"It is true," replied White Otter.
Convinced that the object moving along the ridge really was a prairie wolf, they mounted the ponies and continued into the north. Hopeful that the Cheyenne hunters had preceded them, they determined to separate to search for the trail. Sun Bird rode farther to the westward, and Little Raven circled toward the east. As the plain was level, it was easy to keep within sight of one another.
The day was well advanced when White Otter saw Sun Bird riding in a circle. It was the danger signal, and White Otter immediately stopped. Then he, too, rode in a circle to warn Little Raven. When the latter saw him, White Otter galloped his pony toward Sun Bird. Little Raven also rode toward the west.
"What did you see?" White Otter inquired, anxiously, as he approached the Minneconjoux.
"Here are fresh pony tracks," Sun Bird told him.
The trail had come from the westward, and turned abruptly toward the north. It showed the hoof marks of many ponies. For some moments they studied it in silence.
"It must be the Cheyennes," Sun Bird said, finally.
"Yes, I believe those are the marks of the Cheyenne ponies," replied White Otter.
"What is it?" inquired Little Raven, who joined them at that moment.
"Here are the marks of some ponies," White Otter told him.