Attracted by the noise, Red Arrow rode up, and they were mounted. Cries
and yells and barking came from the tepees, but silently they loped away
from the confusion--turning into the creek, blinding the trail in the
water for a few yards and regaining the hills from a much-tracked-up
pony and buffalo crossing. Over the bluffs and across the hills they
made their way, until they no longer heard the sounds of the camp behind
them.

Filled with a great exultation, they trotted and loped along until the
moon came up, when White Otter spoke for the first time, addressing it:
"Pretty Mother of the Night--time of the little brown bat's flight--see
what I have done. White Otter is no longer a boy." Then to his pony: "Go
on quickly now, pretty little war-pony. You are strong to carry me. Do
not lame yourself in the dog-holes. Carry me back to the
Chis-chis-chash, and I promise the Mother of the Night, now and here,
where you can hear me speak, that you shall never carry any man but
White Otter, and that only in war."

For three days and nights they rode as rapidly as the ponies could
travel, resting an hour here and there to refresh themselves. Gradually
relaxing after this, they assumed the fox-trot of the plains pony; but
they looked many times behind and doubled often in their trail.

Seeing a band of wolves around a buffalo-bull which was fighting them
off, they rode up and shot arrows into it--the sacrifice to the brother
of the clan who had augured for them. Red Arrow affected to recognize
his old acquaintance in the group.

As they rode on, White Otter spoke: "I shall wear the eagle-feather
standing up in my scalp-lock, for I struck him with a hand-weapon