am willing to
pay a high price for hospitality, but not that."

The women withdrew, and after a while, when the boys felt fully
rested, they stepped outside the lodge, to find two tall young
Sioux warriors on guard. Dick looked at them inquiringly, and
one of them said in fair English:

"I am Lone Wolf, and this is Tall Pine. You can go in the
village, but we go with you. Bright Sun has said so, and we
obey."

"All right, Mr. Lone Wolf," said Dick cheerfully. "Four are
company, two are none. We couldn't escape if we tried; but
Bright Sun says that you and your friend Mr. Pine Tree are to be
our comrades on our travels, well and good. I don't know any
other couple in this camp that I'd choose before you two."

Lone Wolf and Pine Tree were young, and maybe their youth caused
them to smile slightly at Dick's pleasantry. Nor did they annoy
the boys with excessive vigilance, and they answered many
questions. It was, indeed, they said, the greatest village in
the West that was now gathered on the banks of the Little Big
Horn. Sioux from all tribes had come including those on
reservations. All the clans of the Mendewahkantons, for
instance, were represented on the reservations, but all of them
were represented here, too.

It was a great war that was now going on, they said, and they had
taken many white scalps, but they intimated that those they had
taken were few in comparison with the number they would take.
Dick asked them of their present purpose, but here they grew
wary. The white soldiers might be near or they might be far, but
the god of the Sioux was Wakantaka, the good spirit, and the god
of the white man was Wakansica, the bad spirit.

Dick did not consider it worth while to argue with them. Indeed,
he was in no position to do so. The history of the world in the
last two years was a blank to him and Albert. But he observed
throughout the vast encampment the same air of expectancy and
excitement that had been noticeable in the smaller village. He
also saw a group of warriors arrive, their ponies loaded with
repeating rifles, carbines and revolvers. He surmised that they
had been obtained from French-Canadian traders, and he knew well
for what they were meant. Once again he made his silent prayer
that if the white soldiers came they could come in great force.

Dick observed in the huge village all the signs of an abundant
and easy life, according to Sioux standards. Throughout its
confines