They soon came upon the trail of the bear. As White Otter had guessed, it circled around the edge of the park, and led back toward the top of the ridge. It was plain, therefore, that the bear had its den somewhere up there among the ledges, and came to the park to feed during the night or at daylight.
"Now we know what to do," declared White Otter. "First we will go and look at that pony. Then we will go down that trail and try to find some more tracks. Then we will come back to this place and wait for Matohota."
"It is good," said Sun Bird.
When they reached the dead pony they were surprised to see the shaft of an arrow protruding from behind its shoulder. For a moment or so they studied it in silence. Then White Otter knelt, and drew his knife.
"Perhaps we will find out what we want to know," he said.
He extracted the arrow and examined it with great care, and then he passed it to Sun Bird. The latter studied it a long time. He noted that the shaft was of willow and feathered along the sides for almost a hand-width. The arrow was considerably longer than those used by the Dacotahs, and the point was made of an unusual red flint. It was the deeply notched model of the war arrows.
"Well, what do you make of it?" White Otter inquired, as Sun Bird finished examining it.
"It is not a Dacotah arrow," replied Sun Bird. "It is not a Crow arrow. It was not made by the Blackfeet. I do not know who made it."
"I cannot tell you about it," said White Otter, as Sun Bird returned the mysterious arrow. "I do not know about the people who live in this country. I know the Crow arrows. I have seen the Blackfeet arrows. I do not know the others."
"I will show it to Sitting Eagle and Lean Wolf," said Sun Bird. "Perhaps they will know about it."