"Now we will go to that gully," said White Otter.
He circled more to the southward, and led them across the plain at a brisk canter. The scouts finally overtook them, and rode along beside them. They kept a sharp watch for their foes, but except for a few stray bunches of antelopes, the plain appeared lifeless. The day was well advanced when they eventually reached a deep ravine that extended far across the plain.
"We will hide here and watch until it gets dark," White Otter told them.
Guards were appointed to watch the ponies, and then most of the warriors crawled up the side of the ravine to watch the plain. They looked eagerly into the east in the hope of discovering smoke from the Kiowa camp.
"Perhaps it has died out; perhaps it is too far away," Running Crow told them.
Sun Bird and Little Raven had joined White Otter. The three young scouts lay beside each other at the top of the ravine. They stared silently across the plain. The sun had set, and the evening shadows were already gathering in the east.
"See, see, some one is riding this way," Little Raven cried suddenly.
Three horsemen were racing toward the ravine. The Cheyennes were talking excitedly. They felt certain that the riders were the scouts who had gone to watch from the ridge to the eastward. The Sioux also believed that Painted Weasel and his companions were returning with word of some important discovery. Running Crow hastened to join White Otter.
"It looks bad," he said suspiciously. "Something has happened."
"Pretty soon we will know about it," White Otter said, quietly.