nights they rode as rapidly as the ponies could
travel, resting an hour here and there to refresh themselves. Gradually
relaxing after this, they assumed the fox-trot of the plains pony; but
they looked many times behind and doubled often in their trail.

Seeing a band of wolves around a buffalo-bull which was fighting them
off, they rode up and shot arrows into it--the sacrifice to the brother
of the clan who had augured for them. Red Arrow affected to recognize
his old acquaintance in the group.

As they rode on, White Otter spoke: "I shall wear the eagle-feather
standing up in my scalp-lock, for I struck him with a hand-weapon
standing up. It shall wave above the bat and make him strong. The little
brown bat will be very brave in the time to come. We took the clipped
and painted war-ponies from under the chiefs nose, Red Arrow."

"Yes, I did that--but my medicine grew weak when it looked at the great
camp of the Absaroke. Your medicine was very strong, White Otter; there
is no old warrior in the Chis-chis-chash whose is stronger. I shall
take the charcoal again, and see if the Good God won't strengthen my
medicine."

Time brought the victors in sight of their village, which had moved
meanwhile, and it was late in the evening.

"Stay here with the ponies, Red Arrow, and I will go into my father's
lodge and get red paint for us. We will not enter until to-morrow."

So White Otter stole into his own tepee by night--told his father of his
triumph--got a quantity of vermilion and returned to the hills. When he
and Red Arrow had bedaubed themselves and their ponies most liberally,
they wrapped the scalp to a lance which he had brought out, then
moved slowly forward in the morning light on their jaded ponies to the
village, yelling the long, high notes of the war-whoop. The people ran
out to see them come, many young men riding to meet them. The yelling
procession came to the masses of the people, who shrilled in answer, the
dogs ki-yied, and old trade-guns boomed. White Otter's chin was high,
his eyes burned with a devilish light through the red paint, as he
waved the lance slowly, emitting from time to time above the din his
battle-cry.

It was thus that White Otter became a man.

III. The Bat Devises Mischief Among the Yellow-Eyes

White Otter the boy had been superseded by the man with the upright
eagle-feather, whom people now spoke of as Ho-to-kee-mat-sin, the Bat.
The young women of the Chis-chis-c