Then as the war party was complete he called a council of war to decide what should be done. The Sioux were agreed that the wisest plan would be to remain where they were until daylight.
"It is the best thing to do," said Sun Bird. "We know that the Crows and the Blackfeet are somewhere along this gully. It would be foolish to move toward them. When it gets light we will try to find out where they are."
He posted scouts in and about the ravine to watch for the approach of foes, while the war party lay down to sleep. There was no water, and both the Sioux and their ponies suffered from thirst. The ponies were particularly restless, and spent most of the night pawing the dry earth in the bottom of the ravine. However, Dancing Rabbit assured his companions that there was a good pool a half day's journey to the westward, and Sitting Eagle confirmed his words.
"Perhaps the Blackfeet are at that place," suggested Sun Bird.
The night passed without incident, and at the first hint of dawn the scouts hurried in from the plain. They said that they had neither seen nor heard anything of their enemies. It seemed, therefore, that either the Crows and the Blackfeet had continued their mad race through the night, or else both had hidden themselves to wait for daylight.
"Perhaps the Crows got away and the Blackfeet have gone back to their village," suggested one of the Minneconjoux.
His companions had serious doubts of it. As soon as it was light enough to see across the plain, they crawled up the side of the ravine and looked anxiously for signs of their foes. As they were nowhere in sight, the Minneconjoux began to hope that the cheerful prophecy of their comrade was correct. Still, they feared it would be dangerous to rely upon it.
"We must be cautious," said Lean Wolf. "There are some good hiding places over there. Perhaps the Blackfeet are waiting for the Crows to show themselves."
There were a number of scattered stands of cottonwoods dotting the plain to the westward, and the Sioux realized that one of them might shelter their foes. They were particularly suspicious of the little grove which Dancing Rabbit pointed out as the spot which sheltered the pool.