time. The object was to tear the peg from the body, breaking by
violence through the skin and flesh that held it, and this proved
that the neophyte by his endurance of excessive pain was fit to
become a great warrior.

But the pegs held fast for a long time, while the terrible,
wailing cry of the whistle went on and on. Dick and Albert
wanted to turn away--in fact, they had a violent impulse more
than once to run from it--but the eyes of the Sioux were upon
them, and they knew that they would consider them cowards if they
could not bear to look upon that which others no older than
themselves endured. There was also the incessant, terrible
wailing of the whistle, which seemed to charm them and hold them.

The youths by and by began to pull loose from the thongs, and in
some cases where it was evident that they would not be able to do
so a medicine man would seize them by the shoulders and help
pull. In no case did a dancer give up, although they often fell
in a faint when loosed. Then they were carried away to be
revived, but for three days and three nights not a single
neophyte could touch food, water, or any other kind of drink.
They were also compelled, as soon as they recovered a measurable
degree of strength, to join the larger group and dance three days
and nights around the neophytes, who successively took their
places.

The whole sight, with the wailing of the whistle, the shouts of
the dancers, the beat of their feet, and the hard, excited
breathing of the thousands about them, became weird and
uncanny. Dick felt as if some strange, deadly odor had mounted
to his brain, and while he struggled between going and staying a
new shout arose.

A fresh group of neophytes sprang into the inclosed place. Every
one of these had the little sticks thrust through the upper point
of the shoulder blade instead of the breast, while from the loop
dangled a buffalo head. They danced violently until the weight
of the head pulled the sticks loose, and then, like their
brethren of the pole, joined the great ring of outside dancers
when they were able.

The crowd of neophytes increased, as they gave way in turn to one
another, and the thong about them thickened. Hundreds and
hundreds of dancers whirled and jumped to the shrill, incessant
blowing of the eagle-bone whistle. It seemed at times to the
excited imaginations of Dick and Albert that the earth rocked to
the mighty tread of the greatest of all sun dances. I