"He wants to tell us about something," said Sun Bird. "Go, Dancing Rabbit, and bring us his words."
The lad immediately galloped away to meet the distant Minneconjoux scout. Sun Bird and Sitting Eagle decided to wait where they were until he returned. In a few moments they saw the war party riding toward them. The Minneconjoux had discovered Running Dog, and were watching Dancing Rabbit as he raced across the plain. When they reached Sun Bird, however, they concealed their curiosity and waited for the youthful war leader to tell them what had happened.
"My friends, that scout over there is Running Dog," said Sun Bird. "He has made the danger signal. Then he called us. Dancing Rabbit has gone to bring us his words. We will wait here until he comes back."
It was not long before they saw the eager lad racing toward them with the message from Running Dog. He was urging his pony to top speed, and the Sioux believed he brought word of great importance. Running Dog had already disappeared into the dusk.
"I have brought you the words of Running Dog," said Dancing Rabbit, as he stopped beside Sun Bird.
"Tell me what he says," replied Sun Bird.
"Running Dog says that the Crows and the Blackfeet are fighting," declared Dancing Rabbit. "He says it is a big fight. He says the Crows are stronger than the Blackfeet. Running Dog says that is bad. He says there must be many Blackfeet at the village. He believes that a big war party may be coming this way. He says we must go to that gully and hide. He says he will come there when it gets dark. Those are the words of Running Dog."
"Come, lead us to that place," said Sun Bird.
The glow was fading from the western sky and the twilight shadows were gathering upon the plain when the Sioux finally reached the dry stream bed. It offered an ideal hiding place, and Sun Bird looked upon it with delight.
"See, my brothers, this great gully leads far over there toward the mountains," he said. "If we follow it, I do not believe our enemies will be able to find us."