you. I have spoken."

"Rain Crow, you are a great Medicine Person," replied White Otter. "You have done some big things. I have heard my people talk about you. It is true that Sun Bird and Little Raven are my brothers. You have called me your son. It is a great thing. I feel good about it. I will tell my people about it. It will make them feel big. My father, I will bring you some ponies from the Blackfeet camp. I have finished."

Many other noted warriors made speeches praising the ability and courage of the young Ogalala, and welcoming him to the Minneconjoux camp. When the ceremony was finally concluded Sun Bird escorted White Otter to the lodge of Rain Crow.

"Now I will tell you how the Blackfeet ran off all those ponies," Sun Bird said, when they were alone.

"Yes, tell me about it," urged White Otter.

"We were dancing the Buffalo Dance," said Sun Bird. "My father was singing the Medicine Songs. The people were sitting near the fire. The fast war ponies were tied near the lodges, but many good hunting ponies were out on the plain. We left them there because our scouts did not see any signs of enemies. Only a few boys were watching those ponies. Well, while the people were dancing and singing we heard a great noise. There were many shouts. Then we heard many ponies running. Pretty soon a boy rode into the village. He was shouting, 'The Blackfeet! The Blackfeet! They have run off the ponies!' Then we jumped upon the war ponies, and were going out to chase the Blackfeet, but Curly Horse held us back. 'Wait!' shouted Curly Horse. 'Perhaps it is a trick. Perhaps a great war party is about to rush into the camp. We will watch, and see what comes of it.' We knew that those were good words, and we waited to guard the camp. Well, no one came. Then we knew that the Blackfeet had gone away with the ponies. When it got light one of the boys came back. His pony fell down and died when he came into the village. He rode a long ways to get away from the Blackfeet. The other boy did not come back. The Blackfeet must have carried him away."

"Who is he?" inquired White Otter.

"He is Dancing Rabbit," Sun Bird told him.

"His father was Lame Wolf. He was killed by our enemies, the Crows. His mother fell into the water, and was carried away by the fierce Water Monsters. Old Spotted Face is his grandfather. He feels very bad about this thing."

"I know Spotted Face," said White Otter. "He is a great man. We must try to help him."

"Perhaps we will find Dancing Rabbit in the Blackfeet camp," replied Sun Bird.

The day had already ended, and as the evening shadows fell upon the camp the Minneconjoux began preparations for the great war dance. A large fire was lighted in the center of the village, and the entire tribe assembled to honor the men who were going to fight the Blackfeet. The warriors who had enlisted in the war party marched noisily about the camp, singing their war songs, and shouting boastful threats against their foes. As they finally approached the council fire they were greeted with wild yells of approval from the great company who awaited them. Then all subsided into respectful silence as Curly Horse and the principal chiefs of the tribe walked solemnly into the council circle.

After the chief and his escort had taken positions, the warriors lined up before him and waited for him to address them. He looked upon them with pride and affection. Most of them were young men in the prime of their youth, and their bold, flashing eyes and fearless faces proclaimed their courage. They were led by Sun Bird who had organized the war party. He called White Otter to stand beside him, and the Minneconjoux murmured approval of the honor.

"My brothers, I see that you are ready for war," said Curly Horse. "You are going to fight the Blackfeet. It is good. They are our enemies. They have carried off many of our ponies. You must bring them back. You must also bring some good Blackfeet ponies. Perhaps you will find Dancing Rabbit in the Blackfeet camp. Then you must carry him away. Spotted Face is waiting for him. I will not tell you how to fight. You are Dacotahs. It is enough. Now I will ask Rain Crow to give you some words."

Before speaking, Rain Crow drew an ember from the fire and lighted the sacred medicine pipe. Then he puffed the smoke toward the heavens, toward the earth, and toward each of the four winds. He kept up a weird, high-pitched chant, and tossed small handfuls of dried sweet grass into the flames. It was evident that he was asking success for the war party, and the Minneconjoux watched him with grave interest. When he had completed the ceremony, he stood some time staring fixedly at the stars. Then he addressed the war company.

"My friends, you have seen me smoke the great Medicine Pipe," he said. "It is good. It will help you. I have asked Wakantunka, the Great Mystery, to make you strong. I have asked the Good Spirits to help you. I have asked the Bad Spirits to do you no harm. I believe everything will be good. I believe you will overcome the Blackfeet. Listen, my friends, I hear the noise of many ponies running. Yes, yes, those are Sioux ponies. Yes, I hear some Blackfeet ponies. They are running toward the Minneconjoux camp. I see these brave young men riding behind them."

His prophecy roused the Minneconjoux. Men, women and children united their voices in the war cry of the Dacotahs. It rang through the camp, and echoed off across the plain as a challenge to their foes. Rain Crow laughed, and shook his clenched hand toward the north.

"Hi, you Blackfeet people, do you hear that noise?" he cried, excitedly. "Pretty soon you will know what it means. Then you will shake, and cry like young deer when they hear the wolf cry."

His words again threw the people into a frenzy of excitement. The war cry again rang out across the plain, and before the sound had died away the warriors had assembled for the war dance. They formed a large circle about the fire, and stood awaiting the word from Sun Bird, their leader. A number of aged men had come forward with the war drums, and taken places near the dancers. A hush fell upon the vast assemblage, as the Minneconjoux watched eagerly for the interesting spectacle to begin.

Then Sun Bird raised his voice in the familiar strains of the great war song, and the dance began. Keeping time with the solemn, rhythmical throbbing of the war drums, the dancers moved slowly about the fire chanting the boastful words of the war song, and flourishing their weapons. They had not circled many times about the fire, however, before they cast off restraint, and flung themselves into ecstasies of the dance with wild abandon. The war song was forgotten, as the dancers began to shout their boasts and threats against the powerful foes in the north. Each moment added to their excitement, and as the war drums throbbed in shorter, quicker beats, the dancers quickened their steps to hold the rhythm. Although each held his place in the circle, they had abandoned all attempt to dance in unison, and each man was interpreting the spirit of the dance to suit himself. All, however, kept time to the beats of the war drums, and the droning chants of the aged musicians. As quick and sinewy as mountain cats, the young warriors pranced about the fire in a frenzy of enthusiasm. Each tried to surpass his fellows in the mad antics of the dance, and their maneuvers brought yells of approval from the fascinated onlookers. At one moment the dancers would stoop near the ground, and dance forward with short, mincing steps, shading their eyes with their hands, as if searching for the trail of their foes. Then they would suddenly spring upright and announce their