"White Otter can tell them about it," laughed the Minneconjoux.
As the last lingering night shadows lifted from the plain, the Sioux entered the timber to avoid being seen by prowling companies of Blackfeet. Although the danger of meeting the Crows appeared to have passed, they knew that they would be in constant peril from the Blackfeet. Dancing Rabbit said that they were within a day's journey of the great camp, and the announcement roused them to their danger. They moved carefully along the base of the ridge until they found a sheltered hiding place.
"Now, my friends, I will tell you what I propose to do," said Sun Bird. "You have heard the words of Dancing Rabbit. He says that we are getting near the great Blackfeet camp. It is good. That is what we set out to do. But we must be cautious. We must not let the Blackfeet see us until we run off those ponies. We must hide in the timber until we are ready to fight. But first we must find the Blackfeet camp. I believe we can see it from the top of this ridge. Pretty soon I am going to climb up there and look around. You must wait here until I come back. Then when it grows dark we will go ahead. I have finished."
Soon afterward he set out with White Otter and Dancing Rabbit. They climbed to the top of the ridge and looked anxiously toward the north. It was some time before Dancing Rabbit spoke. Then he pointed eagerly toward a low, sage-grown ridge.
"Do you see that long hill?" he asked excitedly.
"Yes, I see it," replied Sun Bird.
"Well, there is a river on the other side of it," Dancing Rabbit told them. "Many trees grow along that river. The Blackfeet camp is between that river and that long hill. I hid on top of that hill when I ran away from the camp."
Sun Bird and White Otter heard him in silence. Now that the goal was almost in sight they showed little emotion. Only the sudden flash of their eyes betokened their interest. They were intently studying the low, sage-grown sweep of the plain which Dancing Rabbit declared concealed the Blackfeet camp.
"See, see, there is the smoke from the village!" cried Dancing Rabbit, as he pointed to a thin column of smoke which was rising above the ridge.
"I have been watching it a long time," Sun Bird told him.