Having taken off his Indian togs, and bundled them up "for future reference," as he said, and gotten rid of his war-paint, Kit Carey reported for duty, looking very youthful without his long mustache, which had been the envy of so many of his brother officers.
"'I do not bring you a Sioux prisoner, Colonel, but Lieut. Kit Carey.'"
(See page [75])
After a halt for breakfast the command moved on once more, and Lieutenant Carey was sent on after Major Whiteside, to give him the advantage of his knowledge of the country.
As Colonel Forsythe had expected, the first battalion headed Big Foot's band off during the day, and the Sioux finding themselves corraled wisely submitted.
The soldiers encamped to the north of the Indian tepees, while a line of pickets was thrown out around the Sioux, and as Colonel Forsythe was within easy reach no one anticipated trouble to follow.
When he found that Big Foot had hesitated too long to carry out his plot, the daring young chief, Red Hatchet, began to plan deeper mischief still.
He went to the tepee of the medicine chief, and the two talked long and earnestly together through the night.
First one brave of prominence would be sent for to come to the medicine tepee, and he would hear what the two had to say.
Then he would glide away in silence, and in the darkness seek another warrior, mutter a few words, and he, too, would seek the medicine tepee.