“That looks like our garbage pit,” stated Numankaki. “Why is that on display?” 

Karina explained, “That is what we call the cache.  We learn about your people from the cache.  In it we find what foods were stored and also garbage.  It includes corn, pemmican, broken pottery, and other trash.   This helps us find out what they ate.  You see, the people first dug the hole and used it to store food.  Later, mice and bugs found the storage hole.  It then became a garbage pit.  We sometimes find tools and pottery other places, but sometimes we find almost whole pottery bowls like the one we saw back at the dome.”   

“Where’s Hidatsa?” said a panicked Numankaki  “When did he leave?”

“I’m over here,” said a sad sounding Hidatsa, “All I see is this broken part of a buffalo, and it’s getting so late. ”

“Oh!” said Jeremy suddenly excited. “You should see the buffalo I found today, made out of stone and in perfect condition.  I was bringing it to show Karina today when you two showed up. “He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little stone buffalo that was nicely carved with some etching in the side.”

“That’s it!” shouted Hidatsa, and he quickly reached up and grabbed the buffalo. “This is mine. My grandpa made it, and it is why we came.”

“I’m sorry,” said Jeremy,  “but you can’t have the buffalo.  It is federal property now.  There is a stiff fine for taking anything from this site, and this is a pretty special find.”  No”, said Hidatsa. “It’s mine”. 

Jeremy glanced at Karina and then looked back, but to his amazement the children were both gone.   Looking back at Karina, he said in a hushed voice, “Where did they go?”

Karina stood quietly with her mouth open for a few seconds and then smiled slightly and said, “They said they could only stay until sundown.  I think they are probably back home telling stories that no one there will believe, and I think this is one story only you and I will talk about.  C’mon, lets go get something to eat.  It has been a strange day.”