Elmer Russell Gregor

“ I believe the Pawnees know about us."
"Well, if they know about us, they will bring a big war party to run off these ponies," declared Red Dog.
"I do not believe those scouts know about the ponies," said Sun Bird. "Perhaps they are only trying to find out who we are. We are going away. Perhaps they will not try to follow us."
"I believe they will follow us," declared White Otter.
"Well, there is only one thing to do," Red Dog told them. "We must get away as fast as we can. We are not afraid of those Pawnees, but we must not lose the ponies." ”

“ That is why we came ahead."
"Yes, I hear them," replied White Otter. "If we stay here they will surely catch us. We must try to get away."
"It will be a hard thing to do," Sun Bird told him. "The Pawnees are all around us."
They heard the boastful war songs of their foes echoing weirdly across the plain. It was evident that the Pawnees saw little need of caution. Believing that they had trapped the Cheyennes in the timber, they were riding boldly forward to attack them. For an instant the Sioux forgot their peril in their joy at the escape of their friends. ”

“ I know the words of the Kiowas. I will get close to that place and listen sharp."
"White Otter, I believe it would be foolish to go over there," said Sun Bird. "If you will listen to my words, I will tell you something better."
"You are my brother, and you are a chief of the brave Minneconjoux—I will listen to your words," agreed White Otter.
"It is good," declared Sun Bird. "Now I will tell you how I feel about this thing. We are in a good place. Those people cannot see us when it gets light. You say perhaps those people are Pawnees. It may be true. ”

“ Many brave warriors are lying here, but many of our people are missing. Where are the women? Where are the children? Where is Red Dog? Where is Ghost Bear? Where are Cloud Eagle, and Two Dogs, and Walks Alone, and Hairy Robe and Lame Bear? Where are Painted Weasel, and Running Buffalo, and Thunder Hawk and White Horse? What has become of those people?——"
"I will tell you!" cried a voice from the edge of the camp.
The Cheyennes turned in alarm. Old Ghost Bear, the Medicine Man, was tottering into the village. ”

“ Bird recognized it at once. It had come from a bone breast-plate, worn by warriors to protect them from the arrows of their foes. For some moments he stared at it in silence. Then he gave it to Little Raven.
"Now we know that those ponies carried riders," said White Otter. "They are not our friends, the Cheyennes. They are warriors."
"I believe they are Pawnees," declared Sun Bird. ”

“ If Red Dog had been captured, they resolved to rescue him. They turned toward the camp. Then they stopped in dismay. The village was ablaze. The Kiowas had set fire to the lodges. The Cheyennes heard them yelling triumphantly, far away to the southward.
"My brothers, there are few of us left," declared Running Buffalo. "It is useless to try to do anything. Come, we will ride after our people, and ask the Ogalalas to help us. Then we will bring a great war party to fight the Kiowas." ”

“ They determined to fight desperately for their lives. The Pawnee scouts were circling to get in front of them. White Otter shot his arrow at the foremost rider, and the Pawnee fell to the plain. Sun Bird's arrow sent a pony to its knees. Little Raven twisted about and wounded a Pawnee behind him. Then they raced forward and gained the lead. A volley of arrows came from the Pawnees. White Otter was struck in the shoulder. It was a slight wound, and he withdrew the arrow and shot it at his foes. Then the Sioux crouched low on their ponies, and rode toward the timber. ”

“ White Otter showed no inclination to tell them.
"My brothers, White Otter is a great chief," said Running Crow. "A great chief does not tell what he is about to do. You must wait until it is time to go ahead with this thing. Then White Otter will tell us about it."
Day had dawned, and the sun was appearing above the plain. Most of the Cheyennes crept to the top of the ravine to watch for signs of the Kiowas. They wondered if scouts were still watching on the distant ridge. ”

“ Sun Bird cautioned him. "It would be foolish. I believe scouts are watching over there. If we show ourselves they will come after us."
White Otter remained silent. He was worried and perplexed. He believed that what Sun Bird had said was true. Still he knew that if a war party of foes was moving against the Ogalala camp it was his duty to learn of it, and carry a warning to his people. For the moment, however, he saw no way of accomplishing it. The ridge from which he was watching was parallel with the ridge to the westward, and there was a wide expanse of open plain between them. ”

“ While the ponies grazed, the Sioux ate heartily of the dried elk meat which Red Dog had given them. As they sat beside the stream they continued to watch the plain. They were about to ride away when White Otter discovered something moving along the top of a hill to the westward. ”

“ Then the Pawnees crowded together for another council. The Sioux saw the warrior on the spotted pony talking excitedly, but they were unable to catch his words.
"I believe that man is the leader," declared White Otter. "He is telling his friends what to do."
"I believe he is Jumping Horse—he is a great war leader," said Little Raven.
"They are getting ready to rush in," Sun Bird declared, uneasily.
Then the same company of warriors again rode forward, shouting, and singing their war songs. They lashed their ponies into a gallop and rode recklessly toward the grove. ”

“ The Pawnee scouts had crossed, a long distance to the eastward. They were riding to join their tribesmen.
"Those Pawnees feel very brave," laughed White Otter.
The day was passing, and White Otter realized that he must decide upon a plan of action. He left High Eagle and a small company of scouts to watch the Pawnees, and then he led the war party beyond earshot of their foes. He called a council and asked Running Crow to act as interpreter.
"My friends, we must find out the best way to run off those ponies," he said. "When it gets dark we must be ready to do something. ”

“ All of these warriors know about you. They will be very brave because you are here. I will keep your words. We will fight hard to get Red Dog out of the camp."
"It is good," said White Otter. "Come, my brothers, we will go."
They mounted the ponies and rode from the ravine. Then they cantered slowly across the plain. White Otter and Painted Weasel rode in front. Sun Bird and Little Raven followed close behind them. Then came the gallant Cheyenne fighting men. They rode along in grim silence. When they had crossed the second ridge, White Otter stopped them. ”

“ Forcing the ponies to a killing pace, they began to gain upon their foes. Stride by stride they overcame the lead of the Pawnees until the latter were barely two arrow flights away. Then the Pawnees lashed the ponies into a furious sprint, and held off their pursuers. The wild race across the plain became a test of endurance between the rival ponies. Both companies of riders knew that the gallant little beasts must eventually collapse, but each hoped that their foes would be the first to weaken. ”

“ White Otter told him.
They told Little Raven to bring the ponies. Then they rode impulsively across the plain. Their eagerness to overtake the hunters made them reckless. They raced after the distant horsemen at top speed. They passed a cluster of trees but took little notice of them. Convinced that they had found the Cheyennes, their one desire was to overtake them. Buffaloes and hunters had disappeared into a dip of the plain.
"They are riding fast, it will be hard to catch them," declared Sun Bird. ”

“ The Sioux tried to guess their intentions. Sun Bird and Little Raven hoped that they might suddenly withdraw, but White Otter was suspicious.
"I believe they will stay here until it gets [Pg 123] dark," he said. "Then they will try to creep up close. It is bad. We cannot help our friends, the brave Cheyennes."
The thought filled them with despair. For the moment their own peril was forgotten in their concern for the safety of Red Dog and his people. Having failed to find the Cheyenne hunters, the Sioux feared to think what might have happened to the little company in the distant village. ”

“ The Cheyennes remained at the ravine until daylight, and then as they saw nothing of the Kiowas they set out toward the north. They rode away in buoyant spirits, laughing, and shouting and singing the war songs. As usual, scouts rode ahead and along either flank. The warriors rode in pairs with Red Dog and White Otter in the [Pg 208] lead. The men in charge of the ponies followed close behind the war party. The Cheyennes had little fear of pursuit, for they had thoroughly demoralized the Kiowas and taken away most of their ponies.
"They will not follow us," laughed Red Dog. ”

“ The Kiowa trail was easy to follow, for the great herd of ponies had left many tracks. White Otter felt sure that the Kiowas would lose little time in getting to their camp. The trail confirmed his decision. It led toward the southeast, the direction of the Kiowa village. White Otter believed that it would be useless to attempt to overtake his foes. Some of the younger, more impulsive warriors were eager to race ahead, but White Otter held them back.
"It is useless to kill your ponies," he told them. "The Kiowas have reached their lodges." ”

“ He rode directly to Red Dog. They talked earnestly. Then Red Dog called out to the Cheyennes. They looked anxiously toward the west.
"Turns Around says he saw a warrior over there," Red Dog told White Otter. "He says he believes the warrior was a Pawnee. He says he believes the warrior saw him. He came back to tell us about it."
"It is bad," White Otter said, soberly. "If that warrior saw Turns Around, perhaps he will follow him and see us."
"It is true," replied Red Dog. "Well, we must keep going ahead. We cannot travel fast. We must keep with the ponies. They are holding us back. It is bad. ”