try. The East had
wined and dined him to satiety, but wining and dining are common to all
nations, and the Grand Duke desired to see the wild life of America--the
Indian in his tepee and the prairie monarch in his domain, as well as
the hardy frontiersman, who feared neither savage warrior nor savage
beast.

The Grand Duke had hunted big game in Eastern lands, and he was a
capital shot. General Sheridan engineered this expedition also, and, as
on the previous occasion, he relied upon Will to make it a success. The
latter received word to select a good camp on Red Willow Creek, where
game was plentiful, and to make all needed arrangements for the comfort
and entertainment of the noble party. A special feature suggested by
Sheridan for the amusement and instruction of the continental guests
was an Indian war-dance and Indian buffalo-hunt. To procure this
entertainment it was necessary to visit Spotted Tail, chief of the
Sioux, and persuade him to bring over a hundred warriors. At this time
there was peace between the Sioux and the government, and the dance idea
was feasible; nevertheless, a visit to the Sioux camp was not without
its dangers. Spotted Tail himself was seemingly sincere in a desire to
observe the terms of the ostensible peace between his people and the
authorities, but many of the other Indians would rather have had the
scalp of the Long-haired Chief than a century of peace.

Will so timed his trip as to reach the Indian camp at dusk, and hitching
his horse in the timber, he wrapped his blanket closely about him, so
that in the gathering darkness he might easily pass for a warrior. Thus
invested, he entered the village, and proceeded to the lodge of Spotted
Tail.

The conference with the distinguished redskin was made smooth sailing
by Agent Todd Randall, who happened to be on hand, and who acted as
interpreter. The old chief felt honored by the invitation extended to
him, and readily promised that in "ten sleeps" from that night he, with
a hundred warriors, would be present at the white man's camp, which was
to be pitched at the point where the government trail crossed Red Willow
Creek.

As Spotted Tail did not repose a great amount of confidence in his
high-spirited young men, he kept Will in his own lodge through the
night. In the morning the chief assembled the camp, and presenting his
guest, asked if his warriors knew him.

"It is Pa-has-ka, the Long-haired Chief!" they answered.

Whereupon Spo