"Why does the great chief, Sitting Bull, go on the war-trail away from his camp, if he is the friend of the pale-faces?"
Crow Dog seemed to feel that he had made a mistake in stating that Sitting Bull was along with the party, so replied with the quick cunning and ready lie of the redskins:
"Sitting Bull has been to see a chief who is ill."
"And did Crow Dog with fifty mounted braves, all in war-paint, go with him?"
"The great chief is here," said Crow Dog, anxious to withdraw from the questioning to which he had been subjected.
And over the ridge rode Tatanka Yotanke, the greatest chief of his tribe, a man with intelligence, courage, viciousness, and implacable hatred toward his foes, the whites.
But his face showed no hatred now, for he dismounted, laid his weapons upon his blanket, and came straight toward Kit Carey, his hands raised, while he said in his low, earnest voice:
"The Crow Dog was wrong to fire upon the good friend of Sitting Bull, the brave War Eagle of the pale-faces. Tatanka Yotanke has not forgotten that many, many moons ago the White War Eagle found his redskin foe wounded and in distress, and helped him as one of his own people. Let the White War Eagle mount one of my braves' ponies and go on his way, for though red clouds obscure the sun, there must be no war to kill off my people."
"The great chief has spoken well, and may his words come from his heart, for a war between his people and mine will but end in death to his braves, the destruction of their homes, the sorrow of their wives and children. The words of Sitting Bull shall be told to the great white chief of my people, and his friendship made known. The great chief has a good memory, and we are friends. The White War Eagle will take him at his word, and may it never be broken."
As he spoke Kit Carey stepped out boldly from his cover, his hand grasped that of the chief, and the brave who had appropriated his saddle and bridle from his dead horse was ordered to bring them forward and place them upon the back of a clean-limbed pony that Sitting Bull pointed to.