"Yes," they all said readily.
"Then tell no one, not even your wives, of our plan." They agreed to meet on a certain night so that no one should see them go. One brother was named Mudjekeewis, and he was very odd. He was the first to promise that he would not tell. The next two days were spent in preparations for the journey. Mudjekeewis told his wife many times to get his moccasins for him.
"And hurry." he said; "do hurry."
"Why do you want them?" she asked. "You have a good pair on."
"Well, if you must know, we are going on a war journey," he answered.
When the night had come which the leader had named, they met at his wigwam and set out on their long journey. The snow lay on the ground, and the night was very dark.
After they had travelled some miles, the leader gathered some snow and made it into a ball. He threw it in the air and said, as it fell, "It was thus I saw the snow fall in my dreams to cover our footmarks, so that no one may follow us."
The snow began to fall heavily and continued for two days. It was so thick that they could scarcely see each other, though they walked very closely together.
The leader cheered his brothers by telling them they would win in their battle. At this Mudjekeewis, who was walking behind, ran forward. He swung his war-club in the air and uttered the war-cry. Then bringing his war-club down, he struck a tree, and it fell as if hit by lightning.
"See, brothers," he said, "this is the way I shall serve our enemy."