Where he had halted, too, was amid a pile of rocks at the crossing of a small creek, susceptible of being well defended, and with water for his men and their horses.
He had not blindly run into the trap set for him by Red Hatchet, for he had seen through it.
Realizing that he could not overtake the chief in the country they had then reached, when half a dozen men in ambush could keep five times their number at bay, he had halted among the rocks, and given his men and horses a rest.
Night was not very far away, and he intended to play a game of cunning, too.
So he halted, and in a position that would give the Sioux the idea that he intended remaining there.
The Cheyennes felt perfect confidence in their leader, and set to work to fortify, or appear to do so, as though they expected an attack from the Sioux as soon as night came on.
Red Hatchet saw that his enemy was too cunning to be caught in his trap, and he gnashed his teeth with rage.
So anxious was he to fulfill his word, and carry in the scalp of the white captain, that he made up his mind to carry the camp soon after nightfall, or, at least, during the night.
If they crept near in different squads, and then made a rush all together, the small force of Kit Carey could never check them, Red Hatchet argued to himself.
He saw the position taken by the officer, marked well its approach, and then reconnoitred its advantage and disadvantage for an attack.