The Last of the Chiefs: A Story of the Great Sioux War by Joseph A. Altsheler
Chapter XVIThe Gathering of the Sioux
Dick and Albert abode nearly two weeks in the great lodge of theAkitcita, that is, as guests, although they were prisoners, whoselives might be taken at any time, and they had splendidopportunities for observing what a genuine Spartan band theAkitcita were. Everyone had his appointed place for arms and hisrush or fur mat for sleeping. There was no quarreling, nounseemly chatter, always a grave and dignified order and thesense of stern discipline. Not all the Akitcita were everpresent in the daytime, but some always were. All tribalbusiness was transacted here. The women had to bring wood andwater to it daily, and the entire village supplied it every daywith regular rations of tobacco, almost the only luxury of theAkitcita.
Both Dick and Albert were keenly observant, and they did nothesitate also to ask questions of Bright Sun whenever they hadthe chance. They learned from him that the different tribes ofthe Sioux had general councils at irregular intervals, that therewas no hereditary rank among the chiefs, it being usually aquestion of energy and merit, although the rank was sometimesobtained by gifts, and ambitious man giving away all that he hadfor the prize. There were no women chiefs, and women were notadmitted to the great council.
The boys perceived, too, that much in the life of the Sioux wasgoverned by ancient ritual; nearly everything had its religiousmeaning, and both boys having an inherent respect for religion ofany kind, were in constant fear lest they should violateunwillingly some honored law.
The two made friendly advances to the members of the Akitcitabut they were received with a grave courtesy that did not invitea continuance. They felt daily a deepening sense of racialdifference. They appreciated the humane treatment they hadreceived, but they and the Sioux did not seem to come into touchanywhere. And this difference was accentuated in the case ofBright Sun. The very fact that he had been educated in theirschools, that he spoke their language so well, and that he knewtheir customs seemed to widen the gulf between them into a sea.They felt that he had tasted of their life, and liked it not.
The two, although they could not like Bright Sun, began to have acertain deference for him. The old sense of power he had createdin their minds increased greatly, and now it was not merely amatter of mind and manner; all the outward signs, the obviousrespect in which he was held by everybody and the way in whichthe eyes of the warriors, as well as those of women and children,followed him, showed that he was a great leader.
After ten days or so in the great lodge of the Akitcita, Dick andAlbert were removed to a small bark tepee of their own, to whichthey were content to go. They had no arms, not even a knife, butthey were already used to their captivity, and however greattheir ultimate danger might be, it was far away for them to thinkmuch about it.
They observed, soon after their removal, that the life of thevillage changed greatly. The old women were not often to befound in the shadow of the lodges playing Woskate Tanpan, the mengave up wholly Woskate Painyankapi, and throughout the village,no matter how stoical the Sioux might be, there was a perceptibleair of excitement and suspense. Often at night the boys heardthe rolling of the Sioux war drums, and the medicine men mademedicine incessantly inside their tepees. Dick chafed greatly.
"Big things are afoot," he would say to Albert. "We know thatthe Sioux and our people are at war, but you and I, Al, don'tknow a single thing that has occurred. I wish we could get awayfrom here. Our people are our own people, and I'd like to tellthem to look out."
"I feel just as you do, Dick," Albert would reply; "but we mightrecall our promise to Bright Sun. Besides, we wouldn't have theghost of a chance to escape. I feel that a hundred eyes arelooking at me all the time."
"I feel that two hundred are looking at me," said Dick, with agrim little laugh. "No, Al, you're right. We haven't a chanceon earth to escape."
Five days after their removal to the small lodge there was asudden and great increase in the excitement in the village. Intruth, it burst into a wild elation, and all the women andchildren, running toward the northern side of the village, beganto shout cries of welcome. The warriors followed more sedately,and Dick and Albert, no one detaining them, joined in the throng.
"Somebody's coming, Al, that's sure," said Dick.
"Yes, and that somebody's a lot of men," said Albert. "Look!"
Three or four hundred warriors, a long line of them, were comingdown the valley, tall, strong, silent men, with brilliantheaddresses of feathers and bright blankets. Everyone carried acarbine or rifle, and they looked what they were--a trulyformidable band, resolved upon some great attempt.
Dick and Albert inferred the character of the arrivals from theshouts that they heard the squaws and children utter: "Sisseton!""Wahpeton!" "Ogalala!" "Yankton!" "Teton!" "Hunkpapa!"
The arriving warriors, many of whom were undoubtedly chiefs,gravely nodded to their welcome, and came silently on as theadmiring crowd opened to receive them.
"It's my opinion," said Dick, "that the Seven Fireplaces areabout to hold a grand council in the lodge of the Akitcita."
"I don't think there's any doubt about it," replied Albert.
They also heard, amidst the names of the tribes, the names ofgreat warriors or medicine men, names which they were destined tohear many times again, both in Indian and English--Sitting Bull,Rain-in-the-Face, Little Big Man, and others. Then they meantnothing to either Dick or Albert.
All the chiefs, led by Bright Sun, went directly to the lodge ofthe Akitcita, and the other warriors were taken into the lodgesof their friends, the Mendewahkantons. Then the women ran to thelodges and returned with the best food that the village couldfurnish. It was given to the guests, and also many pounds ofchoice tobacco.
Dick and Albert had made no mistake in their surmise. The greatcouncil of the Seven Fireplaces of the Sioux was in session. Allthat day the chiefs remained in the lodge of the Akitcita, andwhen night was far advanced they were still there.
Dick and Albert shared the excitement of the village, althoughknowing far less of its nature, but they knew that a grandcouncil of the Seven Fireplaces would not be held without greatcause, and they feared much for their people. It was a warm,close night, with a thin moon and flashes of heat lightening onthe hilly horizon. Through the heavy air came the monotonousrolling of a war drum, and the chant of a medicine man makingmedicine in a tepee near by went on without ceasing.
The boys did not try to sleep, and unable to stifle curiosity,they came from the little bark lodge. One or two Sioux warriorsglanced at them, but none spoke. The Sioux knew that the villagewas guarded so closely by a ring of sentinels that a cat couldnot have crept through without being seen. The boys walked onundisturbed until they came near the great council lodge, wherethey stopped to look at the armed warriors standing by the door.
The dim light and the excited imaginations of the boys made thelodge grow in size and assume fantastic shapes. So many greatchiefs had come together for a mighty purpose, and Dick was surethat Bright Sun, sitting in the ring of his equals, urged on theproject, whatever it might be, and would be the dominating figurethrough all.
Although they saw nothing, they were fascinated by what theywished to see. The great lodge held them with a spell that theydid not seek to break. Although it was past midnight, theystayed there, staring at the blank walls. Warriors passed andgave them sharp glances, but nothing was said to them. The airremained close and heavy. Heat lightening continued to flare onthe distant hills, but no rain fell.
The chiefs finally came forth from the great council. There wasno light for them save the cloudy skies and one smoking torchthat a warrior held aloft, but the active imagination of the twoboys were again impressed. Every chief seemed to show in hisface and manner his pride of race and the savage strength thatwell became such a time and place. Some bore themselves morehaughtily and were more brilliantly adorned than Bright Sun, buthe was still the magnet from which power and influence streamed.Dick and Albert did not know why they knew it, but they knew it.
The chiefs did not go away to friendly lodges, but after theycame forth remained in a group, talking. Dick surmised that theyhad come to an agreement upon whatever question they debated;now they were outside for fresh air, and soon would return to thelodge of the Akitcita, which, according to custom, would shelterthem as guests.
Bright Sun noticed the brothers standing in the shadow of thelodge, and, leaving the group, he walked over to them. Hismanner did not express hostility, but he made upon both boys thatold impression of power and confidence, tinged now with a certainexultation.
"You would know what we have been doing?" he said, speakingdirectly to Dick, the older.
"We don't ask," replied Dick, "but I will say this, Bright Sun:we believe that the thing done was the thing you wished."
Bright Sun permitted himself a little smile.
"You have learned to flatter," he said.
"It was not meant as flattery," said Dick; "but there issomething more I have to say. We wish to withdraw our pledge notto attempt to escape. You remember it was in the agreement wecould withdraw whenever we chose."
"That is true," said Bright Sun, giving Dick a penetrating look."And so you think that it is time for you to go?"
"We will go, if we can," said Dick boldly.
Bright Sun, who had permitted himself a smile a little while ago,now permitted himself a soft laugh.
"You put it well," he said in his precise English, "'if wecan.' But the understanding is clear. The agreement is at an end.However, you will not escape. We need you as hostages, andI will tell you, too, that we leave this village and valleyto-morrow. We begin a great march."
"I am not surprised," said Dick.
Bright Sun rejoined the other chiefs, and all of them went backinto the lodge of the Akitcita, while Dick and Albert returned totheir own little tepee. There, as each lay on his rush mat, theytalked in whispers.
"What meaning do you give to it, Dick?" asked Albert.
"That all the Sioux tribes are going to make a mighty effortagainst our people, and they're going to make it soon. Why elseare they holding this great council of the Seven Fireplaces? Itell you, Al, big things are afoot. Oh, if we could only find achance to get away!"
Albert rolled over to the door of the lodge and peeped out.Several warriors were pacing up and down in front of the rows oftepees. He rolled back to his rush mat.
"They've got inside as well as outside guards now," he whispered.
"I thought it likely," Dick whispered back. "Al, the best thingthat you and I can do now is to go to sleep."
They finally achieved slumber, but were up early the next morningand saw Bright Sun's words come true. The village was dismantledwith extraordinary rapidity. Most of the lighter lodges weretaken down, but how much of the place was left, and what peoplewere left with it, the boys did not know, because they departedwith the warriors, each riding a bridleless pony. Althoughmounted, their chance of escape was not increased. Warriors wereall about them, they were unarmed, and their ponies, uncontrolledby bridles, could not be made to leave their comrades.
Dick and Albert, nevertheless, found an interest in this journey,wondering to what mysterious destination it would lead them.They heard behind them the chant of the old women driving theponies that drew the baggage on poles, but the warriors aroundthem were silent. Bright Sun was not visible. Dick surmisedthat he was at the head of the column.
The clouds of the preceding night had gone away, and the day wascooler, although it was now summer, and both Dick and Albertfound a certain pleasure in the journey. In their presentof suspense any change was welcome.
They rode straight up the valley, a long and formidableprocession, and as they went northward the depression became bothshallower and narrower. Finally, they crossed the river at arather deep ford and rode directly ahead. Soon the hills and theforest that clothed them sank out of sight, and Dick and Albertwere once again in the midst of the rolling immensity of theplains. They could judge the point of the compass by the sun,but they knew nothing else of the country over which theytraveled. They tried two or three times to open conversationwith the warriors about them, trusting that the latter knewEnglish, but they received no reply and gave up the attempt.
"At any rate, I can talk to you, Al," said Dick after the lastfutile attempt.
"Yes, but you can't get any information out of me," repliedAlbert with a laugh.
The procession moved on, straight as an arrow, over the swells,turning aside for nothing. Some buffaloes were seen on thehorizon, but they were permitted to crop the bunch grassundisturbed. No Indian hunter left the ranks.
They camped that night on the open prairie, Dick and Albertsleeping in their blankets in the center of the savage group. Itmight have seemed to the ordinary observer that there waslooseness and disorder about the camp, but Dick was experiencedenough to know that all the Mendewahkantons were posted in thecircle according to their clans, and that the delegates weredistributed with them in places of honor.
Dick noticed, also, that no fires were built, and that thewarriors had scrutinized the entire circle of the horizon withuncommon care. It could signify but one thing to him--whitepeople, and perhaps white troops, were near. If so, he prayedthat they were in sufficient force. He was awakened in the nightby voices, and raising himself on his elbow he saw a group ofmen, at least a hundred in number, riding into the camp.
The latest arrivals were Sioux warriors, but of what tribe hecould not tell. Yet it was always the Sioux who were coming, andit would have been obvious to the least observant that Dick'sforeboding about a mighty movement was right. They were joinedthe next day by another detachment coming from the southwest, androde on, full seven hundred warriors, every man armed with thewhite man's weapons, carbine or rifle and revolver.
"I pity any poor emigrants whom they may meet," thought Dick;but, fortunately, they met none. The swelling host continued itsmarch a second day, a third, and a fourth through sunshinyweather, increasing in warmth, and over country that changed butlittle. Dick and Albert saw Bright Sun only once or twice, buthe had nothing to say to them. The others, too, maintained theirimpenetrable silence, although they never offered any illtreatment.
They were joined every day by bands of warriors, sometimes notmore than two or three at a time, and again as many as twenty.They came from all points of the compass, but, so far as Dick andAlbert could see, little was said on their arrival. Everythingwas understood. They came as if in answer to a call, took theirplaces without ado in the savage army, and rode silently on.Dick saw a great will at work, and with it a great discipline. Amaster mind had provided for all things.
"Al," he said to his brother, "you and I are not in the plan atall. We've been out of the world two years, and we're just thatmany years behind."
"I know it's 1876," said Albert, with some confidence, but headded in confession: "I've no idea what month it is, although itmust be somewhere near summer."
"About the beginning of June, I should think," said Dick.
An hour after this little talk the country became more hilly, andpresently they saw trees and high bluffs to their right. Bothboys understood the signs. They were approaching a river, andpossibly their destination.
"I've a feeling," said Dick, "that we're going to stop now. Thewarriors look as if they were getting ready for a rest."
He was quickly confirmed in his opinion by the appearance ofmounted Indians galloping to meet them. These warriors showedno signs of fatigue or a long march, and it was now obvious thata village was near.
The new band greeted the force of Bright Sun with joy, and thestern silence was relaxed. There was much chattering andlaughing, much asking and answering of questions, and soon Indianwomen and Indian boys, with little bows and arrows, came over thebluffs, and joining the great mounted force, followed on itsflanks.
Dick and Albert were on ponies near the head of the column, andtheir troubles and dangers were forgotten in their eager interestin what
The procession wound round the base of a hill, and then each boyuttered a little gasp. Before them lay a valley, about a milewide, down the center of which flowed a shallow yellow riverfringed with trees and also with undergrowth, very dense inplaces. But it was neither the river nor trees that had drawnthe little gasps from the two boys, it was an Indian village, orrather a great town, extending as far as they could see--andthey saw far--on either side of the stream. There were hundredsand hundreds of lodges, and a vast scene of animated and variedlife. Warriors, squaws, children, and dogs moved about; smokerose from scores and scores of fires, and on grassy meadowsgrazed ponies, thousands in number.
"Why, I didn't think there was so big an Indian town in all theWest!" exclaimed Albert.
"Nor did I," said Dick gravely, "and I'm thinking, Al, that it'sgathered here for a purpose. It must be made up of all the Siouxtribes."
Albert nodded. He knew the thought in Dick's mind, and hebelieved it to be correct.
Chance so had it that Bright Sun at this moment rode near themand heard their words. Dick of late had surmised shrewdly thatBright Sun treated them well, not alone for the sake of theirvalue as hostages, but for a reason personal to himself. He hadbeen associated long with white people in their schools, but hewas at heart and in fact a great Sioux chief; he had felt thewhite man's assumption of racial superiority, and he would havethese two with the white faces witness some great triumph that heintended to achieve over these same white people. This beliefwas growing on Dick, and it received more confirmation whenBright Sun said:
"You see that the Sioux nation has many warriors and is mighty."
"I see that it is so, Bright Sun," replied Dick frankly. "I didnot know you were so numerous and so powerful; but bear in mind,Bright Sun, that no matter how many the Sioux may be, the whitemen are like the leaves of the tree--thousands, tens ofthousands may fall, and yet only their own kin miss them."
But Bright Sun shook his head.
"What you say is true," he said, "because I have seen and I know;but they are not here. The mountains, the plains, the wildernesskeep them back."
Dick forebore a retort, because he felt that he owed Bright Sunsomething, and the chief seemed to take it for granted that hewas silenced by logic.
"This is the Little Big Horn River," Bright Sun said, "and youbehold now in this village, which extends five miles on eitherside of it, the Seven Fireplaces of the Sioux. All tribes aregathered here."
"And it is you who have gathered them," said Dick. He waslooking straight into Bright Sun's eyes as he spoke, and he sawthe pupils of the Sioux expand, in fact dilate, with a suddenoverwhelming sense of power and triumph. Dick knew he hadguessed aright, but the Sioux replied with restraint:
"If I have had some small part in the doing of it, I feel proud."
With that he left them, and Dick and Albert rode on into thevalley of the river, in whatsoever direction their bridlelesshorses might carry them, although that direction was bound to bethe one in which rode the group surrounding them.
Some of the squaws and boys, who caught sight of Dick and Albertamong the warriors, began to shout and jeer, but a chief sternlybade them to be silent, and they slunk away, to the great reliefof the two lads, who had little relish for such attention.
They were full in the valley now, and on one side of them wasthick undergrowth that spread to the edge of the river. A fewhundred yards father the undergrowth ceased, sand taking itsplace. All the warriors turned their ponies abruptly away fromone particular stretch of sand, and Dick understood.
"It's a quicksand, Al," he said; "it would suck up pony, rider,and all."
They left the quicksand behind and entered the village, passingamong the groups of lodges. Here they realized more fully thanon the hills the great extent of the Indian town. Itsinhabitants seemed a myriad to Dick and Albert, so long used tosilence and the lack of numbers.
"How many warriors do you suppose this place could turn out,Dick?" asked Albert.
"Five thousand, but that's only a guess. It doesn't look muchlike our own valley, does it, Al?"
"No, it doesn't," replied Albert with emphasis; "and I can tellyou, Dick, I wish I was back there right now. I believe that'sthe finest valley the sun ever shone on."
"But we had to leave sometime or other," said Dick, "and howcould we tell that we were going to run into anything like this?But it's surely a big change for us."
"The biggest in the world."
The group in which they rode continued along the river about twomiles, and then stopped at a point where both valley and villagewere widest. A young warrior, speaking crude English, roughlybade them dismount, and gladly they sprang from the ponies.Albert fell over when he struck the ground, his legs were crampedso much by the long ride, but the circulation was soon restored,and he and Dick went without resistance to the lodge that waspointed out to them as their temporary home and prison.
It was a small lodge of poles leaning toward a common center atthe top, there lashed together firmly with rawhide, and the wholecovered with skins. It contained only two rude mats, two bowlsof Sioux pottery, and a drinking gourd, but it was welcome toDick and Albert, who wanted rest and at the same time securityfrom the fierce old squaws and the equally fierce young boys.They were glad enough to lie a while on the rush mats and rubtheir tired limbs. When they were fully rested they became veryhungry.
"I wonder if they mean to starve us to death?" said Albert.
A negative answer was given in about ten minutes by two oldsquaws who appeared, bearing food, some venison, and moreparticularly wa-nsa, a favorite dish with the Sioux, a compoundmade of buffalo meat and wild cherries, which, after being dried,are pounded separately until they are very fine; then the two arepounded together for quite a while, after which the whole isstored in bladders, somewhat after the fashion of the white man'ssausage.
"This isn't bad at all," said Albert when he bit into hisportion. "Now, if we only had something good to drink."
Neither of the old squaws understood his words, but one of themanswered his wish, nevertheless. She brought cherry-bark tea inabundance, which both found greatly to their liking and they ateand drank with deep content. A mental cheer was added also totheir physical good feeling.
"Thanks, madam," said Albert, when one of the old squaws refilledthe little earthen bowl from which he drank the cherry-bark tea."You are indeed kind. I did not expect to meet with suchhospitality."
The Indian woman did not understand his words, but anybody couldunderstand the boy's ingratiating smile. She smiled back at him.
"Be careful, Al, old man," said Dick with the utmost gravity."These old Indian women adopt children sometimes, or perhaps shewill want to marry you. In fact, I think the latter is morelikely, and you can't help yourself."
"Don't, Dick, don't!" said Albert imploringly. "I am willing topay a high price for hospitality, but not that."
The women withdrew, and after a while, when the boys felt fullyrested, they stepped outside the lodge, to find two tall youngSioux warriors on guard. Dick looked at them inquiringly, andone of them said in fair English:
"I am Lone Wolf, and this is Tall Pine. You can go in thevillage, but we go with you. Bright Sun has said so, and weobey."
"All right, Mr. Lone Wolf," said Dick cheerfully. "Four arecompany, two are none. We couldn't escape if we tried; butBright Sun says that you and your friend Mr. Pine Tree are to beour comrades on our travels, well and good. I don't know anyother couple in this camp that I'd choose before you two."
Lone Wolf and Pine Tree were young, and maybe their youth causedthem to smile slightly at Dick's pleasantry. Nor did they annoythe boys with excessive vigilance, and they answered manyquestions.
It was a great war that was now going on, they said, and they hadtaken many white scalps, but they intimated that those they hadtaken were few in comparison with the number they would take.Dick asked them of their present purpose, but here they grewwary. The white soldiers might be near or they might be far, butthe god of the Sioux was Wakantaka, the good spirit, and the godof the white man was Wakansica, the bad spirit.
Dick did not consider it worth while to argue with them. Indeed,he was in no position to do so. The history of the world in thelast two years was a blank to him and Albert. But he observedthroughout the vast encampment the same air of expectancy andexcitement that had been noticeable in the smaller village. Healso saw a group of warriors arrive, their ponies loaded withrepeating rifles, carbines and revolvers. He surmised that theyhad been obtained from French-Canadian traders, and he knew wellfor what they were meant. Once again he made his silent prayerthat if the white soldiers came they could come in great force.
Dick observed in the huge village all the signs of an abundantand easy life, according to Sioux standards. Throughout itsconfines kettles gave forth the odors pleasing to an Indian'snostrils. Boys broiled strips of venison on twigs before thefires. Squaws were jerking buffalo and deer meat in a hundredplaces, and strings of fish ready for the cooking hung before thelodges. Plenty showed everywhere.
Dick understood that if one were really a wild man, with allinstincts of a wild man inherited through untold centuries ofwild life, he could find no more pleasing sight than this greatencampment abounding in the good things for wild men that theplains, hills, and water furnished. He saw it readily from thepoint of view of the Sioux and could appreciate their confidence.
Albert, who was a little ahead of Dick, peered between twolodges, and suddenly turned away with a ghastly face.
"What's the trouble, Al?" asked Dick.
"I saw a warrior passing on the other side of those lodges,"replied Albert, "and he had something at his belt--the yellowhair of a white man, and there was blood on it."
"We have taken many scalps already," interrupted the young Sioux,Lone Wolf, some pride showing in his tone.
Both Dick and Albert shuddered and were silent. The gulf betweenthese men and themselves widened again into quite a sea. Theirthoughts could not touch those of the Sioux at any point.
"I think we'd better go back to our own lodge," said Dick.
"No," said Lone Wolf. "The great chief, Bright Sun, hascommanded us when we return to bring you into his presence, andit is time for us to go to him."
"What does he want with us?" asked Albert.
"He knows, but I do not," replied Lone Wolf sententiously.
"Lead on," said Dick lightly. "Here, we go wherever we areinvited."
They walked back a full mile, and Lone Wolf and Pine Tree led theway to a great lodge, evidently one used by the Akitcita,although Dick judged that in so great a village as this, whichwas certainly a fusion of many villages, there must be at least adozen lodges of the Akitcita.
Lone Wolf and Pine Tree showed Dick and Albert into the door, butthey themselves remained outside. The two boys paused justinside the door until their eyes became used to the half gloom ofthe place. Before them stood a dozen men, all great chiefs, andin the center was Bright Sun, the dominating presence.
Despite their natural courage and hardihood and the wild life towhich they had grown used, Dick and Albert were somewhat awedby the appearance of these men, every one of whom was of sternpresence, looking every inch a warrior. They had discarded thelast particle of white man's attire, keeping only the white man'sweapons, the repeating rifle and revolver. Every one wore, moreor less loosely folded about him, a robe of the buffalo, and inall cases the inner side of this robe was painted throughout inthe most vivid manner with scenes from the hunt or warpath,chiefly those that had occurred in the life of the wearer. Manycolors were used in these paintings, but mostly those of cardinaldyes, red and blue being favorites.
"These," said Bright Sun, speaking more directly to Dick,"are mighty chiefs of the Sioux Nation. This is Ta Sun KeKa-Kipapi-Hok'silan (Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses)."
He nodded toward a tall warrior, who made a slight and graveinclination.
"I'd cut out at least half of that name," said Dick under hisbreath.
"And this," continued Bright Sun in his measured, preciseEnglish, "is Ite-Mogu'Ju (Rain-in-the-Face), and this Kun-Sun'ka(Crow Dog), and this Pizi (Gall), and this Peji (Grass)".
Thus he continued introducing them, giving to every one his longIndian appellation until all were named. The famous Sitting Bull(Tatanka Yotanka) was not present. Dick learned afterwards thathe was at that very moment in his own tepee making medicine.
"What we wish to know," said Bright Sun--"and we have ways tomake you tell us--is whether you saw the white troops before wetook you?"
Dick shivered a little. He knew what Bright Sun meant by thephrase "we have ways to make you tell," and he knew also thatBright Sun would be merciless if mercy stood in the way ofgetting what he wished. No shred of the white man's training wasnow left about the Indian chief save the white man's speech.
"I have not seen a white man in two years," replied Dick, "norhas my brother. We told you the truth when you took us."
Bright Sun was silent for a space, regarding him with black eyesseeking to read every throb of his heart. Dick was conscious,too, that the similar gaze of all the others was upon him. Buthe did not flinch. Why should he? He had told the truth.
"Then I ask you again," said Bright Sun, "where have you been allthis time?"
"I cannot tell you," replied Dick. "It is a place that we wishto keep secret. It is hidden far from here. But it is one towhich no one else goes. I can say that much."
Rain-in-the-Face made an impatient movement, and said somewords in the Sioux tongue. Dick feared it was a suggestionthat he be put to the torture, and he was glad when Bright Sunshook his head.
"There are such places," said Bright Sun, "because the mountainsare high and vast and but few people travel among them. It maybe that he tells the truth."
"It is the truth. I swear it!" said Dick earnestly.
"Then why do you refuse to tell of this place?" asked Bright Sun.
"Because we wish to keep it for ourselves," replied Dick frankly.
The faintest trace of a smile was visible in Bright Sun's eyes.
"Wherever it may be it belongs to us," said the chief; "but Ibelieve that you are telling the truth. Nor do I hesitate totell you that we have asked these questions because we wish tolearn all that we can. The soldiers of your people are advancingunder the yellow-haired general, Custer, Terry, Gibbon, andothers. They come in great force, but the Sioux, in greaterforce and more cunning will destroy them."
Dick was silent. He knew too little to make any reply to thestatements of Bright Sun. Rain-in-the-Face and Crazy Horse spoketo Bright Sun, and they seemed to be urging something. But thechief again shook his head, and they, too, became silent. It wasobvious to both boys that his influence was enormous.
"You can go," he said to Dick and Albert, and they gladly leftthe lodge. Outside, Lone Wolf and Pine Tree fell in on eitherside of them and escorted them to their own tepee, in front ofwhich they stood guard while the boys slept that night.