Little Bear knew Grandfather’s ability at reading signs on a trail too well to doubt his explanation.
“The trail is new,” Little Bear suggested. “The Crow cannot be far ahead.”
“You are learning to read trail signs.” Grandfather nodded approvingly. “We must go carefully so that the Crow will not know we are near. You stay behind with our horses. I will scout ahead.”
Little Bear waited until Grandfather was many paces ahead before he started with the horses. The trail followed the low lands where the Crow could travel easily. Evidently he was so sure no one was following him that he didn’t even stop on high ground to watch the trail behind him. Occasionally while Grandfather was carefully making his way to high ground to get a better look ahead, Little Bear would dismount and study the Crow’s trail. Even if Old-Man-of-the-North did send the snow Grandfather feared, the Crow wouldn’t escape. Grandfather was sure to lead a raid against the Crow’s camp tonight.
With a fire in front it made a comfortable shelter
Without warning the wind switched to the north. Strong gusts whipped rain into Little Bear’s face. It wasn’t long until the rain carried an icy sting and flakes of snow were floating among the rain drops. In a surprisingly short time the rain had completely changed to driving snow.
Grandfather waited for Little Bear in the shelter of a clump of trees.
“We must make camp,” Great Bear told him. “These early storms are often bad in this country.”
Little Bear jumped from his horse and quickly pulled the bundles off the pack horse. He turned the horses loose to graze before snow could cover the grass. Both he and Great Bear worked rapidly making camp. There were many dry branches under the trees. These they heaped in a pile for firewood.