"Come," shouted the Ogalala. "Drive away the ponies!"
Sitting Eagle and his comrades instantly got the ponies in motion. Then the determined Blackfeet again charged forward to gain possession of the herd. This time, however, they were met by White Otter and his gallant band of fighters. They fought with a fiery zeal that soon threw fear into the hearts of their foes. Riding boldly at the head of his companions, White Otter dashed recklessly among the Blackfeet, and threw them into confusion. Then as they wavered he raised the piercing Dacotah war cry, and led his tribesmen in a furious assault that caused the astounded Blackfeet to flee wildly before him. He followed them a long distance across the plain, and exacted heavy toll from the laggards. Then he suddenly heard Sun Bird and the rest of the war party riding toward the south.
"Come," he cried. "Our brothers are running ahead of the Blackfeet. We must find out about it."
Having subdued his foes, he turned and led his comrades to join the Minneconjoux. When he finally overtook them he found Sun Bird in high spirits. The skillful young war leader had completely defeated his foes.
"The Blackfeet are getting cautious," said Sun Bird. "See, they are keeping far behind. I believe they are afraid of us."
The Blackfeet appeared to have lost much of their confidence. Having lost heavily in the desperate fighting with the Sioux, they seemed unwilling to risk coming again to close quarters with those indomitable foes. Although they still continued to follow them, they were content to remain safely beyond arrow range. The Sioux hoped that they would soon abandon the pursuit.
"Pretty soon they will turn back," declared Sun Bird. "Then they will go to the village, and tell their people what a great fight they made."
"Well, they will not bring back those ponies," laughed Little Raven.
Daylight was breaking when the Sioux again overtook their comrades with the captured ponies. Sitting Eagle had stopped in the bottom of a deep ravine through which trickled a tiny stream. The Sioux saw at once that it offered them splendid protection against their foes.
"It is good," Sun Bird said, heartily. "Now we will see what the Blackfeet will do."