"Ho, my brother, I see that you are a Sioux. It is good; we will talk together."
"Ho, my brother, I have heard your words. They are the words of my people. Yes, I will talk with you," said White Otter, as he hurried forward to meet his tribesman.
A few moments later they dismounted and clasped hands. White Otter saw that the Minneconjoux was a tall, broad-shouldered warrior in the prime of life. He looked as sinewy and active as one of the great mountain cats, and White Otter recalled the stories he had heard about this powerful tribe of the Dacotah nation.
"I see that you are a young man. But you wear a feather of the great war bird, and I know that you are a warrior. I do not know who you are, but I will tell you that I am Feather Dog. I have fought in many battles. You say that you are an Ogalala. Those people are very brave. I have talked with the great chief Wolf Robe," said Feather Dog.
"Feather Dog, I have listened to your words. I believe you are a brave warrior. The great chief Wolf Robe is my grandfather. I am White Otter; my father was Standing Buffalo. You say that you are a Minneconjoux. I am going to your village to see the great chief Curly Horse, and Rain Crow, the medicine-man. I will meet my brothers, Sun Bird and Little Raven," replied White Otter.
"Yes, now I know about you," said Feather Dog. "You are young, but you are a great warrior. I have heard my people talk about you. You have done a great thing. You call Sun Bird and Little Raven your brothers. It is true. I will tell you about them."
Feather Dog told White Otter that he and Sitting Eagle, who was still watching from the summit of the ridge, were scouting in advance of a small Minneconjoux war party. He said that they were in pursuit of a band of Utes from the south, who had stolen a number of Sioux ponies. When White Otter heard that, he knew at once the identity of the mysterious riders at the water-hole.
"I will tell you about those people," he told Feather Dog.
"Yes, tell me about them," the Minneconjoux scout said, eagerly.
"One sun back I camped over there," said White Otter, pointing toward the east. "It is a place my grandfather told me about. Over there are many of the trees whose leaves always tremble, and some good water. Do you know about it?"