retinue came up, breaking now into the slow side-step of the
ghost-dance, and around the form of White Otter gathered these people of
the other world. They danced "the Crazy Dance" and sang, but the dull
orbs of the faster gave no signs of interest.

"He-eye, he-eye! we have come for you--come to take you to the
shadow-land. You will live on a rocky island, where there are no ponies,
no women, no food, White Otter. You have no medicine, and the Good God
will not protect you. We have come for you--hi-ya, hi-ya, hi-yah!"

"I have a medicine," replied White Otter. "I have the little brown bat
which came from God."

"He-eye, he-eye! Where is your little brown bat? You do not speak the
truth--you have no little brown bat from God. Come with us, White
Otter." With this, one of the spirit-men strode forward and seized White
Otter, who sprang to his feet to grapple with him. They clinched and
strained for the mastery, White Otter and the camp-soldier of the
spirit-people.

"Come to me, little brown bat," shouted the resisting savage, but the
ghostly crowd yelled, "Your little brown bat will not come to you, White
Otter."

Still he fought successfully with the spirit-soldier. He strained and
twisted, now felling the ghost, now being felled in turn, but they
staggered again to their feet. Neither was able to conquer. Hour after
hour he resisted the taking of his body from off the earth to be
deposited on the inglorious desert island in the shadow-land. At times
he grew exhausted and seemed to lie still under the spirit's clutches,