White Otter Part 1

White Otter.

by Elmer Russell Gregor.

CHAPTER I

RIDERS OF THE NIGHT

It was the time of the new-gra.s.s moon. The long cold winter had finally pa.s.sed, and the season of abundance was at hand. The Sioux gave thanks to the Great Mystery with song and dance. They knew that vast herds of buffaloes would soon appear from the south, and then every want would be supplied. The hunters were already making plans for the great buffalo drive which would provide the camp with meat for many days.

It was at this season that White Otter, the grandson of Wolf Robe, the famous Ogalala war chief, had planned to visit the Minneconjoux camp to see his friends, Sun Bird and his brother Little Raven. The three young warriors had shared many perilous adventures the previous year, when White Otter won fame by recovering the Red Arrow, a Sioux medicine trophy which had been stolen by the p.a.w.nees, and Sun Bird rescued his brother from captivity. At that time the lads pledged themselves to an undying friendship, and Sun Bird and Little Raven accompanied White Otter to the Ogalala village. When they departed White Otter gave each two splendid ponies, and promised to visit them the following spring.

Now the time was at hand and he was eager to go.

When Wolf Robe learned White Otter's intention he said: "It is good; the Minneconjoux are our brothers. Curly Horse, their chief, is a great man.

You will see many brave warriors in that camp. Sun Bird and Little Raven are your friends. They will tell their people about you. Go and tell the Minneconjoux that Wolf Robe is thinking about them."

Two days later White Otter set out upon his journey. As he was anxious to make a good appearance before the proud people whom he planned to visit, he had arrayed himself with elaborate care. He was dressed in all the finery of a Sioux warrior. He wore soft doeskin leggings extending to his thighs, a buckskin breech-cloth, moccasins gayly decorated with dyed deer-hair, a rawhide belt from which hung his knife-sheath, his weaselskin pouch containing his fire-sticks and a small buckskin bag filled with dried meat. His bow and arrows were in a wolfskin case which was slung across his back, and at his side hung his buffalo-hide war shield. His robe was a beautifully tanned pelt of the grizzly bear. His hair was arranged in two braids which were bound with otter fur, and fastened to his scalp-lock was a tail-feather of the golden eagle, which proclaimed him a warrior. He rode his fastest war pony, a nervous little roan, and in its mane and tail he had fastened many hawk feathers, and strips of fur. Thus equipped, the lad of seventeen winters was an imposing figure. Tall and manly, he carried himself with the commanding dignity which he had inherited from his father, Standing Buffalo, and his grandfather, Wolf Robe, the stern old war chief of the Ogalalas.

As White Otter left his grandfather's lodge and rode through the center of the village the people greeted him with shouts of approval. He had won an everlasting place in their hearts, and they looked upon him with pride and affection. Most of the boys, many of the old men and some of the women followed him from the village, singing his praise and calling his name. Once he had left the camp, however, White Otter soon urged his pony into a canter, and rode away from his enthusiastic admirers.

"The Minneconjoux will see that White Otter, the grandson of the great war chief of the Ogalalas, is a man," said Yellow Horse, the medicine-man.

"Yes, he is brave like his father, Standing Buffalo, who has gone on the Long Trail," replied Wolf Robe, as he looked admiringly after his grandson.

White Otter rode away with a light heart, for he was overjoyed at the thought of rejoining his friends. He had never been to the Minneconjoux village, but he knew that it was far to the westward near the great mountains, and as Wolf Robe had carefully described certain prominent landmarks along the route he had little fear of missing his destination.

The young Sioux had heard many tales relating to the courage and valor of his distant tribesmen, and he was eager to meet the famous warriors of whom he had heard. He was particularly anxious to see Curly Horse, the renowned Minneconjoux war chief, and Sun Bird's father, Rain Crow, a famous medicine-man.

At midday White Otter came to a great village of the little Underground People, the prairie dogs. He rode slowly between the small earth lodges, and saw hundreds of the eccentric little creatures sitting up to watch him. One old gray-whiskered sentinel chattered shrilly as the pony approached, and finally dove frantically into his burrow. Most of the Underground People followed his example. White Otter laughed at their fright. He stopped his pony and waited for them to reappear. When the gray nose of the cautious old patriarch finally came in sight, the young Sioux called a greeting.

"Ho, you Underground People. Do you see who I am? Ho, you old man. Why do you chatter like a frightened old woman? Come out and call to your people. Tell them that White Otter is their friend. See, at my side is the scalp of your enemy, the weasel. See, on my back is the scalp of your enemy, the wolf. See, in my hair is a feather of your enemy, the great war bird. I am telling you about this so that you can tell it to your children. Now I am going away from here. Keep my words in your heart."

As White Otter rode slowly on his way all the little Underground People came from their burrows, and sat up on the low mounds of earth to watch him. When he looked back and saw them he laughed, and raised his hand in greeting. Then he cantered away and disappeared from sight over a low rise of the plain. He rode until sunset, when he saw the first of the landmarks which Wolf Robe had described: it was a small grove of aspens which he had been told concealed a water-hole.

Although he was still on the hunting grounds of his people, and believed he had little to fear from prowling enemies, White Otter approached the spot with his customary caution. He knew that carelessness had betrayed more than one brave warrior into the hands of his foes, and he determined to run no unnecessary risks. Before exposing himself within arrow range, therefore, he rode slowly around the grove, watching for a sign of concealed foes, and studying the ground for fresh pony tracks.

When he had ridden several times around the spot without discovering anything to rouse his suspicions, he drew his weapons, and dropped to the side of his pony. Then he walked boldly toward the trees. He found the grove unoccupied, and as it contained a pool of fresh water he decided to camp there for the night.

It was barely dark, however, when White Otter's fancied security was shattered by a noise which filled him with alarm. Rushing to the edge of the plain to listen, he caught the unmistakable sound of galloping hoofs. The truth instantly flashed into his mind. A company of hors.e.m.e.n were approaching his camp-site. Were they friends or foes? White Otter dared not wait to learn. He realized that safety lay in flight. There was not a moment to spare, for the riders would soon be within bow-shot.

Running to his pony, he fastened a buckskin muzzle over its nose, and leaped upon its back. Then he rode cautiously out upon the plain.

After he had gone a short distance the young Sioux stopped to a.s.sure himself that the unknown hors.e.m.e.n were continuing in his direction. He was surprised to learn that the sounds had ceased. However, the stillness failed to deceive him. He knew that, like himself, the riders were taking every precaution against a surprise. He believed that the main company had stopped some distance out on the plain to wait until one or more unmounted scouts could steal up to the water-hole to reconnoiter. Fearing that these scouts might circle about the grove and eventually discover him, he turned his pony toward the east and rode slowly away.

White Otter made his way toward a deep ravine which he had crossed a short time before he reached the water-hole. He planned to picket his pony in the ravine, and then hurry across the plain on foot to reconnoiter the camp of the mysterious hors.e.m.e.n. He had not gone far, however, when he heard an owl calling in the vicinity of the pool, and he knew that the scouts who had been sent forward to reconnoiter were calling their companions. The signal was answered by the cry of a coyote on the open plain, and it was evident that the riders were advancing toward the grove.

Soon afterward White Otter found the ravine, and picketed his pony. Then he climbed to the plain, and set out to spy upon the camp in the aspen grove. As he made his way cautiously through the dark he tried to guess the ident.i.ty of the people who had driven him from the water-hole. It was possible that they might prove to be a party of Sioux hunters from the Minneconjoux village, but White Otter determined to risk nothing on the chance. He believed it far more probable that they were a scouting party of Crows or Blackfeet from the north who had ventured upon the Sioux hunting grounds to look for buffaloes.

White Otter hurried across the vast star-lit plain with a firm determination to solve the riddle. He realized that to learn what he wished to know he must expose himself to considerable danger, but he was without fear. He had already established an enviable reputation as a warrior, and had pa.s.sed through many perilous adventures on the war trail.

The young Sioux guided himself by the stars, and soon arrived in the general vicinity of the aspen grove. When he believed that he was within hailing distance, he stopped to reconnoiter. He stood a long time peering anxiously into the dark to catch the glow of a camp-fire, and listening for some sound which would tell him the exact whereabouts of the people whom he wished to see. His efforts were fruitless, however, and he realized that he was farther from the camp than he had supposed.

As there was nothing to gain by loitering where he was, he continued across the plain.

White Otter had gone some distance farther, when he was suddenly stopped by the shrill whinny of a horse. It sounded directly ahead of him, but apparently quite far away. Believing that the call had come from the vicinity of the grove, White Otter looked eagerly in that direction. For a few moments he saw only the vast black plain, and the star-studded heavens. Then he caught a gleam of light far off to the westward. It filled his heart with joy, for he knew that he had located the camp. It also a.s.sured him that the hors.e.m.e.n had actually stopped in the grove, and he felt greatly relieved. More than once he had been troubled by the fear that the travelers had merely visited the pool to refresh their ponies and had then resumed their journey. However, now that he was certain of finding them in the grove, he was more perplexed than before.

He knew that a hostile war party would be almost sure to travel by night, especially when they found themselves in the very center of the Sioux hunting grounds. Therefore, White Otter concluded that these people were hunters either from the Minneconjoux village, or from that of one of the hostile tribes farther to the north.

Having definitely located the camp, the young Sioux determined to approach it without further delay. He knew that to learn the ident.i.ty of these people he must get near enough to reconnoiter while the light from the fire made it possible to see them. Therefore, he drew his weapons and advanced toward the water-hole. As he finally neared the grove he stopped at the end of every third stride to listen. Then when he heard the ponies stamping restlessly he knew that he was within arrow-range, and he sank noiselessly to the ground. He realized that if these people were enemies they had probably stationed scouts about the grove, and he feared to move lest he might encounter one of the alert sentinels at any moment.

As White Otter lay upon the plain determining the safest way to approach the camp, he heard sounds which led him to suspect that the hors.e.m.e.n were preparing to leave the grove. At the same time he noted that they were placing fresh fuel upon the fire. The maneuver made him suspicious.

"These people are not Sioux," he told himself.

Fearing that they would go away before he could identify them, the eager lad rose and hurried toward the grove. Before he had covered half the distance, however, the unknown riders mounted their ponies and rode away at a gallop. They went toward the south, and White Otter felt sure that they were foes.

The young Sioux listened with a heavy heart until the mocking hoof-beats finally died away in the distance, and then he made his way to the little pool. The fire was blazing fiercely, and he felt certain that it had been left to give the impression that the riders were encamped in the grove. Their hasty departure convinced him that the hors.e.m.e.n believed themselves pursued. It seemed as if his earlier fears had been confirmed. These people were evidently retreating from a larger company of foes. The thought made White Otter serious. He wondered if his tribesmen, the Minneconjoux, were involved in the mystery.

However, as White Otter saw no way of learning what he wished to know until he reached the Minneconjoux camp, he told himself that he must be patient. He concealed himself near the pool and waited some time, hoping that a pursuing company of hors.e.m.e.n might soon appear. But the possibility that they might be Crows or Blackfeet caused him considerable uneasiness, and he finally determined to return to his pony and spend the balance of the night in the ravine.

CHAPTER II

THE WAR PARTY

At daylight White Otter crept cautiously up the side of the gully to survey the plain. Far away toward the west he saw the little grove of aspens, and he wondered if another company of riders were encamped at the water-hole. He searched the sky above the trees for a trace of smoke, but he believed that the precaution was useless, for he told himself that a war party on the trail of foes would never betray themselves in such a manner. White Otter watched a long time, but saw nothing except a distant band of antelope, and several animals which he thought were prairie wolves. Soon after sunrise he led his pony from the ravine, and rode away.

Once again the young Sioux circled cautiously about the aspens, and when he had made sure that the spot was free of foes he entered the grove. He and his pony drank heartily at the little pool, and then resumed their journey toward the Minneconjoux camp. White Otter was still pondering upon the ident.i.ty of the mysterious riders. He was sorely disappointed at the failure of his bold reconnaissance the previous night. However, he consoled himself with the thought that his friends might be able to tell him something about the hors.e.m.e.n. The possibility made him impatient, and he hurried along at a rapid pace. He kept a sharp watch for buffaloes, but it was evident that those great beasts were still farther south. Antelope were plentiful, but as White Otter had a sufficient supply of dried meat he made no attempt to hunt them.

Later in the day as he was crossing a wide stretch of gra.s.sy prairie White Otter saw a solitary horseman watching him from the summit of a distant knoll. Convinced that he had already been discovered, he realized that it would be folly to attempt to hide. He stopped his pony, therefore, and waited to see what the stranger would do. The latter, however, was apparently using the same tactics against White Otter. Thus many minutes pa.s.sed while the two riders sat motionless on their ponies, and watched with distrust and suspicion. They were too far apart to identify each other, but neither showed any inclination to approach nearer. At last the stranger turned his pony, and disappeared over the crest of the rise.

White Otter did not know exactly what to do. The appearance of the lone horseman had filled him with all sorts of alarming suspicions. First of all, he felt quite sure that the rider was a scout reconnoitering in advance of a war party. The idea suggested several interesting possibilities. Perhaps it was a company of Sioux. The thought thrilled him. He realized, however, that he must not permit the hope to betray him. He feared it more likely that he was confronted by a roving band of foes. As the horseman had made no attempt to conceal himself, White Otter believed that he was endeavoring to decoy him into a trap. It was quite probable that a large body of warriors were lurking behind the low ridge over which the rider had disappeared. The thought was somewhat alarming, and for a moment White Otter was tempted to flee. As the plain was level and open, however, and he was well beyond bow-shot of the ridge, he believed that he was in little immediate danger after all. He saw that it would be impossible for an enemy to steal upon him un.o.bserved, and the a.s.surance made him bold. Banishing all idea of retreating until he learned more about the lone horseman, he determined to hold his ground and wait for further developments.

It was not long before the rider again showed himself on the summit of the knoll. A moment afterward he was joined by a companion. The appearance of the second horseman convinced White Otter that a war party was concealed behind the ridge. He watched anxiously to learn what the two scouts intended to do.

In a few moments one of the riders raised his right hand above his head and moved it slowly to the right and left. White Otter instantly understood the signal, which meant, "I do not know you. Who are you?"

Unwilling to proclaim himself until he knew more about the strangers, the young Sioux replied by repeating the question. Then the horseman who was conversing with him again raised his right hand, but this time be held it motionless. It was the sign for friendship. The second horseman waved his robe, and then spread it upon the ground. White Otter understood it as an invitation to come and talk with them. He began to hope that he was in communication with a company of his own people.

Still he realized that he must take every precaution before exposing himself. Therefore, he answered the invitation by clasping his hands and raising them above his head, which meant, "Are you peaceful?" The horseman pledged himself by repeating the signal.

"My heart tells me that these people are Sioux," White Otter a.s.sured himself.

Then he again raised his right hand above his head, and swept it forward and downward to his side, which meant, "Come here." He watched eagerly while the hors.e.m.e.n seemed to be considering the invitation. At length one of the riders turned his pony down the ridge and rode toward White Otter. The latter saw that his invitation had been accepted, and he determined to be very cautious. When the horseman finally stopped, and signaled for White Otter to advance, the lad made no reply. He had no intention of placing himself one stride nearer the ridge until he knew the intentions of the strangers. As he showed no inclination to meet the horseman, therefore, the latter betrayed considerable impatience. After repeating the sign for friendship a number of times, and asking White Otter to meet him, he finally turned to rejoin his companion.

In the meantime White Otter had been studying him closely, and although he could not be sure at that distance he believed that the disgruntled warrior was a Sioux. Therefore, as the latter showed every intention of terminating the interview, White Otter made haste to pacify him. As the scout looked back to make sure that he was not followed, the young Sioux rode slowly forward.

The stranger instantly wheeled his pony and waited for White Otter to approach. The latter advanced with the alert, watchful caution of a fox.

He made no attempt to conceal his suspicions, and to rea.s.sure him the unknown rider raised his hand in token of peace. Neither White Otter nor the warrior who awaited him had drawn their weapons, for to have done so under the circ.u.mstances would have been a grave breach of etiquette.

However, White Otter stopped before he was within arrow-range, and looked searchingly at the man before him. He had all the characteristics of a Sioux, but the cautious lad determined to take nothing for granted.

As he was now sufficiently near to open negotiations in the sign language, White Otter extended his right hand a short distance and turned the open palm slowly from right to left. Then he pointed toward the rider. The signs meant, "Who are you?"