While the assemblage was still engaged in discussing these strange things in an excited manner, the two boys were once more taken in charge by their guards, who led them through the village and thrust them into a log cabin that was undoubtedly the prison, or strong lodge.
It was growing dark, and the boys could hardly see each other’s face as they sat there, with their backs against the rough wall of the cabin. At least their hands had not been fastened again, and for that they had reason to be grateful, though it was such a small thing after all, when their lives might be at stake.
Long they sat there, trying to squeeze some hope out of the situation, and listening to the strange sounds that came to their ears from without.
“Hark!” exclaimed Dick, when perhaps an hour had passed since darkness set in, and they had eaten the bowls of food thrust into the strong lodge by one of their dusky guards; “what can that fresh shout mean, do you think?”
“It sounds to me as if they had brought in another prisoner,” Roger declared. “But it may only be that they are holding a council to settle our fate. I remember old Pat O’Mara saying that was what they always did. We might peep out through some of these wide cracks on this side, and see if it is so.”
But, just as they were about to do this, the door of the cabin was opened again, and the figure of a man thrown in. He landed in a heap on the hard ground, and gave a grunt.
“That might have broken my neck, if my arms had been tied!” they heard the newcomer say, with what seemed to be a half chuckle; and it was at once apparent to the boys that the last prisoner of the Sioux was also white, like themselves.
Dick coughed, to inform the other that he was not alone.
“Who’s there?” asked the unseen man, quickly.
“Two white boys who have been made prisoners by the Sioux,” replied Dick. “We belong to Captain Lewis’s party, and came out to the salt-lick to see if we could meet a scout who was to report there to a Mandan brave; when the Indians dropped down on us from the branches of the trees. Who may you be, sir, I’d like to know?”