"It is good," cried Sun Bird, as he galloped toward the ponies.
The riders had already stationed themselves about the herd and Sitting Eagle was racing about shouting instructions. The Sioux were in a high tension of excitement. The great storms which swept across the plains always filled them with superstitious awe. They believed that they were caused by the Thunder Birds, which they imagined to be two giant birdlike monsters that lived high up in the most inaccessible peaks of the loftiest mountains. The Sioux believed that these weird creatures possessed all sorts of mysterious powers and that at certain intervals they flew across the country to destroy those unfortunate people who had incurred their displeasure.
"Some one has made the Thunder Birds mad—they are coming to drive away the ponies," the Minneconjoux told one another, in alarmed whispers.
Their hearts filled with gloomy premonitions of impending disaster, as the storm rushed upon them. The breeze had freshened to a gale, the stars above them had vanished, the plain was smothered in darkness. Vivid flashes of light flickered across the sky. Loud, crashing peals of thunder rolled through the night. The ponies showed signs of terror. They crowded nervously together, with heads raised, snorting and whinnying. The Sioux rode anxiously around them, fearful that each startling flash would cause them to run.
Then the storm suddenly broke upon them. A dazzling flare of light was followed by a terrifying crash of thunder and the ponies leaped forward in blind panic. The Sioux made desperate efforts to hold them in the herd, but the panic had spread to the riding ponies, and they were rearing and plunging in a manner that demanded the entire attention of the riders. Some of the more fiery animals bolted from control and raced wildly through the night. A moment afterward the herd broke through the gap in the circle and thundered across the plain. The fears of the Sioux were realized—the stampede had begun.
Having witnessed the first break of the startled ponies, Sun Bird rode recklessly after the leaders in the hope of guiding them across the plain. Beside him rode Little Raven. Allowing their ponies to run at will, the Minneconjoux soon found themselves at the front of the herd. Then they suddenly realized their peril. Their lives depended upon the agility of their ponies. A fall meant instant destruction beneath the hoofs of the panic-stricken beasts behind them. However, there was little time to think of the danger. The foremost ponies had swerved toward the west and Sun Bird and Little Raven tried to turn them back.
"We must not let them go that way!" Sun Bird shouted, anxiously. "The Crows and the Flatheads are over there."
Lashing vigorously with their heavy riding quirts, they forced the ponies from their course and kept them running toward the south. Thus they rode through the height of the storm, risking their lives to redeem their pledge to return the ponies which the Blackfeet had driven away.
Then, as the storm finally spent its fury, and passed across the plain, the wild stampede suddenly came to an end. Having run themselves into exhaustion, the ponies were glad to stop. A third of the herd, however, were missing. Sun Bird was dismayed by the discovery.
"Come, my brothers, tell me how those ponies got away from you," he said, sharply.