Page:Lost with Lieutenant Pike (1919).djvu/72

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buy horses, but Chief White Wolf had the orders spread that no horses were to be supplied to the Americans. When some of the Pawnees went to the American camp, to trade, Skidi and two other "dog soldiers" or police followed them and drove them home with whips of buffalo-hide.

Iskatappe only waited for other orders, to muster the warriors and capture the camp.

"It can be done," he said. "We doubtless shall lose many men, for I think the Americans are hard fighters. We might do better to attack them on the march."

Some of the older men were against fighting.

"We should not pull hot fat out of the fire with our fingers, for the Spanish," they said. "Let the Spanish stop the Americans, if they can. We will stay at home and put up the flag of the stronger nation."

Meanwhile the young warriors liked to gallop near the American camp and shake their lances and guns at it. The American warriors laughed and shouted.

For the next few days Boy Scar Head was all eyes and ears. The Americans kept close in camp and were very watchful. Only Baroney the interpreter rode back and forth, looking for horses. Chief Charakterik seemed much troubled. He had