Young Medicine Man

by Francis Lynde Kroll

Little Eagle heard an angry yip. The Crows had returned and found that the enemy, whom they had supposed slain, had slipped away. Little Eagle increased his speed. It wouldn’t be long until the Crows found his trail and came in pursuit. He knew they would come slowly. They were sure that the enemy they were pursuing was badly wounded. They wouldn’t be afraid the enemy would escape. Their only fear would be that he might ambush them.

A series of short, sharp yells told him that they had found his trail. He could almost see them following it. A couple of trackers on foot would follow the trail. Mounted warriors would ride at each side of the trackers and behind them. The riders would turn aside to surround each of the clumps of brush toward which he had made his trail.

When he started, Little Eagle’s one plan had been to lead the Crows away from Angry Wolf. As he realized that he was getting farther away from his pursuers, he began to change the plan. There was a small hope that he might escape and get back to Angry Wolf. His hand brushed against the bag of poultice Clawing Bear had tied at his belt. If he could get back to Angry Wolf, there might be a chance to save the wounded boy’s life.

Little Eagle had thought he was going as fast as it was possible for him to go. As the hope of saving Angry Wolf’s life grew, he somehow managed to go faster. He heard the gurgle of running water ahead of him. When he pushed through a clump of small trees, he saw the stream. He knew this was the creek that twisted among the low hills near the Crow camp.

Little Eagle saw that he could take a short run and jump across the creek. He ran as though this were his plan, but he shortened his leap and landed in the water. He stopped to listen. He had gained so much on his pursuers that he could hardly hear them. He smiled to himself when he remembered something the warrior-teacher had told him.

“When you have to hide from your enemies,” the teacher had said several times, “hide as near them as possible.”

Instead of turning downstream, Little Eagle turned the other way. This route would take him near the Crow camp. Although the water was cold, Little Eagle waded up the stream. There would be no tracks here for the Crows to follow. He was quite near the Crow camp when he heard the warriors yelling behind him. He listened long enough to make sure they had found the place where he had jumped into the creek. He felt certain they would look downstream for him. He climbed out of the stream at a place where the Crows had been bringing their horses to water. Even if the Crows looked for the trail here, it would be lost among the many other tracks.

As soon as he left the water, Little Eagle trotted along the bank until he was many paces past the Crow camp. Here he started a great circle which took him around the camp and back upon the ridge on which he had left Angry Wolf. From the spot where he reached the top of the ridge, he was still a considerable distance from Angry Wolf.

Little Eagle went as cautiously as a warrior would have gone. Although he had heard no more sounds of the Crows, it was still possible that they had found Angry Wolf. If they had, they would be waiting in ambush. Even when he reached a place from where he could see Angry Wolf stretched on the ground, Little Eagle moved slowly, stopping often to look and listen.

At last he was sure there were no Crows near. Little Eagle crawled the remaining distance to Angry Wolf. He gave a grunt of dismay. Angry Wolf had thrown one arm across his chest. Little Eagle could see no sign of the wounded Sioux’s chest rising and falling as it would do if he still breathed. Little Eagle bent forward until his face was almost against Angry Wolf’s mouth. He felt Angry Wolf’s breath blowing faintly against his face. Angry Wolf was still alive.