Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net FRANCIS LYNDE KROLL YOUNG MEDICINE MAN [Illustration] ILLUSTRATED BY CHARLES H. GEER _LANTERN PRESS_ NEW YORK Copyright 1956 by Lantern Press, Inc. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG NUMBER: 56-7625 PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN CANADA BY GEORGE J. MCLEOD, LIMITED, TORONTO MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA _To Alice, who, like Little Eagle, places the welfare of the tribe first._ F.L.K. CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE 9 CHAPTER TWO 31 CHAPTER THREE 55 CHAPTER FOUR 77 CHAPTER FIVE 99 CHAPTER SIX 125 CHAPTER SEVEN 151 CHAPTER EIGHT 173 _ILLUSTRATIONS_ _A warrior rode into camp from the other side_ 26 _Mounted Crow warriors were in pursuit_ 44 _At every step water splashed high_ 111 _He added the powdered herbs and the bearâs grease_ 165 YOUNG MEDICINE MAN CHAPTER ONE While Little Eagle waited patiently in front of the tepee of Clawing Bear, the medicine man, several of his friends went past. Each of the boys was carrying a bow and arrows. âGet your bow,â Angry Wolf called. âWeâre having a shooting match.â Little Eagle shook his head. âIâm taking a lesson from Clawing Bear,â he explained. âYou can take lessons every day when we are in winter camp,â Angry Wolf pointed out. âToday Roaring Lion is giving some fine arrows as prizes.â Little Eagleâs eyes gleamed. Roaring Lion was one of the best makers of arrows in the whole Sioux nation. One of them would be a prize worth more than a lesson. Little Eagle knew that there was little chance he could win one of the arrows. He was about the poorest shot among the boys in the camp. Still, this time luck might be with him. Certainly it was too good a chance to miss. He started to get to his feet to go with Angry Wolf, but changed his mind and sat down again. âI have promised to take a lesson,â he said. âIâll keep my promise.â âYou might as well,â Wounded Face spoke up. âYou couldnât win a prize anyway.â Little Eagle jumped angrily to his feet. Heâd show Wounded Face that he could win a prize. But before he had taken the second step toward his own tepee, Little Eagle realized that this was no way for a Sioux to act. If he expected to become a great warrior and medicine man, he must keep the promises he made. âIâll keep my promise,â he repeated. Little Eagle squatted again in front of the tepee while Angry Wolf and Wounded Face went on. It seemed a long time before Clawing Bear called for him to come into the tepee. When Little Eagle stepped inside, Clawing Bear had a pot of grease simmering over a tiny fire. The medicine man motioned for Little Eagle to sit at one side of the fire. Little Eagle tried to keep his mind on what Clawing Bear was doing, but his thoughts wandered to where the other boys were shooting at the slender target set up for them. He could almost see himself splitting the target while Wounded Face missed. He leaned forward, trying to make his mind and his eyes follow Clawing Bearâs movements. Abruptly the medicine man stepped away from the fire. He turned quickly, and his burning glance made Little Eagleâs eyes meet his. âI try to teach you the wisdom of Sioux medicine men,â Clawing Bear growled, âand your mind wanders off to where other boys are shooting for prizes.â Little Eagle dropped his eyes guiltily. Truly Clawing Bear had looked into his mind. âI am sorry,â he apologized, and then added with conviction, âI can mix the poultice.â âDo it then,â Clawing Bear ordered, upsetting the bowl with his foot so that the contents spilled onto the fire. A dense cloud of biting smoke filled the tepee. Little Eagle waited until some of the smoke had seeped out at the top of the tepee before he got to his feet. He pulled the bowl from the fire and set it aside. He selected another bowl, put grease in it, and set it on the fire. He began to add powdered herbs which he took from the bags Clawing Bear had hanging on the wall of the tepee. Clawing Bear had seated himself and was watching Little Eagleâs every move. Little Eagle carefully selected the materials to go into the bowl. He hesitated as he reached for the powdered herb in a large bag. At first he took a handful, but he changed his mind and dropped only a pinch into the bowl. He stirred the mixture until it began to boil. When he glanced toward Clawing Bear, he saw a look of approval on the medicine manâs face. âYou nearly missed,â Clawing Bear said gruffly. âI know itâs hard for a boy of twelve summers to study when other boys are playing. There will be no more lessons today.â Using two sticks as tongs, Little Eagle lifted the bowl off the fire. His eyes moved from the bowl back to the fire as though they had been drawn by a magnet. He gave a little gasp as, in the leaping flames, he seemed to see a party of Crow warriors riding swiftly. He tried to count them, but they went too fast. As the Crows appeared to fade away in the fire, Little Eagle became aware that Clawing Bear was speaking to him. He tried to collect his scattered wits so that he could answer respectfully. âTomorrow Iâll be a better pupil,â he promised. âTomorrow you will think about becoming a warrior and a hunter,â Clawing Bear answered sadly. âLearning the arts of a Sioux medicine man is more important, but you wonât think so.â Little Eagle moved toward the flap of the tepee. In a moment Clawing Bear would make the sign of dismissal. There might still be time to race to the tepee, get his bow and arrows, and join the contest. âWait,â Clawing Bear ordered. âYou have done better than I expected. As a reward, you may carry some of the poultice with you.â Little Eagle tried to keep his face from showing the pleased surprise he felt. A real warrior or a real medicine man would have given no sign of pleasure. He watched as Clawing Bear picked up a small bag made from the lining of a deerâs stomach. The medicine man filled it with the mixture from the bowl. Then he took a sack made of soft elk leather and placed the bag of ointment inside the leather sack. He tied the sack with a long thong. He made a knot in the ends of the thong so that the sack would hang at Little Eagleâs belt in the place where a tomahawk would hang when Little Eagle became a warrior. âWhat you have learned today may save some Siouxâs life,â Clawing Bear told him solemnly. Little Eagle tried to find the right words to thank the medicine man. There were words which he should speak, but his tongue couldnât say them. A brief smile touched the lips of the medicine man. âI do not care for words,â he said. âLet your deeds thank me.â Clawing Bear gravely made the sign of dismissal, but Little Eagle didnât scamper out of the tepee. Instead he stepped out slowly as a warrior would have stepped out of the council wigwam. When he had gone a few paces, he remembered the other boys. He turned quickly toward his own tepee. He had covered about half of the distance when a commotion near the council wigwam attracted his attention. He turned to look. There was a crowd of warriors near the entrance to the wigwam. A party of Crow chiefs in splendid headdresses was going slowly toward the entrance. Little Eagle had been so busy with his lessons that he had forgotten this was the day for the powwow between the Crow chiefs and the chiefs of his own tribe to start. Little Eagle stood watching the Crows as they filed into the wigwam. He thought of how bitterly he hated these enemies of his people. Reluctantly, he admitted to himself that the Crow chiefs were brave. The Sioux chiefs had promised them safety while they were in the Sioux camp, but who knew when a young man, anxious to become a warrior, would ambush them on the way to or from their own camp? Little Eagleâs glance swept over the camp. He saw that there was no real danger to the Crow chiefs. The Sioux dog soldiers had formed a circle around the camp. It was the duty of the dog soldiers to see that camp orders were obeyed. Ordinarily they did little except when they were with a war party or a hunting party. However, now they would see to it that no Sioux left the camp until the Crow chiefs had had time to return to their own camp. Little Eagle was surprised that the teacher and the boys had been allowed to leave camp for the contest. Then he saw that they hadnât. They were standing with the warriors, watching the Crows. Little Eagle started toward them, but changed his mind. He remembered that strange sight he had seen in Clawing Bearâs fire. Those Crow warriors he had seemed to see had been shown to him as a sign. It was a warning. The Crows didnât really want to make peace. They were planning treachery. Flying Wolf, the chief in charge of the Sioux camp was letting the Crows lead him down a blind path. Little Eagle turned and hurried to his own tepee. When Little Eagle came out of his tepee, he had his bow and quiver of arrows in his hand. He turned toward the land-of-the-setting-sun. In that direction there were low hills covered with small trees and thickets of brush. Little Eagle had no plan for getting past the dog soldiers he could see pacing back and forth along the top of the hill. He hoped a plan would come to him. The Sioux camp had been pitched at the base of the hills along the river. There were two rows of tepees, each row forming an arc. When Little Eagle reached the tepee in the second row, he stood near it to watch the dog soldiers. He saw that the dog soldier at the nearest post was Laughing Horse, one of the youngest warriors in the band. Little Eagle noticed that while Laughing Horse walked his beat steadily, as a good dog soldier should, he often looked toward the river. Little Eagle turned and looked in that direction to see what was attracting the dog soldierâs attention. He grinned to himself when he saw that the squaws and young women were working at buffalo hides. Undoubtedly Summer Flower was among them. Laughing Horse was trying to catch sight of the young woman to whom he was paying court. At any other time Little Eagle would have raised a derisive shout. Little Eagle turned his attention back to Laughing Horse. He watched closely to see how often the dog soldier glanced toward the camp, how often he looked toward the land-of-the-setting-sun, and how often he glanced toward the women. As he watched, Little Eagle kept count of time by slowly folding and unfolding his fingers. He soon knew how long the dog soldier looked in each direction. Little Eagle tensed himself. The moment Laughing Horseâs back was turned, Little Eagle made a running dive for the nearest clump of shrubs. While he was running, Little Eagle was folding and unfolding his fingers as he had done while he was watching the dog soldier. There was a little more time left before Laughing Horse would turn toward the river. Little Eagle used that time to wriggle farther into the shrubs. Little Eagle continued to fold and unfold his fingers, keeping time to Laughing Horseâs movements. He didnât raise his head until the count on his fingers told him that Laughing Horse should again be looking toward the land-of-the-setting-sun. When that time came, Little Eagle raced across the open space to the next clump of shrubs. Slowly he made his way up the hill. Near the top, the shrubs were thicker. While these gave Little Eagle better cover, he had to move carefully so that he didnât brush against one of them. Laughing Horseâs mind might be on the girl at the riverbank, but he wouldnât miss the quiver of a stem of brush if Little Eagle touched one. As he saw the sun climbing steadily into the sky, Little Eagle began to worry. It was taking him much longer to get out of camp than he had planned. Still, he must go carefully. If a dog soldier saw him, his whole plan would be spoiled, and Little Eagle well knew that a warrior was not invited to become a dog soldier until he had proved himself more capable than most warriors. The sun was almost straight overhead by the time Little Eagle reached a point close to the line along which Laughing Horse walked. Little Eagle held his breath while the dog soldier passed so close that Little Eagle could have reached out and touched him. As soon as Laughing Horse passed, Little Eagle crept across to the other side of the hill. There were more trees on this side. With them to hide him, Little Eagle was able to go faster. Yet it seemed a long, long time before he reached the tree-lined creek where he was out of sight of the dog soldiers. As soon as he was sure he was safe, Little Eagle got to his feet and started off at a brisk walk. He would have liked to run, but he knew the sharp ears of a dog soldier might catch the thud of running feet. He walked until he was far enough up the next hill so that there was a chance the dog soldiers could see him. Here he crouched down and crawled, slipping from bush to bush until he was across the hill and safely out of sight of the guards. As he hurried along, Little Eagle grew more and more uneasy. It had taken him a long time to get away from camp. It might take him even longer to discover the treacherous plan that the Crows were making. It seemed almost as though there was a voice whispering in his ear: âHurry, hurry! Danger, danger!â He began to run. Little Eagle had been taught the proper pace to use to go swiftly on a long journey. It was an easy trot which he could keep up all day. But the warning voice seemed to be urging him to go faster and faster. The thought of danger to his tribe was like a lash, driving him on. Little Eagle ran faster and faster until he was driving himself as hard as he could go. He ran until he was gasping for breath and had to slow to a walk. He wanted to sit down and rest, but he forced himself to go on. He walked until he was breathing more easily, although his legs were still trembling from overexertion. He looked about for a place where he could hide and rest. He was crossing a wide strip of prairie where there were no trees or shrubs behind which he could hide. He saw a place where rain had washed a gully in the hillside. When he turned to it, he found it was a narrow gully with heavy grass overhanging its sides. He crawled into it and stretched out flat. The grass hid him so well that anyone might pass within a few paces without seeing him. When he felt rested, Little Eagle started to get to his feet. His ears caught the sound of pounding feet. Someone was running toward him from the direction of the camp. Little Eagle guessed that some dog soldier had found his trail and was following him. He should have known that he couldnât escape them. He fought down the impulse to raise his head and look. Instead he stretched out and remained as quiet as possible. He could hardly believe it when he heard the footsteps go on past and fade out in the distance. It was strange that the dog soldier had followed his trail this far and then failed to see where he had turned aside. When Little Eagle finally raised his head, whoever had gone by was out of sight. Little Eagle went back to his own trail. There were a few bits of dry grass which hadnât straightened. He sensed that something wasnât as it should be. He knelt down to get a better look. There were no signs of anyone else having followed his trail. Yet he knew he had heard someone running past. He hunted about until he found another trail several paces to the right of the one he had made. Whoever had been running in this direction had not been following him. Again Little Eagle knelt to get a better look. He saw that the strides taken were not much longer than his own. The warrior who had passed must not be a large man, but Little Eagle could not tell whether the man had been a Sioux or a Crow. He wished Clawing Bear or a warrior were with him. They would have been able to read all of the signs. Little Eagle hesitated. He glanced toward the land-of-the-rising-sun, then he turned and took a long look in the other direction. At last he made up his mind. He ran several paces to his left and again started toward the land-of-the-setting-sun. This time he went at a sensible pace. He ran at a jogging trot, occasionally slowing to a walk. The sun was still high in the sky when he came to the place where the Crow camp should be. He began to go as cautiously as he had when he slipped out of his own camp. When Little Eagle saw smoke rising into the air across the hill ahead of him, he knew he was almost upon the Crow camp. There didnât seem to be any Crow watchers on this side of the hill. Nevertheless, he moved carefully. The Crows might have dog soldiers around the camp. Near the top of the hill, Little Eagle got to his hands and knees and crawled forward. The top of the hill was covered with brush and trees, so it was easy for him to keep hidden. He could hear the sounds of the camp ahead. He crawled forward until he came to a place where the hill sloped steeply down into a valley. He found a clump of brush to hide behind. From there he could look down onto the Crow camp with little danger that a warrior would see him. As Little Eagle studied the camp, it seemed as though his suspicions had been wrong. There were no more than the agreed twenty-five warriors in it. As nearly as he could tell, the warriors were loafing, waiting for the chiefs to come back from the powwow. Although everything in the camp appeared to be as it should be, Little Eagle still hesitated. The suspicions in his mind were hard to put aside. But at last he decided to return to his own camp. There was nothing to show that the Crows werenât keeping their agreement. He had made that long run, and taken the chance of being punished by the dog soldiers, all for no purpose. [Illustration: _A warrior rode into camp from the other side_] He was starting to move back when a warrior rode into camp from the other side. The other warriors sprang up and surrounded the rider. Little Eagle stopped. He could tell that excited talk was going on in the camp, but he was too far away to hear it. He couldnât even catch the meaning of the signs made by some of the speakers. It did seem odd that the rider didnât dismount. The man talked only a short time to the warriors before he turned his horse and rode out of camp the way he had come. The whole affair was baffling to Little Eagle. He had a strong feeling that something was wrong, yet he had no idea what it was. He shook his head. And then suddenly he knew the answer. The messenger had come only a short distance, otherwise he would have exchanged his horse for a fresh one before starting the return journey. There was another party of Crows near! Here was proof that they were planning treachery. They had agreed to have only twenty-five warriors on the disputed land until after the powwow. That rider was proof there was another band near. The only purpose for having that other band near would be to make a surprise attack on the Sioux camp. Little Eagle knew he had to get back and report what he had learned. Slowly he inched his way backward until he was far enough down the hill that he dared get to his feet. Even then he slipped from tree to tree. It wasnât until he was at the bottom of the hill that he realized he didnât have enough information to take back to camp. Some of the Sioux were so anxious to believe the Crows wanted peace that they would have another explanation for the rider. No, he would have to see the other Crow camp before he could convince his own leaders. Little Eagle continued away from camp many paces before he turned to go around it. He made a circle wide enough so that there was no longer danger he would be discovered. He continued the circle until he came to the trail made by the rider. At a jogging trot, he turned to follow it. The sun was alarmingly far down the western sky. However, Little Eagle had learned his lesson, and he held himself to a steady trot. While he was sure this other Crow camp was near, it would still be a long trip back to the Sioux camp. He took some comfort from the knowledge that the Crows wouldnât make an attack before daybreak. By that time he should have his proof and be back to report to his chiefs. When he heard the sounds of the camp ahead of him, Little Eagle used every skill he knew to move silently. He reached a place from which he could see the other Crow camp. He saw it was much larger than the first one. His eyes sparkled angrily. Here was the proof. This was a camp of many warriors, probably as many as five camps like the first one. If there had been any doubt in his mind as to the plans of the Crows, activities in the camp below would have erased them. Many of the warriors were busily repairing bows and other fighting equipment. Others were painting their faces with war paint. Little Eagle gave a grunt of anger. While they were pretending to make peace, the Crows were actually getting ready to make an attack. Little Eagle could see that if this band of Crows succeeded in surrounding the Sioux camp, not a Sioux would escape. Little Eagle had to get the warning back to his own people. Somehow he would make the chiefs listen to him. As he tensed his muscles to start to move back, he could feel danger around him like the chill of a cold wind. This wasnât danger from the Crow camp. This was close at hand. Before he could move to defend himself, someone dropped onto his back. He was pinned helplessly to the ground, and a hand was clamped tightly over his mouth. Little Eagle forgot his own danger in the bitter thought that he had failed his tribe. His captor leaned close and whispered into Little Eagleâs ear, âFollow me.â Little Eagleâs heart gave a tremendous bound of relief. The voice was that of Angry Wolf. CHAPTER TWO Little Eagle carefully inched his way back from the top of the hill. He knew Angry Wolf was moving back too, but there wasnât the whisper of a sound to tell him where his friend was. When he was several paces down the hill, Little Eagle rose to a stooping position so he could go faster. He darted from tree to tree. He was in the thick growth of trees at the foot of the hill when Angry Wolf hissed softly to call his attention. Little Eagle looked around. He finally saw Angry Wolf hidden in some thick brush. Little Eagle crawled in beside him. âWeâll wait here to make sure no one is following us,â Angry Wolf whispered. They lay silently in their hiding place while dusk faded into darkness. At last Angry Wolf touched Little Eagleâs shoulder to let him know it was time to move. Little Eagle stepped in Angry Wolfâs footsteps as the other boy led the way from the Crow camp. Angry Wolf went on until they were many paces from the Crow camp. When he stopped, he listened carefully for signs of enemies. âWhat are you doing away from our camp, Little Eagle?â he demanded as sternly as though he were a dog soldier. A sharp answer rose to Little Eagleâs tongue. Angry Wolf was only a summer older than he, and he hadnât yet earned the right to be called a warrior. He had no right to speak to Little Eagle in that tone of voice. Little Eagle choked back an angry answer when he realized that it was anxiety and excitement that made Angry Wolf speak so sharply. âI felt there was something wrong about the powwow,â Little Eagle answered. âI came to see if the Crows were planning treachery.â âIt would have been better for our party if our chiefs had been as suspicious,â Angry Wolf agreed gloomily. âI slipped out of camp because I too, thought the Crows could not be trusted. Now we must get a warning back to our people.â âIt is a long trip,â Little Eagle reminded him. âIf we had horsesââ âIt is too dangerous to try to take horses from this Crow camp,â Angry Wolf replied. âIf we failed, there would be no one to take a warning to our camp.â âHappy Otter is in charge of the dog soldiers,â Little Eagle said. âHe will be angry when he learns that both of us slipped through the lines. He may have us punished and not listen to our reports.â âHe will have to listen to us,â Angry Wolf protested. âIf our camp isnât warned, it will be destroyed.â âHappy Otter will be too angry to listen,â Little Eagle insisted. âHowever, if we rode Crow horses into camp, he would have to take us to the chiefs to explain why we took horses when our chiefs had promised to have peace until the powwow was over. That would give us a chance to tell about this camp.â âYou are right,â Angry Wolf agreed. âWe must have at least one horse.â Angry Wolf led the way farther from the Crow camp. He went on until they were so far from the camp that they could no longer hear the noise made in it. âI have a plan,â he announced when they stopped. âYou return to our camp. If I fail to get a horse, you still may reach our camp in time. When the dog soldiers arrest you, demand to be taken to Clawing Bear. Everyone knows you are a pupil of his.â Little Eagle saw the wisdom of Angry Wolfâs plan. It did seem that since he was the one who had thought of taking a Crow horse, he should be the one to try it instead of Angry Wolf. Yet the plan for Little Eagle to demand to be taken to Clawing Bear was good. âIt is a long journey to our camp,â Little Eagle said. âIâll start at once.â The two boys had been sitting down as they talked. Now Little Eagle got to his feet. Before he took the first step, Angry Wolf grabbed his ankle. Little Eagle felt the warning pressure of Angry Wolfâs fingers. He stood like a statue. He caught the sound of horses coming from the direction of the Crow camp. A moment later two mounted Crow warriors could be seen in the starlight. Little Eagle checked the impulse to duck down. Many times it had been explained to him that by remaining motionless he would be safer. The sudden movement of ducking out of sight was more apt to be seen than a person standing quite still. He waited until the two Crows disappeared in the direction of the other Crow camp. Angry Wolf hadnât released his hold on Little Eagleâs ankle. He increased the pressure to let Little Eagle know that he thought they should make a new plan. âThose two Crows are great warriors,â Angry Wolf whispered. âThey have been sent to keep watch during the night between our camp and the other Crow camp. They will make your trip far more dangerous.â Little Eagle wondered how Angry Wolf knew so much about the two Crow warriors. He had had only a brief look at them. âI will keep a sharp watch,â Little Eagle promised. âI will be careful not to walk into an ambush.â Angry Wolf shook his head. âCrow warriors may be anywhere between our camp and that other Crow camp,â he said. âThe only chance is to ride through on a horse. It would be better if you helped me get a horse.â Little Eagle kept the smile of triumph from his face. Now they would use the plan that he had thought wisest from the first. Both of them would sneak to the Crow horse corral and each would take a horse. One of them would get away and take the warning to the Sioux camp. His mind turned back to the question that had been bothering him since they had seen the two Crow warriors. âHow did you know those two Crows were great warriors?â he asked. âI saw the belts they wore,â Angry Wolf answered. âThey had trophies of many successful raids.â Little Eagle was ashamed that he hadnât noticed the belts. Truly, if he were to become a great warrior or a great medicine man, he would have to learn to watch more closely. When Angry Wolf got to his feet and started back toward the Crow camp, Little Eagle followed willingly. Angry Wolf had proved that he should be the leader. Not the sharpest ear could have heard the two young Sioux as they went back to their hiding place at the top of the hill above the Crow camp. Before he put a foot down, Angry Wolf looked carefully to see that there was no twig to snap under his step. Little Eagle made sure that he stepped in the other boyâs tracks. When Little Eagle looked down onto the Crow camp, he saw that it still was as busy as it had been earlier. As the two boys watched, the warriors finished their work with their fighting equipment. The fires were allowed to die down to beds of glowing coals. It looked as though the warriors were ready to roll up in their blankets and sleep until it was time to make their attack. Little Eagle saw several warriors leave the camp and go toward the horse corral. At first he thought they were merely going to look at their horses. He felt the icy finger of fear when he saw the men returning to camp, leading their horses. Evidently the Crows werenât going to wait until dawn to make their attack. Little Eagle and Angry Wolf wouldnât have time to take a warning back to camp. Little Eagle glanced toward Angry Wolf. Angry Wolf signaled that they should move back. Hopelessly, Little Eagle obeyed the signal. Halfway down the hill, Angry Wolf stopped. âThe horses will be tied to the wrists of their owners tonight,â Angry Wolf explained. âWe must think of a plan to get one of them.â Little Eagle felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Of course that was what the Crow warriors were doing. He had heard of this custom of the Crows. The night before a Crow warrior went into battle, he slept with his horseâs long tether tied to his wrist. The Crows believed that while the owner slept, his spirit talked to the horse. In that way, the horse would know just what to do when the battle started. Little Eagle was so relieved to know there was still a chance to get a warning back to his own camp, that he could hardly wait to make the attempt. âThere will be other horses in the corral,â he said. âIt would be easier to get one of them.â âIf we get a horse from the corral, it might be one that wasnât much good,â Angry Wolf answered. âThe best horses will be tied to the ownersâ wrists. I must get one of them.â Little Eagle wanted to protest that both of them should try to get horses, but he remained silent. Angry Wolf was the one who had remembered the Crow custom of keeping horses in camp the night before a battle. He had proved himself capable to be the leader. Little Eagle must obey him until he, too, proved himself. Angry Wolf stretched out full length upon the ground. He seemed to be unworried about this expedition. He took a piece of dried meat from a leather sack at his belt. He broke the chunk of meat in two and offered a piece to Little Eagle. Little Eagle hesitated. He was ashamed that he had forgotten another lesson their warrior-teacher had taught all of the boys. âWhenever you leave camp, be sure to take food with you,â the teacher had told them many times. âSometime you may be hiding near enemies where you donât dare hunt for food.â Here was another way in which Angry Wolf had proved himself more nearly a warrior than Little Eagle. âTake it,â Angry Wolf urged. âWe will need all of our strength to do what must be done.â Little Eagle took the food. While he ate, he stretched out beside Angry Wolf. His muscles relaxed. Almost the moment he swallowed the last of the food, he fell asleep. He was awakened by the pressure of Angry Wolfâs hand. Little Eagle waited until he was sure that he was wide awake before he sat up. Angry Wolf gave a little tug on his arm to signal Little Eagle to follow. They made their way back to the top of the hill. The campfires still cast some light about the camp. Occasionally a burning branch would break in two, sending up a flickering light. Little Eagle could see that there was a horse near every tepee. The campfires didnât give off enough light for him to see the thongs which tied the horses to their masters, but he knew they were there. Angry Wolf leaned so close that his lips were almost against Little Eagleâs ear. âI believe I can get a horse,â Angry Wolf whispered. âIf I fail, you must find a way to get the warning back to our camp.â âYouâll get a horse,â Little Eagle whispered confidently. Angry Wolf waited until he was sure no one was moving about the camp. He disappeared so silently that Little Eagle was hardly aware that he was leaving. Little Eagle turned all of his attention to the Crow camp. He held his breath when he saw a Crow warrior step out of one of the tepees. He let his breath out in a sigh of relief when the warrior turned and went back into the tepee. It was a long time before Little Eagle caught the faint shadow of another movement in the camp. He knew it must have been Angry Wolf darting between two campfires. Little Eagle watched anxiously for the quick movement of a horse which would betray Angry Wolf to their enemies. Slowly and silently, Little Eagle moved his bow to a shooting position and fitted an arrow to the string. He saw one of the horses take a couple of steps and thought that must be the one Angry Wolf had selected. The horse moved a few more steps and then stopped. Little Eagle almost shouted a cry of warning as a Crow warrior stepped out of a tepee near the horse. There was enough light from the glowing campfire for Little Eagle to see the warrior start toward the horse, but there the man faded into the shadows. It was a long, anxious time before the Crow again came into view in front of the tepee. The warrior hesitated a moment before he went inside. Little Eagle put every effort into watching. He was sure that Angry Wolf would leave that horse and try to take another. Little Eagle turned his head, looking from one tepee to the next. Finally he saw another horse moving slowly away from a tepee. The horse took a few steps and stopped. It continued this slow pace as it moved toward the edge of the camp. When the horse passed between two campfires, Little Eagle couldnât see Angry Wolf, but he was sure his Sioux friend was pressed against the horseâs other side. The horse made slow progress. It walked slowly and it stopped often. At last there was only one more campfire for it to pass and it would be out of the light. Little Eagleâs heart leaped into his throat as he saw a Crow warrior step out of a tepee. Evidently Angry Wolf had seen the Crow too, because the horse stopped and remained standing. Slow moment followed slow moment. Little Eagle found that he was breathing as hard as though he had run a great distance. At last the warrior reached his hand toward the tepee flap and started to go back in. At the same instant the horse took a couple of quick, sidling steps. The Crow warrior whirled around. His warning yell rang through the camp. [Illustration: _Mounted Crow warriors were in pursuit_] Since he could no longer hope to stay hidden, Angry Wolf sprang onto his horseâs back. He drummed his heels against the animalâs side and sent it racing out of camp. Warriors sprang from tepees as though they had been waiting for a signal. Before Angry Wolf had more than started up the hill, mounted Crow warriors were in pursuit. For a moment Little Eagle forgot that most of the Crow camp was riding toward him. He jumped to his feet to watch Angry Wolf. He remembered his own danger and crouched down out of sight. He tried to get a shot at the pursuing Crows, but in the darkness and among the trees, he had no chance. He watched helplessly as some of the warriors gained rapidly on Angry Wolf. Little Eagle wondered why the warriors didnât shoot. They were within easy bowshot of Angry Wolf. He knew the answer almost as quickly as he thought of the question. As long as they had a chance to surround Angry Wolf, they wouldnât take the risk of an arrow wounding a Crow horse. Angry Wolf reached the top of the hill and started down the other side. His horse was running harder, and the gap between him and his pursuers began to widen. As the Crow warriors dashed past, Little Eagle sprang up. The warriors were so intent on the chase that there was no danger they would look back. Little Eagle raced after them as though he expected to overtake the horses. The riders reached the bottom of the hill, crossed the narrow valley, and started up the other side. Little Eagleâs hopes began to rise. Angry Wolf was getting farther ahead at every jump of his horse. Little Eagle didnât see the arrow fly, but he did see Angry Wolf topple from his horse. The horse kept running, and the Crows went after it. âTheyâll catch the horse before they come back to take Angry Wolfâs scalp,â Little Eagle thought to himself. There was no time to make a plan. Little Eagle kept running toward the place where Angry Wolf had fallen. He hadnât any idea how he would do it, but he must hide Angry Wolf from the Crows. A Sioux who went to the Happy Hunting Grounds without his scalp could never be happy there. When Little Eagle reached Angry Wolf, he crouched over his friend. He had been so sure that the Crowâs arrow had killed Angry Wolf that he gave a grunt of unbelieving surprise when he found that Angry Wolf still breathed. The deep, bloody gash along Angry Wolfâs head warned Little Eagle that there was little hope of saving the otherâs life. Yet, since he was still alive, there was a chance. Little Eagle raised his head and paused to listen. He could hear the sounds of the Crows still chasing the runaway horse. He had a little time. He got Angry Wolfâs arm across his shoulder and somehow got to his feet. Half carrying and half dragging the wounded boy, Little Eagle started away from the trail. He went on until he was gasping for breath. Although it seemed that he had been struggling under that weight for a long time, Little Eagle knew he had gone only a few paces from the trail. But he could go no farther. As gently as possible, he lowered Angry Wolf to the ground. Again he bent over Angry Wolf, and again he was relieved to find that the boy still breathed. The only plan which occurred to Little Eagle seemed to have small chance of succeeding, but it was better than not trying at all. He picked up a small branch. Holding this in both hands, he walked backward, brushing the limb back and forth across his trail. It wasnât a good job of erasing his tracks, but it might keep the Crows from finding them until after daylight. When Little Eagle reached the place where Angry Wolf had fallen, he stretched out on the ground. He heard a triumphant yell which meant that the Crows had caught the horse. They soon would be coming back. Little Eagle was careful to make plain marks to make it appear that Angry Wolf had struggled to his feet. He started from the trail in the direction opposite to that in which he had taken Angry Wolf. He took as long strides as he could, and at first, staggered about. He wanted to convince the Crows that they were following the trail of a wounded warrior. He had gone only a short distance when he heard the sounds of the Crows returning. He began to go faster. Whenever he neared a clump of brush, he went directly toward it. He knew the Crows would stop and send warriors to surround the clump before they went near it. They would take no chance of having a wounded warrior ambush them. Each of these delays would give him a chance to lead them farther from Angry Wolf before he himself was captured. Little Eagle heard an angry yip. The Crows had returned and found that the enemy, whom they had supposed slain, had slipped away. Little Eagle increased his speed. It wouldnât be long until the Crows found his trail and came in pursuit. He knew they would come slowly. They were sure that the enemy they were pursuing was badly wounded. They wouldnât be afraid the enemy would escape. Their only fear would be that he might ambush them. A series of short, sharp yells told him that they had found his trail. He could almost see them following it. A couple of trackers on foot would follow the trail. Mounted warriors would ride at each side of the trackers and behind them. The riders would turn aside to surround each of the clumps of brush toward which he had made his trail. When he started, Little Eagleâs one plan had been to lead the Crows away from Angry Wolf. As he realized that he was getting farther away from his pursuers, he began to change the plan. There was a small hope that he might escape and get back to Angry Wolf. His hand brushed against the bag of poultice Clawing Bear had tied at his belt. If he could get back to Angry Wolf, there might be a chance to save the wounded boyâs life. Little Eagle had thought he was going as fast as it was possible for him to go. As the hope of saving Angry Wolfâs life grew, he somehow managed to go faster. He heard the gurgle of running water ahead of him. When he pushed through a clump of small trees, he saw the stream. He knew this was the creek that twisted among the low hills near the Crow camp. Little Eagle saw that he could take a short run and jump across the creek. He ran as though this were his plan, but he shortened his leap and landed in the water. He stopped to listen. He had gained so much on his pursuers that he could hardly hear them. He smiled to himself when he remembered something the warrior-teacher had told him. âWhen you have to hide from your enemies,â the teacher had said several times, âhide as near them as possible.â Instead of turning downstream, Little Eagle turned the other way. This route would take him near the Crow camp. Although the water was cold, Little Eagle waded up the stream. There would be no tracks here for the Crows to follow. He was quite near the Crow camp when he heard the warriors yelling behind him. He listened long enough to make sure they had found the place where he had jumped into the creek. He felt certain they would look downstream for him. He climbed out of the stream at a place where the Crows had been bringing their horses to water. Even if the Crows looked for the trail here, it would be lost among the many other tracks. As soon as he left the water, Little Eagle trotted along the bank until he was many paces past the Crow camp. Here he started a great circle which took him around the camp and back upon the ridge on which he had left Angry Wolf. From the spot where he reached the top of the ridge, he was still a considerable distance from Angry Wolf. Little Eagle went as cautiously as a warrior would have gone. Although he had heard no more sounds of the Crows, it was still possible that they had found Angry Wolf. If they had, they would be waiting in ambush. Even when he reached a place from where he could see Angry Wolf stretched on the ground, Little Eagle moved slowly, stopping often to look and listen. At last he was sure there were no Crows near. Little Eagle crawled the remaining distance to Angry Wolf. He gave a grunt of dismay. Angry Wolf had thrown one arm across his chest. Little Eagle could see no sign of the wounded Siouxâs chest rising and falling as it would do if he still breathed. Little Eagle bent forward until his face was almost against Angry Wolfâs mouth. He felt Angry Wolfâs breath blowing faintly against his face. Angry Wolf was still alive. Little Eagle looked at the deep gash along the side of Angry Wolfâs head. It had been bleeding badly. Even now a trickle of blood was running from the wound. It looked as though Angry Wolf had already lost so much blood that his life couldnât be saved. But the very first lesson Little Eagle had learned from Clawing Bear was that as long as a person breathed there was hope of saving his life. Little Eagle opened the pouch at his belt and took the wad of ointment into his hands. He kneaded it with his fingers until it was soft and pliable. If there had been a place near where he could get water, he would have washed the wound before applying the poultice. However, the creek was many dangerous steps away, and there was no time to lose. As gently as possible, Little Eagle spread the soft mass along the wound. He held it in place until the flow of blood completely stopped. He nodded in satisfaction when he took his hand off the poultice and it stayed in place. Little Eagle bent over Angry Wolfâs face. His friend still breathed. Now there was nothing Little Eagle could do except
{'title': 'Young Medicine Man by Francis Lynde Kroll', 'source': 'Project Gutenberg', 'lang': 'en'}