pass near their camp.

"Fear not for our scout, friends!" finally exclaimed a leader among
them. "He is a brave and experienced man. He will find a safe
resting-place, and join us when the wind ceases to rage." So they all
wrapped themselves in their robes and lay down to sleep.

All that night and the following day it was impossible to give succor,
and the hunters felt much concern for the absent. Late in the second
night the great storm subsided.

"Ho, ho! Iyotanka! Rise up!" So the first hunter to awaken aroused all
the others.

As after every other storm, it was wonderfully still; so still that one
could hear distinctly the pounding feet of the jack-rabbits coming down
over the slopes to the willows for food. All dry vegetation was buried
beneath the deep snow, and everywhere they saw this white-robed
creature of the prairie coming down to the woods.

Now the air was full of the wolf and coyote game call, and they were
seen in great numbers upon the ice.

"See, see! the hungry wolves are dragging the carcasses away! Harken to
the war-cries of the scout's Shunka! Hurry, hurry!" they urged one
another in chorus.

Away they ran and out upon the lake; now upon the wind-swept ice, now
upon the crusted snow; running when they could, sliding when they must.
There was certainly a great concourse of the wolves, whirling in
frantic circles, but continually moving toward the farther end of the
lake. They could hear distinctly the hoarse bark of the scout's Shunka,
and occasionally the muffled war-whoop of a man, as if it came from
under the ice.

As they approached nearer the scene they could hear more distinctly the
voice of their friend, but still as it were from underground. When they
reached the spot to which the wolves had dragged two of the carcasses
of the buffalo, Shunka was seen to stand by one of them, but at that
moment he staggered and fell. The hunters took out their knives and
ripped up the frozen hide covering the abdominal cavity. It revealed a
warm nest of hay and buffalo hair in which the scout lay, wrapped in
his own robe!

He had placed his dog in one of the carcasses and himself in another
for protection from the storm; but the dog was wiser than the man, for
he kept his entrance open. The man lapped the hide over and it froze
solidly, shutting him securely in. When the hungry wolves came Shunka
promptly extricated himself and held them off as long as he could;
meanwhile, sliding and pulling,