Buffalo Bill knew that the game was up. If he escaped with his life he would have to move quickly, and do something desperate.
Instantly two wolf howls rose on the startled air, floating out to the wild range riders in the near-by hills. Then the scout struck down the medicine man, who was trying to seize him, and darted into the lodge of Crazy Snake.
Lena Forest was in there, and at the entrance was Wide Foot.
The intruder hurled the old hag sprawling; then caught the girl by the hand and jumped to the rear of the lodge. His knife flashed, and a tearing sound followed, as he ripped the lodge skin from top to bottom, opening a way through.
“Come!” he said, and he pulled the girl along, while the howls of the Indians rose in a very pandemonium.
By diving thus through the lodge Buffalo Bill gained a slight start of his foes, but it was only enough to enable him to get out of the lodge and run toward the shadows of the next one, for the angry Blackfeet came swarming around the lodge and through it, yelling for his life.
He shaped his course toward the lodge where Nomad and Clayton were held, and gained it a few yards in advance of his pursuers. Here he thrust the knife into the hands of the startled and wildly excited girl.
“They’re in there,” he said; “release them while I hold back the Indians. Jump lively!”
She rushed into the lodge with the knife, the Indian who had been guarding it having deserted his post.
Buffalo Bill stepped into the entrance; and, turning about there, he drew his revolver and shot down the foremost of the oncoming redskins.