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Simon knew that he was to run between the lines, from the butcher-knives through the clubs and hoe-handles and tomahawks past the drum, to the council-house if he could. "Not for me," thought Simon. "I'll fool those yaller varmints." He stood braced, two warriors grasping him. The drum suddenly boomed with a new note, the warriors shoved him "Go!" The air trembled with the expectant clamor.

The Sioux never were so well supplied with blankets and butcher-knives, as when they received their reward for that massacre; never had so many prayers said and hymns sung over them, and their steamboat ride down the Minnesota and Mississippi and up the Missouri, to a point within two days' walk of the scene of their exploits, furnished them an excursion of about two thousand miles, and left them well prepared for future operations.

His blood and the blood of the others turned that water a dull red. Some time near midnight he died. And several days later, when General Miles's troops came to rescue them, the five others buried his body. It was night-time. The fires of the troopers glowed down at the foot of the slope. They made the grave with their butcher-knives by pulling down the sand from the wallow's side upon the body.

Stopping to wood at the mouth of a creek, a gang of raftsmen came on board, half-breed Canadians of fierce and demoralized aspect, men of great muscular strength, and armed heavily with axes and butcher-knives. The gang was led by Rupe Falardeau, a dangerous man, whether drunk or sober, and one whose antecedents were recorded in blood.

Could they successfully assault the fortified camp whose defenders thanks to the major's ingenuity had fitted butcher-knives to the muzzles of their guns in lieu of bayonets? Nay, rather would they have the courage to try? 'Twas late in the afternoon before these questions were answered. The rain had ceased, and the chill October sunlight filtered aslant through the trees.

Barkeepers took "a pinch for a drink," meaning what they could grasp with their fingers, and one huge-fisted man estimated that this method netted him three dollars per glass. San Francisco awoke to a famine in butcher-knives, pans and candles. Knives at first were used to gouge out auriferous rock, and soon these common household appurtenances brought as high as twenty-five dollars each.

But even at that he was taking a chance, or so at least it seemed, for the look in the Apache's eye as he had limped off up the gulch reminded Wunpost of a broken-backed rattlesnake. He was a bad Indian and a bad actor one of these men that throw butcher-knives and yet Wunpost had tamed him and set him afoot and come off with his back-hair, as promised.

That was the way of scouting expeditions, and he, with his five companions, was on the road from McClellan's Creek to Fort Supply when they met two hundred Indians on that September morning of 1874. Up near the northeast corner of the Texas Panhandle, where the land rises to a divide between Gageby's Creek and the Washita River, the five survivors dug his grave with butcher-knives.

That was a reminder. The next thing, he was led out, to run the gauntlet. The people were waiting, lined up in two rows facing inward. The rows bristled with clubs, switches, hoe-handles and tomahawks. The two persons at this end were warriors, holding butcher-knives! They would initiate him! Gosh! The lines were closed by a man beating a drum. Back of the man was the council-house.

He avoided the butcher-knives; he struck for the clear, the lines broke in furious pursuit, headed him off, he doubled like a rabbit, doubled again, sighted an open place, felled two Indians with his fists, headed for the opening, was tackled, stumbled under the blows, recovered, lunged on, and gasping clutched the post at the council-house doorway. It was sanctuary.