Part 22 (2/2)

”When I raise this flag, do you drop on the ground and knock your forehead three tiion, York!

Do you understand?”

”Yassah, rinned his enjoyreeted the white men with much acclamation

”I see that you are chiefs!” exclai Take, then, these two horses of ood runners for buffalo--perhaps yours are not so fast” Thus Dorion interpreted

”Now,” said Clark, ”suppose I take the lance, Merne, and you handle the bow I never have tried the trick, but I believe I can handle this tool”

He picked up and shook in his hand the short lance, steel-tipped, which Weucha was carrying The latter grinned and nodded his assent, handing the weapon to the red-haired leader

”Noe shall serve!” said Lewis an instant later; for they brought out two handsome horses, one coal-black, the other piebald, bothmen were riders they now proved, for they ed to control theirbut the twisted hide rope about the lower jaw--the only bridle known areat plains

The crier now passed down the village street, nal to advance, hi at the head of the cavalcade, with the thite captains at his side--a picture such as any painter ht have envied

Others of the expedition followed on as ht be--Shannon, Gass, the two Fields boys, others of the better hunters of the Kentuckians Even York, not to be denied, sneaked in at the rear They all rode quietly at first, with no outcry, no sound save the steady tramp of the horses

Their course was laid back into the prairie for a mile or two before a halt was called Then the chief disposed his forces The herd was supposed to be not far away, beyond a low ried in line A blanket waved froe

Dorion, also stripped to the waist, a kerchief bound about his head, carrying a short carbine against his thigh, now rode alongside

”He say Weucha show you how Sioux can ride,” he interpreted

”Tell hiood, Dorion,” rejoined Lewis ”We will show hie of the restless ranks A half-naked rider waved a blanket With shrill shouts the entire line broke at top speed for the ridge

Neither of the two young A the buffalo; yet now the exciteed on their horses, e riders

The buffalo had been feeding less than a quarter of a ot scent of the approach; but now, as the line of horsemen broke across the crest, the herd streae, fory heads held low, their vast bulk s The dust of their going arose in a blinding cloud, the thunder of their hoofs left inaudible even the shrill cries of the riding warriors as they closed in

The chase passed outward into an open plain, which lay white in alkali In a few moments the swift horses had carried the best of the riders deep into the dust-cloud which arose Eachhis best to keep it in sight as the herd plowed onward in the biting dust

Here and there the vast, solid surface of a sea of rolling backs could be gliht be seen close at hand It was bold work, and any who engaged in it took his chances

Lewis found his horse, the black runner that Weucha had given hiside his quarry

At a distance of a few feet he drew back the sinewy string of the tough Sioux bow, gripping his horse with his knees, swaying his body out to the bow, as he well kne The shaft, discharged at a distance of but half a dozen feet, sank home with a soft _zut_ The stricken animal swerved quickly toward him, but his wary horse leaped aside and went on Such as the work had been, it was done for that buffalo at least, and Lewis knew that he had caught the trick

The black runner singled out another and yet another; and again and again Lewis shot--until at last, his arrows nearly exhausted, after two or three miles of mad speed, he pulled out of the herd and waited

In the white dust-cloud, lifted now and then, he could see naked for their weapons Somewhere in the midst of it, out in the ruck of hoof and horn, his friend was riding, forgetting all else but the excitement of the chase What if accident had befallen either of the hih the herd, outward, around its flank--turned it, were crowding it back, ures, naked, leaning forward to the leaping of their horses One was an Indian, his black locks flowing, his eyes glea his horse as he rode The other was a whitered hair, broken fro the sa bull, which thus far had kept his distance some fifty yards or so ahead But as Lewis looked, both riders urged their horses to yetaway in advance and laid hiside of the quarry Lewis hie--saw the buffalo stu in exultation at Weucha, who ca his hand Now came Dorion also, out of a as usual

”Four nice cow I'll kill!” gabbled he ”I'll kill hie no many you'll shot, Captain?” he asked of Lewis