To lessen the chance of an attack he stopped, got off his horse, and gathered up some grass.  He quickly braided it into a long strand, tied it in a certain way, and hung it on a tree.
   "What in the blazes are you doing?"  The Ax Man asked.  
   The Ancient One laughed.  "It's a recognition signal," he told his companion.  "Each tribe had a different one.  I'm telling them I'm a friend, that I know the people.  It should keep them from attacking us, from ambush.  They'll wait and see what we're doing."
   The Ax Man watched The Ancient One mount.  "Were you really that lame?" he asked. "And why are you wearing a brace?"
   "Certainly was!"  The Ancient One answered, "And without the brace I'd be out of character."
   "Isn't somebody going to wonder," The Ax Man continued, "about white people running around in the middle of a calvary fight with the Indians?"
   "Not really," The Ancient One answered.  "Though it's not well recorded in history there were quite a few whites fighting with the Indians that supported their cause and were against the government.  Some of them tanned their skins and wore Indian garb, but many of them just rode around dressed as themselves and spied on the army.  How do you think the Indians knew so much about what the army was doing?  They had help."
   "Wow!  I didn't know that!"  The Ax Man answered.  "But it only makes sense.  None of them were caught?"
   "Of  course they were!"  The Ancient One answered.  "But after the battle they were simply let go.  The government didn't want trials.  The whole Little Big Horn disaster was enough of an embarrassment to them, admitting that whites were helping the Indians to any great extent would've caused turmoil in the nation.  Governmental cover ups are nothing new."
   "Why didn't they just kill them?"  Durga asked.
   The Ancient One smiled. "Too many witnesses," he answered, "too many people knew the government had them.  If they'd have ended up dead it would've been just as bad as trying them, maybe worse.  Dead martyrs are something no government wants.  The people of this era may have been more corrupt than any other people in American history.  But they weren't stupid!  What have we got here?  Five white people with a wagon.  Now what are they doing out here and headed for the very position I'm concerned with?  Let's go have a closer look!  Howdy!"  The Ancient One cried.  "Don't you folks know there's going to be big trouble around here in a very short time?  If you value your lives I'd be getting out of here in a hurry!"  He opened his coat and let a marshall's badge show.
   "I guarantee you, constable," one of the men remarked, "we're getting out of here just as fast as we can!  But we can't lose our cargo.  It's priceless!"
   "Yeah?"  The Ancient One asked.  "What is it?"
   "We're from a museum in the east," another man answered.  "We're collecting fossils, bones, that have been turned to rock with the passage f time.  These are very rare ones of ancient creatures that used to live here ages ago.  We must get them to safety!  Your assistance would be appreciated."
   "Well, I'm afraid we'd be too busy to help you," The Ancient One answered, "but if you head up that way, take that trail and keep going 'til you hit civilization, you should be well out of the fight."
   "Thank you!"  another of the men remarked. "We'll be on our way."
  "Good luck!"  The Ancient One sighed, turned on his horse, and he and his companions rode away.
   "Damn!"  The Ax Man moaned, "Thought we had something there."
   "We do!"  The Ancient One answered. "Those are no anthropologists from the east coast.  Their accents are all wrong!  I think they Are our prey, what we're looking for."
   "Why didn't you do anything?" The Ax Man asked.
   "Because one of them had his hand on something," The Ancient One answered, "and I had a feeling that if we'd made any sudden moves ALL of us would've been itty bitty little pieces, and I'm not sure if we could reconstitute!  So I thought it was better to move off, let them play for a while, and then make our moves."
   "Sounds like a good idea!"  The Ax Man agreed.  "Sounds like a VERY good idea!  I don't like that not being able to reconstitute part!"
   "Neither do I!" Durga put in, "By the way, we've got company!"
   Twenty mounted Indians had suddenly topped the rise ahead of them.  When The Ancient One looked behind him he saw perhaps thirty more in that direction!  They made no sign they were going to attack so The Ancient One dismounted, took off his gun belt, put it on his horse's saddle and walked out a good distance from the others. One of the mounted Indians handed his rifle to one of his companions, nudged his horse forward, stopped a short distance from The Ancient One, dismounted, and walked the rest of the way to him.