"Soka'pii, good," acknowledged First Rider. "But, if they are building a home there, why are they, as well as Otahki and her father, still living at Fort Benton?"
"From what I understand," Stands Strong replied, "a white man's lodge takes much time to put together, with many trees cut down so as to make their walls solid and firm. And, at present, their lodge is not fully built to allow them to move into it and be safe within it. Thus, they have had no other choice but to remain at Fort Benton, though my wife's family has set a guard to watch over their living quarters while they still live within the fort."
"They could stay with our people," First Rider replied.
"And, so they did at first. But, neither my wife's father nor her mother were accustomed to moving camp as we do. Theypossess too many 'things' to make the moving about easy for them."
"Áa," replied First Rider, nodding. "And so, they are living at the fort for now." He shook his head. "It must be hard on Otahki to have to stay in such a terrible place."
"I am certain it is so," Stands Strong replied. "My woman tells me Fort Benton is now worse than what I have related to you. She tells me her family's rooms are guarded both day and night and no one ventures out of his or her room at night; not for any reason."
First Rider had replied with only a brief nod, and after another few words, they had ended their council.
It was his friend Stands Strong speaking to him now that brought First Rider back into the present and to the current matter at hand.
Said Stands Strong, "Because we approach the fort in the early morning, it is to be hoped the wild men within the fort will have found their beds. And, since the white man insists upon taking all our weapons before allowing us into the fort, we have much to fear from the gold-seekers' violence if we approach the fort's gate. Perhaps we should sneak into the gold-seekers' lair from thepenah'pots,the east side of the fort. But, we must stay alert as we enter the wild, white man's stronghold, and, until we reach the place where Henrik and his daughter live, we must be ready to use our rifles to advantage."
"Áa," replied First Rider. "Since it is early morning, it is to be hoped the crazy white men, as you say, will be abed."
"Do you know where Henrik and his daughter live within the fort?" asked Red Fox.
"Áa, yes, on thepenah'pots, the east side of the fort," said Stands Strong. "In my memory, I recall this being a place not well guarded. It is why I suggest we approach the fort from its eastern side."
And so, it was decided: they would enter the fort from the east, and they would retain their weapons.
