've resolved
to stick by Dick till we see them free from danger from these rascally
Dacotahs."

These remarks soon won over by far the larger portion of the white men
to our side, the Indians at once recognising their duty to assist their
friends. The red-skins who had accompanied Obed were, I found, Kioways,
a large tribe inhabiting the country bordering on the Rocky Mountains.
I asked Obed how he had induced them to accompany him. "Oh, it is a
long story. I'll tell you about that and many other things, when we
have more time," he replied.

All hands now set to work to strike the tents and pack the wagons; it
was soon done, and the wounded people stowed away in them on the top of
their goods. Some of the men rather objected to have the poor wounded
women placed in the wagons alongside of them, and seemed to think that,
as long as the unfortunate wretches had life in them they might just as
well get out and walk. Such are the chivalric notions of the Indian
warriors we read so much about in novels, and our young ladies are
taught to fancy such fine fellows. They have, notwithstanding, some few
good qualities, but those belonging to the ancient code of chivalry are
not among them.

We had not yet done with fighting, and we had not proceeded a mile
before we caught sight of the Dacotahs hovering about us to the
northward, watching for an opportunity to pounce down upon us. Although
a good many of their warriors had been made to bite the dust, they still
so far outnumbered our united parties that they might have some hopes,
if they could take us by surprise, to cut us up altogether. This, of
course, we took care that they should not do. Our attention, however,
was so much occupied that Obed had no time to give me an account of his
adventures. Our great wish was that the Indians would come on again
once more and allow us to give them a lesson which we hoped might teach
them to keep at a respectful distance from us. We pushed on as fast as
beasts and men could move, and just before nightfall we reached a
hillock with several rocks jutting out of it, which was considered a
remarkably secure spot for camping. It was well fortified by nature,
but the cunning backwoodsmen were not content to trust to it in that
condition, but at once set to work to enable it to resist any attack
which might possibly be made on it during the night.

Our old chief, to show his gratitude to his preservers, ordered an ample
supply o