They watched anxiously for Sitting Eagle, but the day ended and he failed to return. As night closed down the Sioux posted sentinels on both sides of the ravine. Then they waited in silence, straining their ears to catch the first warning of the scout's return. However, as the time passed and he failed to appear some of the younger warriors showed signs of uneasiness.
"Perhaps Sitting Eagle has been captured," suggested Little Raven.
"A Sioux does not turn back until he sees what he goes to know about," said Sun Bird. "Sitting Eagle is as cautious as an old wolf. He will come back and tell us about this thing. A warrior must know how to wait."
"You speak wise words. I will keep them in my heart," Little Raven replied, humbly.
The night was far spent when the Sioux were roused by the shrill bark of the little gray fox. It sounded from the east, and seemed close at hand. They listened anxiously, and in a few moments they heard it again. The keenest ear among them could detect no flaw in the call, and they wondered if the animal itself was deceiving them. Then they heard it the third time, and their suspense was ended. They knew it was a signal from their absent tribesman. One of the sentinels barked twice in rapid succession. Then they heard the sound of hoofs, and a few moments later Sitting Eagle led his pony into the ravine.
"You have returned; it is good," said Feather Dog.
"Yes, I have looked at those people," replied Sitting Eagle. "Now I will tell you about it."
He said that after leaving Feather Dog he had advanced across the plain with great caution until he finally discovered a camp situated in a scattered growth of timber beside a stream. As he saw a number of lodges among the trees, however, he began to doubt that these were the people whom he wished to find. He knew that a war party setting out to steal ponies would never incumber themselves in that manner. Besides, the lodges implied the presence of women and children. Sitting Eagle was convinced, therefore, that these people were not on the warpath. The thought troubled him. The trail of the people who had stolen the Sioux ponies led in the general direction of this camp. For a time the scout was sorely perplexed. At last he decided that these people were hunters, roaming the plains in search of buffaloes. He believed that the Sioux ponies had been stolen by a company of young warriors from this camp. However, Sitting Eagle realized that his opinions were of no value until he learned whether these people were actually his enemies, the Black Faces. To gain this information he knew that he must approach sufficiently near to recognize them. As it would have been sheer madness to attempt such a maneuver in daylight, he waited until dark. Then he concealed his pony, and advanced toward the camp on foot. He gained the edge of the camp in safety, and soon convinced himself that the people who occupied it were his foes, the Utes. Then he looked for evidence to connect them with the theft of the ponies. Determined to supply positive proof to his tribesmen, the daring scout risked his life to obtain the information. Waiting until the fire made it possible to see every detail of the camp, Sitting Eagle crawled forward in the shadows until he could study the band of ponies. It was not long before he discovered the animals which had been stolen from his people. Then having learned all that he wished to know he retreated to his pony, and raced away to join his companions.
"Sitting Eagle has done a good thing," said Feather Dog, as the scout finished his story. "I have listened to his words. Yes, now I know about that smoke. I know about another thing. The Black Faces have made a fire. Yes, they have cooked some meat. Then I know that they will travel easy. It is good; they are not thinking about us. Well, we will follow these people. Perhaps they will stop to hunt. If they camp, then we will run off many ponies. But I will tell you another thing. Perhaps they are near the great village. If they meet their people, then I do not know how the thing will be. My brothers, this is what I am thinking about."
"Feather Dog has spoken. He is a great warrior. You have heard his words," said Sun Bird, who appeared to be the leader of the war party. "I believe he has told the thing as it is. We must watch the Black Faces. When it is light perhaps they will go away from that place. Then we will follow them. Now I will ask my brother, Sitting Eagle, to go with me to watch those people. Now I will ask you, my friends, to wait here until we know about this thing. I have finished."