“I expected to find you here,” the chief said, in the Apache tongue. “I believed you would come when you found that I was placed so I could not immediately keep my promise.”
“Where are your braves?” asked the king of scouts.
“They have gone to the cliff where the Comanches have their home.”
“What?”—regarding the Indian in amazement. “Gone where the Comanches are not?”
Thunder Cloud gravely inclined his head.
“Say,” put in Alkali Pete. “Ye aire shore puzzlin’ us, chief. Ye kain’t ram that aire nonsense down our throats. What aire yer leetle game?”
Thunder Cloud scowled at the speaker. He was not in a mood for pleasantry, and he was offended at Alkali Pete’s tone.
“The chief is all right,” said Buffalo Bill, with a warning glance at his comrade. “He will explain why the braves have left the castle.”
Thunder Cloud bowed slightly, and the scowl departed.
“My braves have gone to the cliff,” he said, “because that was the wise thing to do. Black Wing, who should be chief of the Yelping Crew, has gone with them, and soon there will be peace instead of war between the Apaches and the Comanches.”