The lazy rascal never works, but sits
at home drinking strong tea, smoking and telling lies,
while his wives, young ones and old ones, and his brawling
papooses go abroad looking for something to eat.
Now besides Poundmaker, there were among those Stoney
Crees two other mischief-loving half-and-half Chiefs.
One delighted in the name of Lucky Man, and the other of
Little Pine. These two vagabonds leagued themselves with
Poundmaker, when the first tidings of the the outbreak
reached them, and painting their faces, went abroad among
the young men, inciting them to revolt. They reminded
them, that if they arose they would have plenty of big
feasts, for the prairie was full of the white men's
cattle. And Little Pine glanced with snaky eyes toward
the town of Battleford.
"May be by-em-by, get fine things out of stores. Go in
and frighten away 'em people, then take heaps o' nice
things; get squaws, may be, to help 'em to carry 'em
away." This was just the sort of incentive that the young
men wanted; and the Indian girls screamed with delight
at the prospect of red shawls, and heaps of ribbons, and
boxes of brass rings, and pretty red and white stockings,
and boots with buttons on them.
Presently Big Bear, and Little Pine, and Lucky Man began
to get their forces in motion. Armed with bows and arrows,
spears, and tomahawks, shot-guns and flint-muskets, and
followed by gew-gaw-loving girls, squalling pappooses,
and half starved yellow dogs, the Crees, with the three
beauties just mentioned at their head, marched toward
the town.
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