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 XVIII

THE PIERCED NOSES AGAIN

"The white men are coming back! The white men are coming!" sped the glad word among the Cho-pun-nish or Pierced Noses, in their villages 100 miles up, on the Kooskooskee. "They will make us well."

And the white men were indeed coming, by the trail from the Walla Walla, with the Snake Indian prisoner and Sa-ca-ja-we-a as interpreters; with the Skilloot and the three Walla Walla young men as guides (for the Pierced Nose and family had taken another trail); with some twenty horses, for the baggage, and for William Bratton, and for the men who had sore feet; and with the healing medicine box containing, especially, the celebrated eye-water.

"Let us wance get the horses we left with Twisted-hair an' we'll all ride, b' gorry," quoth Sergeant Pat, limping along.

"On ze Kamass Prairie dere will be plenty root, plenty game," rejoiced Chaboneau. "An' mebbe dere we rest, while leetle Toussaint get well." For little Toussaint seemed to be ailing.

First they were met, before reaching any village, by an old friend, Chief We-ah-koo-nut, and ten warriors. We-ah-koo-nut was called the Bighorn, because