighters well-armed and commanded by wise Gall and other mighty chiefs. The flower of the Sioux nation, they feared no white soldiers. They asked only to be let alone.
Ned now riding with the general, the march was along a little pass through the hills of the divide. About the middle of the morning halt was again ordered, in a ravine.
But taking Adjutant Cook and his orderlies and Bloody Knife the general galloped ahead to join the scouts on a ridge before. Ned and Sergeant Butler of Captain Tom’s troop (he was the other orderly) must hold the horses while the general and the adjutant stole forward afoot, to survey over the ridge.
“Smoke,” commented Sergeant Butler, nodding.
Beyond the ridge hung a film of smoke, mingled with dust. When the officers returned, by their talk they had sighted through their glasses a pony herd also. The Indian village must be down there.
In the ravine again it was hot; the brush quivered in the heat reflected by the rocks. The column were waiting, expectant. The Rees were in a group, stripped as for a fight. Their medicine-man, Bob-tail Bull, was passing from one to another, smearing them with an oil, to make them safe against the weapons of the enemy. The Crows were squatting, witnessing.
Captain Tom came galloping to meet the general.