"I expostulated with the greasy, swaggering ruffian, but he only
swore, and reiterated his threats. Then I told him to be gone for an
insolent savage, and that if I found him prowling about the Fort
again, I should send my men to take charge of him. Thereat his squaws
began to jeer, and cut capers; and squatting upon the sod in a row
they made mouths, and poked their fingers at me. Then they arose
yelling and waving their arms, and followed the savage. It appears
that after the chief left me, he went to the people of our town and
proposed the same terms; for an hour later, to my horror, I saw the
chief factor of the Hudson Bay Company, his wife and daughters, and
several others following the Indian to his wigwams. Had these people
put themselves under our protection, and the men aided us in defence,
we might have laughed defiance at the five score of the enemy who
threaten."
"But," returned Stephens, "I fear that you do not count at its full
the force preparing itself to attack. From all I can gather a hundred
or so of Plain Crees will come here to-day under Tall Elk; while the
total strength of the Stonies, who will rise at Big Bear's call,
cannot be less than five hundred."
Inspector Dicken looked grave; but he was a brave man and busied
himself in making preparations. The total number of his force,
including mounted police and civilians was 24; and each man had a
Winchester and about twenty rounds of ammunition.
"Two of my scouts are abroad," he said, "reconnoitering; they should
be here by this time." While he was yet speaking a storm of yelling
came from the wigwams of Big Bear, and three or four score of braves
were seen pouring from their tents, like bees bundling out of a hive.
Each one had a gun in his hand, and a hatchet in his belt. The cause
of this sudden commotion was soon apparent: about half a mile
distant, two police scouts were riding leisurely along the plain
towards the Fort, and evidently not suspecting the danger which
menaced them. They advanced to a point about two hundred yards from
the stockades; then a yell went up from a body of prostrate savages,
and immediately half a hundred rifles were discharged. One of the men
fell from his horse, dead, upon the prairie; but the other rode
through the storm of lead to the Fort, and entered struck by half a
dozen bullets.
"The devils have begun!" muttered the Inspector, and he quivered
from head to foot, but not with fear.
The first taste of blood set the savages in a high state of
exultation. They gathered yelling and dancing, and flashing their
weapons in the sun around the door of the chief. Big Bear pulled off
his feathered cap and threw it several times in the air. Then turning
to his wives he told them to make ready for a White Dog feast; and he
bade his braves go and fetch the animals.