Having made their decision, they rode boldly toward the west, ready and eager to meet their foes. It was late in the day, however, before they saw any evidence of them. Then they discovered a smoke signal some distance to the northward. Three columns of yellow smoke were ascending into the sky. The Sioux watched them with considerable uneasiness. They wondered if the Blackfeet scouts had discovered the war party.
"No, I do not believe it," Feather Dog declared. "That smoke is a long ways off. Those scouts could not get so far ahead of us. It must be some one different."
"Perhaps the Blackfeet are calling the scouts to the camp," suggested Proud Hawk.
"No, the camp is not in that place," Dancing Rabbit told them.
Convinced that the smoke signals did not concern them, the Sioux continued on their way. Feather Dog said that there was a good camp site with plenty of grass and water a short distance ahead of them, and as the day was drawing to a close they determined to stop there for the night. They had not ridden far, however, before they saw three more columns of smoke rising a considerable distance to the westward of the first signals.
"It must be the Blackfeet," declared the Minneconjoux. "It is the danger signal. They are telling their people about us."
"Perhaps they have found the Crows," suggested Feather Dog.
A few moments later a horseman swept into view, far to the westward. He was riding at a furious pace, and seemed to be coming directly toward them. They had little doubt that it was Running Dog, and they watched him in great suspense.
"Running Dog is coming to tell us about something big," they cried.
As the Minneconjoux scout came nearer, he began to point excitedly behind him. The Sioux looked anxiously toward the west, expecting to see a company of their foes racing along on the trail of Running Dog.