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the one in front crouched down and looked into the coulee。 Of
course； Stone boy； being behind； fell on top of the twins； and
being so heavy； killed both of them instantly； crushing them to a
jelly。
The rest of the boys； seeing what had happened； hastened to the
edge of the bank； and looking down； saw the twins laying dead； and
Stone boy himself knocked senseless； lying quite a little distance
from the twins。 The boys； thinking that all three were
killed； and that Stone boy had purposely steered the sleigh over
the bank in such a way that it would tip and kill the twins；
returned to the village with this report。 Now； these twins were
the sons of the head chief of the Buffalo Nation。 So at once the
chief and his scouts went over to the hill to see if the boys had
told the truth。
When they arrived at the bank they saw the twins lying dead； but
where was Stone boy？ They looked high and low through the gulch；
but not a sign of him could they find。 Tenderly they picked up the
dead twins and carried them home； then held a big council and put
away the bodies of the dead in Buffalo custom。
A few days after this the uncles were returning from a long
journey。 When they drew near their home they noticed large droves
of buffalo gathered on their side of the range。 Hardly any buffalo
ever ranged on this east side of the range before； and the brothers
thought it strange that so many should so suddenly appear there
now。
When they arrived at home their sister told them what had happened
to the chief's twins； as her son had told her the whole story upon
his arrival at home after the accident。
〃Well； probably all the buffalo we saw were here for the council
and funeral；〃 said the older brother。 〃But where is my nephew？〃
（Stone boy） he asked his sister。 〃He said he had noticed a great
many buffalo around lately and he was going to learn； if possible；
what their object was；〃 said the sister。 〃Well； we will
wait until his return。〃
When Stone boy left on his trip that morning； before the return of
his uncles； he was determined to ascertain what might be the
meaning of so many buffalo so near the home of himself and uncles。
He approached several bunches of young buffalo； but upon
seeing him approaching they would scamper over the hills。 Thus he
wandered from bunch to bunch； scattering them all。 Finally he grew
tired of their cowardice and started for home。 When he had come to
within a half mile or so of home he saw an old shaggy buffalo
standing by a large boulder； rubbing on it first one horn and then
the other。 On coming up close to him； the boy saw that the bull
was so old he could hardly see； and his horns so blunt that he
could have rubbed them for a year on that boulder and not sharpened
them so as to hurt anyone。
〃What are you doing here； grandfather？〃 asked the boy。
〃I am sharpening my horns for the war；〃 said the bull。
〃What war？〃 asked the boy。
〃Haven't you heard；〃 said the old bull； who was so near sighted he
did not recognize Stone boy。 〃The chief's twins were killed by
Stone boy； who ran them over a cut bank purposely； and the chief
has ordered all of his buffalo to gather here； and when they arrive
we are going to kill Stone boy and his mother and his uncles。〃
〃Is that so？ When is the war to commence？〃
〃In five days from now we will march upon the
uncles and trample and gore them all to death。〃
〃Well； grandfather； I thank you for your information； and in return
will do you a favor that will save you so much hard work on your
blunt horns。〃 So saying he drew a long arrow from his quiver and
strung his bow； attached the arrow to the string and drew the arrow
half way back。 The old bull； not seeing what was going on； and
half expecting some kind of assistance in his horn sharpening
process； stood perfectly still。 Thus spoke Stone boy：
〃Grandfather； you are too old to join in a war now； and besides if
you got mixed up in that big war party you might step in a hole or
stumble and fall and be trampled to death。 That would be a
horrible death； so I will save you all that suffering by just
giving you this。〃 At this word he pulled the arrow back to the
flint head and let it fly。 True to his aim； the arrow went in
behind the old bull's foreleg； and with such force was it sent that
it went clear through the bull and stuck into a tree two hundred
feet away。
Walking over to the tree； he pulled out his arrow。 Coolly
straightening his arrow between his teeth and sighting it for
accuracy； he shoved it back into the quiver with its brothers；
exclaiming： 〃I guess； grandpa； you won't need to sharpen your horns
for Stone boy and his uncles。〃
Upon his arrival home he told his uncles to get to work building
three stockades with ditches between and make the ditches wide and
deep so they will hold plenty of buffalo。 〃The fourth fence I will
build myself；〃 he said。
The brothers got to work early and worked until very late at night。
They built three corrals and dug three ditches around the hut； and
it took them three days to complete the work。 Stone boy hadn't
done a thing towards building his fence yet； and there were
only two days more left before the charge of the buffalo would
commence。 Still the boy didn't seem to bother himself about the
fence。 Instead he had his mother continually cutting arrow sticks；
and as fast as she could bring them he would shape them； feather
and head them。 So by the time his uncles had their fences and
corrals finished he had a thousand arrows finished for each of his
uncles。 The last two days they had to wait； the uncles joined him
and they finished several thousand more arrows。 The evening before
the fifth day he told his uncles to put up four posts； so they
could use them as seats from which to shoot。
While they were doing this； Stone boy went out to scout and see how
things looked。 At daylight he came hurriedly in saying； 〃You had
better get to the first corral； they are coming。〃 〃You haven't
built your fence； nephew。〃 Whereupon Stone boy said： 〃I will build
it in time； don't worry； uncle。〃 The dust on the hillsides rose as
great clouds of smoke from a forest fire。 Soon the leaders of the
charge came in sight； and upon seeing the timber stockade they gave
forth a great snort or roar that fairly shook the earth。 Thousands
upon thousands of mad buffalo charged upon the little fort。 The
leaders hit the first stockade and it soon gave way。 The maddened
buffalo pushed forward by the thousands behind them； plunged
forward； only to fall into the first ditch and be trampled to death
by those behind them。 The brothers were not slow in using their
arrows； and many a noble beast went down before their deadly aim
with a little flint pointed arrow buried deep in his heart。
The second stockade stood their charge a little longer than did the
first； but finally this gave way； and the leaders pushed