e a mere
surprise attack on Broken Feather's village, but a pitched battle in
the open. Kiddie, however, was equal to the occasion.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE BATTLE OF POISON-SPIDER CREEK

Rube Carter, who was the only person in Falling Water's army who had
actually seen the approaching enemy, and who knew beyond a doubt how
greatly the Sioux outnumbered the Crows, had the impression that Kiddie
must now decide either to beat a hasty retreat, and thus avoid the
battle, or else advance and suffer an inevitable defeat.

There was a hurried council of war, in which Kiddie appeared to hold
the ruling influence; but Rube did not know the result of the
conference. Neither did he pretend to have an opinion of his own, as
to what the Crows had best do. He was satisfied to watch Kiddie. But
it was with relief that he presently saw all three of Falling Water's
divisions retiring over the level prairie ground, which they had
recently quitted, beside Poison Spider Creek.

He supposed that they were returning to defend their wigwams. But they
were not making for the fording place by which they had previously
crossed the creek.

When the creek was reached there was a halt, and a large section of the
army disappeared into ambush, while the remainder rearranged their
ranks and examined their ponies and their weapons.

Rube was perplexed. Were they going to engage the enemy after all?

Scouts who had been sent out returned with the report that the enemy
was quickly advancing through a gap in the foothills. They would soon
appear in sight.

Leaving his reserves in ambush, Kiddie now led his own division slowly
forward across the plain, the armies of Falling Water and Short Nose
forming his right and left wings, well in his rear.

He had covered hardly half the distance between the creek and the near
foothills when the Sioux appeared, emerging like a huge serpent through
the gap. They were riding in single file, across the Crows' line of
march, clearly with the purpose of surrounding them and cutting them
off from the ford. They continued in a straight, unbending column, but
were still beyond range, when suddenly the Crows halted, turned right
about face, and retired once again in the direction of the creek,
apparently unwilling to engage so formidable an enemy.

For the first time in his experience Rube Carter suspected Kiddie of
cowardice, or at least of indecision. If he were not meaning to fight,
why had he not