"Many Buffaloes has done this thing many times, but we have no ponies that can come up with him," the Minneconjoux told White Otter. "If you follow him the Blackfeet will surely kill you."
"I am going," White Otter replied, firmly.
A moment afterward he rode out upon the plain. The Blackfeet greeted his appearance with savage yells of derision. The Sioux raised the great Dacotah war cry to give him courage. Many Buffaloes stopped and waited for him to approach.
"White Otter is a great warrior; he is very brave; that pony is very fast, but I believe he will be killed," Sun Bird said, fearfully.
The solemn faces of the Minneconjoux gave endorsement to his fears. They, too, believed that the reckless Ogalala was going to his death. Having witnessed the speed of the famous black war pony, they felt certain that White Otter would never get within striking distance of the Blackfeet chief. Their only hope was that the Ogalala would discover his peril in time to turn back and save himself from the treacherous Blackfeet.
"Then we must be ready to rush out and help him," said Sun Bird.
At that instant White Otter raised the war cry, and raced toward the Blackfeet chief. The latter waited until the Ogalala was almost upon him, and then he turned his pony and rode furiously toward his yelling tribesmen. A moment afterward he twisted about and laughed shrilly, as he shook his war club at the Sioux. Enraged by the taunt, White Otter struck his pony with the heavy rawhide quirt. The piebald bounded forward at a speed which caused the Minneconjoux and the Blackfeet to stare in silent amazement. With each stroke of the lash the wonderful little beast ran faster. The famous Blackfeet pony was a full length in the lead, but the piebald was actually gaining. The Minneconjoux could not believe it possible.
"Many Buffaloes is holding back," they told one another. "He is trying to draw White Otter near his people."
"No, no, it is not so!" Sun Bird shouted, excitedly. "See, the Dacotah pony is running faster!"
It was true. Sioux and Blackfeet both realized it. Many Buffaloes looked over his shoulder and was equally astounded. The piebald had cut his lead in half and was still gaining. Alarmed at the discovery, Many Buffaloes lashed the black pony to its best speed. It ran as no other horse in the great Blackfeet nation had ever run before, but the piebald ran even faster. White Otter was within less than half a pony-length of the Blackfeet chief. The latter, however, was almost within bow shot of his tribesmen. The Minneconjoux realized that unless White Otter overtook the black pony within the next few strides he would be at the mercy of his foes. The thought drove them into a frenzy of excitement.