“It will not be hard to get men enough to go,” said Washakie.
The War Chief said it would be better for the white boy to go himself and end all the trouble; for if his folks were coming after him, that would stop them and settle the dispute. Nearly all of the council agreed with the War Chief.
Washakie asked me what I thought about it. I told him that I did not know the way home and I would not go.
“If the council decides that it is the wisest plan for you to go,” said the chief, “we will find a way for you to get home safe.” He then asked each member of the council what he thought about it, and all were of the opinion that it was the best thing to do.
Mother talked and cried a great deal. I do not remember all she said, but I know that she begged them to send some one else. Washakie was silent for a long time, then he said that I had better go; that he would send two of his men with me to the nearest white town and then I could get home myself.
“I want you to go home,” he said, “and when you get there, tell the truth. Tell your father that you came to us of your own accord; and then if you want to come back, we shall be glad to have you come and live with us always.”
“All right,” I said, “I will go home if you want me to, but I will not stay there.”
How mother did take on! It seemed as if it would break her poor old heart, and Hanabi took it very hard, too. I told them not to feel bad, for I would soon come back.
In a few days, I was to leave, so we began to get ready for the journey. Hanabi and some other squaws set to work to make my clothes, and they soon had enough to dress me in first-class Indian style. The Indians gave me so many buffalo robes and buckskins that one horse could not carry them; so Washakie said that I might have one of the horses they had captured from the Crows.
When the two Indians that were to go with me said they were ready, we packed up. I had in my pack seven buffalo robes, fifteen large buckskins, and ten pairs of very fine moccasins. It was a bulky load, but not very heavy. Just as I was leaving, the little boys gave me so many arrows that I could not get them all in my quiver.