far bank of the stream, where they lay hidden, while another
multitude was gathering on this side in front of the lodges. The
gullies and ravines were lined with hordes. The time was about
two in the afternoon.

A chief appeared on the slope not far from Dick. It was Bright
Sun in all the glory of battle array, and he glanced at the
tethered youth. Dick's glance met his, and he saw the shadow of
a faint, superior smile on the face of the chief. Bright Sun started
to say something to a warrior, but checked himself. He seemed to
think that Dick was secured well enough, and he did not look at him
again. Instead, he gazed at the base of the hill where the horsemen
had been, and while he stood there he was joined by the chiefs
Rain-in-the-Face and Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses.

Dick never knew how long a time passed while they all waited.
The rattle of arms, the shouts, and the tread of feet in the
village ceased. There was an intense, ominous silence broken
only, whether in fact or fancy Dick could not tell, by the heavy
breathing of thousands. The sun came out more brightly and
poured its light over the town and the river, but it did not
reveal the army of the Sioux swallowed up in the undergrowth on
the far bank. So well were they hidden that their arms gave back
no gleam.

Dick forgot where he was, forgot that he was bound, so tense were
the moments and so eagerly did he watch the base of the hill.
When a long time--at least, Dick thought it so--had passed, a
murmur came from the village below. The men were but scouts
and had gone away, and no white army was near. That was Dick's
own thought, too.

As the murmur sank, Dick suddenly straightened up. The black
speck appeared again before his eyes. New horsemen stood where
the three had been, and behind them was a moving mass, black in
the sun. The white army had come!

Bright Sun suddenly turned upon Dick a glance so full of
malignant triumph that the boy shuddered. Then, clear and full
over the valley rose the battle cry of the trumpets, a joyous
inspiring sound calling men on to glory or death. Out from the
hill came the moving mass of white horsemen, rank after rank, and
Dick saw one in front, a man with long yellow hair, snatch off
his hat, wave it around his head, and come on at a gallop.
Behind him thundered the whole army, stirrup to stirrup.

Bright Sun, Rain-in-the-Face, and Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses
darted away, and then Dick th