The War Trail

by Elmer Russell Gregor

"It is good," agreed the Minneconjoux.

While they waited impatiently for the Blackfeet fires to die down, many of the war party left their ponies with their friends and crawled to the top of the ridge to watch the camp. Others dismounted and threw themselves upon the plain to rest. There was little talking. The Sioux realized that they were about to match themselves against a strong and wily foe who greatly outnumbered them, and the thought made them serious. They knew that the time for boasting had passed, and the time for action was at hand. There was not one of the company, however, who had the slightest fear. They believed that Dacotah courage would more than offset the superior strength of the Blackfeet, and they felt confident of success.

The night was more than half gone when the watchers returned from the ridge and reported that the last flickering glow had faded from the Blackfeet camp. The announcement roused the Sioux to action. Springing upon their ponies, they waited eagerly for the word to advance.

"My brothers, the Blackfeet have gone to their lodges," said Sun Bird. "Pretty soon they will be asleep. It is good. They will not know about us until they hear us running off the ponies. Come, Dacotahs, we will go."

The summons stirred their fighting blood. They longed to send the Dacotah war cry ringing across the plain as a challenge to their foes. They stifled the temptation, however, and crossed the ridge in silence. All evidence of the Blackfeet camp had vanished into the night, and Sun Bird chose the north star to guide him on his way.

The preliminary reconnaissance which Sun Bird and White Otter had made the previous night proved of great value. At that time they had carefully noted the contour of the plain between the ridge and the camp, and had estimated distances between certain prominent landmarks which they had retained in their memory. Now, as they found them, they were able to guess how closely they were approaching the Blackfeet camp. When he believed that they had gone half way, Sun Bird ordered a halt, and proceeded to divide the war party. The younger, less experienced warriors were assigned to the companies who were to run off the ponies, while the renowned fighters and famous scouts were chosen as a rear guard to fight back the Blackfeet. Then Sun Bird carefully explained the location of the ponies.

"Now we are ready to go ahead with this thing," he said. "But before we begin I will tell you something. When you are ready to ride off the ponies that are on the plain you must make many quick barks of the little gray fox. Then you must wait. When White Otter and his brothers hear it they will know that you are ready. Then when they are ready they must make that signal. When it stops you must go ahead to run off the ponies. Then if the Blackfeet hear you we will be ready to hold them back. Keep these words. Do not go ahead until you hear the signal. I have finished."

A short distance farther on the Sioux separated to make their raid against the Blackfeet. Sitting Eagle and his companions turned aside to approach the spot where the loose ponies were pastured. White Otter and his company continued toward the camp, and Sun Bird and the fighting men followed close behind him.

When they were within several bowshots of the camp they stopped, and White Otter and three companions went forward. He had asked Little Raven to accompany him, and the young Minneconjoux rode at his side.