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diff --git a/old/55720-8.txt b/old/55720-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 247d885..0000000 --- a/old/55720-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8156 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wolf Hunters, by Robert M. Peck - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: The Wolf Hunters - A Story of the Buffalo Plains - -Author: Robert M. Peck - -Editor: George Bird Grinnell - -Release Date: October 9, 2017 [EBook #55720] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOLF HUNTERS *** - - - - -Produced by David E. Brown and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - -BOOKS BY GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL - -Published by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS - - - THE WOLF HUNTERS. Illustrated. - 12mo, _net_ $1.35 - - BLACKFEET INDIAN STORIES. Illustrated. - 12mo, _net_ $1.00 - - BEYOND THE OLD FRONTIER. Illustrated. - 12mo, _net_ $1.50 - - TRAILS OF THE PATHFINDERS. Illustrated. - 12mo, _net_ $1.50 - - BLACKFOOT LODGE TALES. The Story - of a Prairie People. 12mo, _net_ $1.75 - - PAWNEE HERO STORIES AND FOLK TALES. - Illustrated, 12mo, _net_ $1.75 - - - - -THE WOLF HUNTERS - - -[Illustration: "Then come a puff of smoke and the prairie was afire." - - [Page 237]] - - - - - THE - WOLF HUNTERS - - A STORY OF THE BUFFALO PLAINS - - EDITED AND ARRANGED - FROM THE MANUSCRIPT ACCOUNT OF - - ROBERT M. PECK - - BY - - GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL - - _Illustrated_ - - CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS - NEW YORK:::::::::::::::::::::1914 - - - COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY - CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS - - Published September, 1914 - - [Illustration] - - - - -INTRODUCTORY NOTE - - -In the days of the buffalo, wolfing was a recognized industry. Small -parties--two or more men--with team, saddle-horses, and camp outfit, -used to go out into the buffalo range, establish a camp, and spend -the winter there, killing buffalo and poisoning the carcasses with -strychnine. The wolves that fed on these carcasses died about them, and -their pelts were taken to camp, to be stretched and dried. - -The work was hard and not without its dangers. Storms were frequent, -and often very severe, and the Indians were bitterly opposed to the -operations of these wolf hunters, who killed great numbers of buffalo -for wolf baits, as well as elk, antelope, deer, and other smaller -animals. On the other hand, in winter the Indians did not usually -travel about very much. - -The following pages describe the adventures of Mr. Peck and two -companions--all recently discharged soldiers--during the winter of -1861-1862. - -Robert Morris Peck was born in Washington, Mason County, Kentucky, -October 30, 1839. At the age of seventeen--November, 1856--he enlisted -in the First Cavalry, and the following year was sent to Fort -Leavenworth and took part in the Cheyenne and other campaigns. He was -discharged in 1861, and not very long afterward became a wagon-master, -in which capacity he served in the army of the frontier. Mr. Peck died -March 25, 1909. - - G. B. G. - - July, 1914. - - - - -CONTENTS - - -CHAPTER PAGE - - I. TOM'S PLAN 1 - - II. WE GET OUR DISCHARGES 7 - - III. WE FIND AN OUTFIT 12 - - IV. BACK TO THE BUFFALO RANGE 24 - - V. WE MEET DOUBTFUL CHARACTERS 42 - - VI. STANDING OFF THE JAYHAWKERS 51 - - VII. JACK TAKES A PRISONER 63 - - VIII. TOM'S STRATEGY 72 - - IX. BUFFALO NEAR THE BIG BEND 87 - - X. WHY SATANK KILLED PEACOCK 96 - - XI. WE REACH FORT LARNED 111 - - XII. OUR CAMP ON WALNUT CREEK 122 - - XIII. KILLED BY THE INDIANS 150 - - XIV. SATANTA'S STORY 159 - - XV. WILD BILL VISITS US 171 - - XVI. TOM LOCKS THE STABLE DOOR 184 - - XVII. VOLUNTEER TROOPS AT LARNED 195 - - XVIII. BILL RETURNS FROM HIS SCOUT 206 - - XIX. A NIGHT IN THE KIOWA CAMP 216 - - XX. WE TRADE WITH INDIANS 226 - - XXI. JACK'S CLOSE CALL 235 - - XXII. SATANK ARRIVES 243 - - XXIII. SURROUNDED BY KIOWAS 255 - - XXIV. CAPTAIN SAUNDERS' FIGHT 266 - - XXV. WE PART FROM FRIENDS 277 - - XXVI. BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY 297 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - "Then come a puff of smoke and the prairie - was afire" _Frontispiece_ - - Facing page - - "Five minutes to get out of range! Now, - git!" 60 - - "It must have been the work of Injuns" 154 - - "Go to Tom" 250 - - - - -THE WOLF HUNTERS - - - - -CHAPTER I - -TOM'S PLAN - - -"Well, men, what will we do?" said Jack Flanagan. "We can re-enlist -or go back to the States and each hunt his job, or we can try to get -something to do where we can all three stick together." - -"Let's stick together if we can," said I. - -"Now, hold on, men," advised Tom Vance, "until you hear what I have got -to say. I have been thinking a lot about what we'd best do, and last -night I think it come to me." - -"Tell us what it is, Tom," said Jack eagerly. "'Tis yourself has the -wise head on his shoulders, and I'd like to hear your plan." - -We were three soldiers of Company K, First Cavalry, whose terms of -service were about to expire, and we looked forward with much eagerness -to the time when we should again be our own masters instead of being -subject to military discipline. Of course, we could re-enlist for -another five years, and the government offered inducements to do this. -A soldier who re-enlisted within three months before the expiration -of his term received a discharge three months in advance of its -expiration, with furlough for that length of time and three months' -extra pay. At the expiration of that time he was expected to report to -his company or, if unable to do that, at the nearest military post. -Failing to report for duty on time, he was regarded as a deserter. Tom -Vance had served for three enlistments and Jack Flanagan for two. I was -at the end of my first five years. - -We were at Fort Wise,[A] Colorado Territory, and it was the summer of -1861. The Civil War was just beginning. - -"What is your plan, Tom?" Jack repeated. - -"Well, men," said Tom, "as I say, I thought of it last night, and I -believe that we can spend the winter somewhere out here in the buffalo -range hunting wolves and can make a good stake doing that. We all know -something about the plains and something about wolf hunting, and if -we can raise the money needed for the outfit, I believe we can make a -go of it. The Indians are pretty quiet now, but, of course, we know -something about Indians and know that they've got to be looked out for -all the time, but I guess we'll be safe enough. What do you think of -it?" - -"It's sure a fine plan," said Jack, "if we can carry it through; but -how much money is it going to take?" - -"It's a great scheme, Tom," I added, "and it seems to me there ought to -be money in it; but have we the capital?" - -"We'll have some money," said Tom, "but, of course, we've got to sail -pretty close to the wind and to cut our coat according to our cloth. -When we get our 'final statements' cashed we ought to have about two -hundred dollars apiece. This ought to buy us a good team of ponies and -camp outfit, with supplies for the winter. At outfitting towns like -Saint Joe, Leavenworth, Kansas City, or Independence there are chances -to buy a good team and camp outfit in the fall from people who are -coming in from buffalo hunting, and get them cheap, too. - -"We ought to go to one of those towns, look out for such hunting -parties, and, if we can find what we want cheap, take it in; then -we can strike out for the plains by the old Santa Fé road, select -a location in about the thickest of the herds, build us a cabin or -dugout, and get ready for winter." - -Jack and I agreed that the plan was sound, and Tom then asked us for -any ideas or suggestions that we might have. We both felt, however, -that his fifteen years' service had given him so much experience that -he was much more likely to think of the necessary points than we, and -we had far more faith in his judgment than in our own. We asked him to -go ahead and give us the further details of his plan so far as he had -thought them out. - -"First," Tom said, "we must get what we absolutely need, and if we have -any money left after that we can buy luxuries. For grub we'd better -take about the same as government rations--flour, bacon, beans, coffee, -sugar, rice, and salt. A Sharp's rifle and a Colt's navy apiece, with -plenty of cartridges, will be all the arms we'll want, and, besides -the clothing we already have, each man ought to have a good suit of -buckskins. These are better than any cloth for wear and to keep off -the wind. We can make overcoats, caps, and mittens out of furs as soon -as we take a few pelts and dress them. Most of these things we can -get here before we are discharged. The first sergeants of the cavalry -companies often have some of these things over and will sell them to us -for very little money." - -"How about tobacco and pipes?" asked Jack. - -"Tobacco don't come under the head of general supplies, and, as Peck -don't use it, every man will have to buy his own tobacco." - -"How about whiskey?" asked Jack, for he had a weakness for liquor. - -Tom answered him quickly: "There'll be no whiskey taken along if I am -to have any say in the plans for the expedition. When we leave the -settlements you'll have to swear off until we get back again; and that -reminds me that when we get our 'final statements' cashed it will be a -good idea for you to turn over your money to Peck, all except a small -allowance for a spree, if you must have one." - -Jack was forced to yield to the decision of the majority that whiskey -should form no part of our supplies. - -"Seems to me," I began, to change the subject, "that we've got to -decide on where we'll go. Where do you think we'd better locate our -winter camp, Tom?" - -"As to that, I haven't quite made up my mind," said he, "but it must -be somewhere near the centre of the buffalo range and not too far from -the Santa Fé road. Fort Larned is about the middle of the range this -season, and I've thought some of pitching our camp on Walnut Creek, -about twenty miles north of the fort." - -"It's now toward the last of August," continued Tom, "and our time will -be out in September. We can call for our discharges now any time that -we see a chance to get transportation into the States. It'll take us -about a month to reach the Missouri River if we go by bull train, and -that'll be about the first of October. Allowing about ten days to fit -out for the return, it'll take us the rest of October to go back to the -neighborhood of Fort Larned. We won't want to do much wolf skinning -before the middle of November, when the winter coat begins to get good, -but there'll be plenty of work to keep us busy, building, fitting up -camp, and getting ready for the cold weather. It won't do for us to -have our camp too close to Fort Larned or the Santa Fé road, for around -there buffalo and wolves will be scarce, but we want to be near enough -to call for our mail occasionally. Besides that, if Indians should be -troublesome it's a good thing to be nigh to Uncle Sam's soldiers." - -"They say," put in Jack, "that there's plenty of otter and beaver in -Walnut Creek." - -"Yes," replied Tom, "we'll be apt to find some of them, but they're -nothing like as plenty as they used to be. All those timbered creeks -used to have lots of beaver and otter in them, and we'll find some -of them, but our best hold will be wolfskins. They are plentiest and -easiest to get. We'll take a few steel traps along to try for otter and -beaver. We'll take anything we can in the way of fur." - - - - -CHAPTER II - -WE GET OUR DISCHARGES - - -The next day Tom came to me looking rather serious, and I saw that he -had something on his mind, and when he had gotten me alone he explained -what this was. - -"I've been thinking it over, Peck," he said, "and I've pretty near made -up my mind that we'd better drop Jack and either pick up another man -or else you and me go it without a third man. I am afraid that Jack's -fondness for liquor will get him into trouble and so make trouble for -us. I hate to go back on him, for he's a rattlin' good fellow when he -is out of the reach of whiskey, but, when he can get it, he's a regular -drunkard." - -"That's so, Tom," I answered; "but when we get started back to the -plains we'll soon have him where he can't get whiskey, and then he'll -be all right. I think we can manage him by making him turn over all his -money except a few dollars to you or to me, and when his money is gone -we'll see that he gets no more. If we can get him to promise that after -he gets through he will let liquor alone, he will do it. Jack prides -himself on being a man of his word." - -"Well," said Tom with some hesitation, "we'll take him then, but we -must have a fair and square understanding with him and fire him if he -don't come to time and behave like a man. We can't fool away time with -a drunken man." - -Besides being an all-around good fellow, Jack had a fiddle and could -play it and could also sing. On these musical accomplishments I counted -for much enlivening of our lonely winter's work. - -When spoken to about binding himself to let whiskey alone, Jack readily -promised that after one little spree when we got our pay he would -swear off entirely till the wolf hunting trip was over. He was willing -to turn over his money to Tom or to me when we should be paid off, -reserving only a few dollars for the "good time" that he had promised -himself. - -We now began trading with the Indians for the skins needed for our -buckskin suits, and as we got them we smoked them, using for this -purpose a large dry-goods box, to the bottom of which, on the inside, -we tacked the hides in place. The box was then, turned over a little -smothered fire in a hole in the ground. We found that this way of -smoking skins was an improvement on the Indian method, smoking them -more quickly and evenly and giving them a more uniform color. - -In 1861 the agency for the five tribes--Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas, -Comanches, and Prairie Apaches--was at Fort Wise, and, as the time -approached for the Indian agent to make the annual distribution of -gifts from the government, the tribes would come in to receive their -annuities. Our trading with the Indians had to be done quietly, because -the post sutler had the exclusive privilege of all Indian trade on the -post reservation, and, by order of the commanding officer, no one else -might carry on any traffic with the Indians. - -From one of the cavalry first sergeants we each bought a rifle, -revolver, and some cartridges, and such additional soldier clothing as -we needed. These purchases were, of course, illegal. It was a serious -offence for any non-commissioned officer or soldier to sell government -property. On the other hand, it was very frequently done. - -A few days later Tom came into the quarters and gleefully exclaimed: -"I've struck it. A bull train is corralling about a mile above the -post, and the wagon-master has agreed to haul us into the settlements. -It is one of Majors & Russell's outfits going back empty, and the -wagon boss agrees to take us and let us work our passage, for he is -shorthanded. The train will lie over here to-morrow to get some work -done, and that will give us time to get our discharges, draw our -rations, and say good-by to the other men." - -"But, Tom," said Jack, "how can we work our passage in a bull train -when ne'er a one of us knows anything about driving bulls?" - -"I told the wagon boss that," answered Tom, "and he said it made no -difference, that he had other work that any greenhorn could do--night -herding or driving the cavvy-yard. We're to get our plunder out at the -side of the road as he pulls through the post. Now, as that is settled, -let's put on our best jackets and go over to the captain's quarters and -ask for our discharges." - -"Well, Tom," said Jack, "we'll let you do the talking for us, for -likely enough the 'old man' will give us a lot of taffy and try to -persuade us to re-enlist. You can give him our reasons for not taking -on again better than me and Peck." - -Before long we had marched briskly across the parade-ground and lined -up in front of the captain's door, with Tom in the post of honor on the -right. The captain opened the door and stepped out, when we all three -saluted, and as he returned it he asked: - -"Well, men, what's wanting?" - -Standing rigidly at attention, Jack and I kept silence while Tom spoke, -saying: - -"We've called, sir, to see if the captain would be so kind as to give -us our discharges so we can take advantage of the chance to go into the -States with the bull train that's camped in the bottom yonder." - -"Why, yes; certainly," said the captain slowly; "but I had hoped that -you men would re-enlist in time to get the benefit of the three months' -extra pay with furlough. You are pretty sure to re-enlist sooner or -later, and it would be better for you to take on in your old company. -It looks as if the war would continue for some time yet, and, as we -will probably all be ordered into the States soon, there will be good -opportunities for well-trained soldiers to get commissions in the -volunteers." - -"We're very grateful to the captain for his good opinion, but we've -concluded to go down into the buffalo range and put in the winter -skinning wolves," said Tom. "Next summer, if we take a notion to -re-enlist, we'll hunt the old company up." - -"All right, men," said the captain, apparently not wishing to seem -unduly anxious about the matter; "you may go to the first sergeant and -tell him I order your discharges and final statements made out." - -Thanking him, we saluted and marched off. The documents were made out -in due course and handed to us by the sergeant, with compliments on the -good service we had all performed and the expression of a hope that -when we had "blowed in our money" we would go back to the old company. -For some hours we were busy packing up, happy in the feeling that we -were once more citizens. We spent some time shaking hands and bidding -good-by to every one, and in some cases the partings were rather -moving. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -WE FIND AN OUTFIT - - -When the dusty bull train came rolling along the road past the garrison -it found us waiting. Our property was stowed in an empty wagon, and, -again shouting good-bys to the comrades who had come out to see us off, -we began our tedious, dusty, dirty march with the bull train. - -At that time Majors & Russell, of Leavenworth, Kansas, had the contract -for transporting government supplies to all frontier posts. Mr. Majors -had the reputation of being a very religious man, and in fitting out -trains required all wagon-masters and teamsters to sign a written -contract agreeing to use no profane language and not to gamble or to -travel on Sundays. At starting he furnished each man with a Bible and -hymn-book, and exhorted him to read the gospel and hold religious -services on the Sabbath. This statement is regarded by many people of -the present day as an old frontier joke, but it is actual fact. - -The wagons--called prairie-schooners--were large and heavy and -usually drawn by six yoke of oxen to the team. When outward bound -they were loaded at the rate of one thousand pounds of freight to the -yoke. Twenty-five such teams constituted a train, in charge of a -wagon-master and assistant, who were mounted on mules. The travel was -slow, dusty, and disagreeable beyond description. At camping time the -trains corralled across the road, a half circle on either side, leaving -the open road running through the centre of the corral. - -[Illustration: _Bull Train corralled for camp._] - -Our route was down the Arkansas River on the north bank, but the train -itself did not go to the water. That used for cooking and drinking was -carried along in casks, which were replenished at every opportunity. -The detail of this travel, while interesting, cannot be given here, but -on the journey we learned a great deal that was absolutely new to us. - -On the first night out from Fort Wise we were awakened by a -bull-whacker, who brought to our bed two men who had asked for us and -who proved to be deserters. We felt the sympathy for them which the -average soldier feels for a deserter, gave them a little money and some -rations, and recommended them to hurry on, travelling at night and -lying hid in the daytime. They went on, as advised. - -The next morning a sergeant and two privates from Fort Wise galloped up -behind us and stopped to speak to us, asking if we had seen a couple -of deserters. We gravely told them that we had seen no such men and -suggested that they might have gone west from Fort Wise. The sergeant -made a perfunctory search of the wagons and then went on, to camp a -little farther along and kill time until it was necessary to return -to the post. In those days such pursuing parties often overtook the -deserters they were after, gave them part of their rations, and sent -them along on their road. - -At the Big Timbers, on the Arkansas, we met with a large band of -Cheyenne Indians on the way up to Fort Wise to receive their annuities; -and when we reached the Santa Fé road, where it crossed the Arkansas, -coming from the Cimarron River by the sixty-mile dry stretch called the -_jornada_, we saw a government six-mule train, travelling east, just -going into camp on the river bank. - -Here, we thought, was an opportunity to get along faster and travel -more comfortably if we could arrange for a transfer to the mule train. -Its days' drives were about twice as long as those of the bull train, -which seldom exceeded twelve miles a day. We therefore sent Tom back to -the mule train, and he found in the wagon-master of the train an old -acquaintance, who cheerfully agreed to take us on to Fort Leavenworth -without charge. Next morning, as the mule train passed us, we bade -good-by to our kind but dirty friends the bull-whackers and tumbled -ourselves and our baggage into one of the empty mule wagons and went on. - -At the Santa Fé crossing of the Arkansas, we had begun to see a few -buffalo; and the herds grew larger as we went on until we reached -Pawnee Fork, near Fort Larned, which seemed to be about the centre of -their range. After we passed the fort their numbers decreased until -we came to the Little Arkansas, where we saw the last of them. Our -old company, K of the First Cavalry, had built the first quarters at -Larned, in 1859. When we passed it, in the autumn of 1861, it was -garrisoned by two companies of the Second Infantry and one of the -Second Dragoons and was commanded by Major Julius Hayden, Second -Infantry. - -After joining the mule train Tom, Jack, and I made it our business -to keep the outfit supplied with fresh meat while passing through -the buffalo range. We also killed numbers of ducks, geese, brant, -and sand-hill cranes, borrowing the wagon-master's shotgun for bird -hunting. This suggested to us that a good shotgun would be a useful -part of our equipment for the winter's work. - -[Illustration: _Mule Train camped in park_] - -In due time we reached Fort Leavenworth, received our pay from our old -paymaster, Major H. E. Hunt, and then went down to Leavenworth City, -two and a half miles from the fort. We stopped at a boarding-house -kept by an old dragoon who had a wide acquaintance among citizens and -soldiers and who could and would be useful to us in getting together -our outfit. - -The war between the States was now in full blast, and blue cloth and -brass buttons were seen everywhere. Several of our former comrades had -enlisted in the volunteers, and some had obtained commissions. - -According to our previous understanding, I had been chosen as treasurer -and bookkeeper for the expedition and began to keep accounts of -receipts and expenses. Each man turned into a common fund, to be used -in the purchase of an outfit, one hundred and fifty dollars--making a -common capital of four hundred and fifty dollars. The balance of each -man's money was left in his hands to use as he saw fit, except in the -case of Jack, whom we had persuaded to turn over all his money to me. -Jack begged ten dollars from me to go off and have a good time, and -Tom advised me to give it; but he warned Jack that he would probably -bring up in the lockup and declared that if he did so he should stay -there until we were ready to start. Both Jack and I had so much respect -for Tom's greater age and experience that we never thought of taking -offence at his scoldings. - -For two days Tom and I were busy going about from one stable to -another, hoping to find a ready-made camp outfit, team, and wagon -offered for sale cheap. Nothing like that had as yet been seen. We -had heard nothing of our Irishman, and I was getting a little uneasy -about him and asked Tom if I should not go to the police station, pay -Jack's fine, and get him out. Tom agreed, and expressed some sorrowful -reflections on the blemish to Jack's character which his love for -liquor implied. - -As expected, Jack was found behind the bars. He had evidently received -a terrible beating, part of it from a gang of toughs who had tried to -rob him, and the remainder from the police who had finally, with much -difficulty, arrested him. I was obliged to pay a fine of twenty dollars -to get Jack out. - -A further search of Leavenworth City failed to show us what we wanted, -and we were getting discouraged. To buy a team and a camp equipment at -the prices that were asked would take all the money we could raise and -still leave us poorly prepared for our expedition. We were considering -the possibility of doing better in Kansas City and Saint Joe and had -half decided to go to those places when one day Jack came rushing in, -exclaiming: - -"I've struck it. I've struck just the rig that we want. A lot of -fine-haired fellows from the East have just got in from a buffalo hunt -with a splendid outfit they want to sell. They will take anything they -can get for it, because they are going back East on the railroad and -are in a hurry to get off; and who do you think I found in charge of -the outfit but Wild Bill Hickock?[B] Bill told me he'd been hired by -three fellows to buy the team and rig up the whole equipment for them, -and he'd been their guide. He says it's a dandy outfit. He don't know -how much they'll ask for it, but says they don't care for money and -will give it away if they can't sell it. They've left Bill to get rid -of it. It's over yonder on Shawnee Street, and we'd better look it over -and see what sort of a bargain we can make." - -By this time we were all heading for Jim Brown's livery stable. There -we found the wagon in the back lot, and the team, a good pair of mules, -in the barn. When we had looked over the well appointed rig and made a -rough estimate of its probable value we began to fear that the owners -would ask more than we could pay for it. Wild Bill was absent. - -I asked: "What do you think of the outfit, Tom?" - -"It's one of the best camp equipments I ever saw," replied Tom, "but I -am afraid it's too rich for our blood. Those mules and harness alone -would be cheap at two hundred and fifty dollars. The wagon is easy -worth another hundred dollars, and there is no telling what the camp -outfit cost. They must have let Bill fit things up to his own notion, -and Bill never did know the value of money. It may be, as Bill said, -that they don't expect much for it and they'll let us have it cheap as -dirt. We'd better be quick, if we can, before some one else snaps it -up." - -"Here comes Wild Bill himself!" exclaimed Jack; and sure enough, that -first of frontier scouts, in beaded buckskins and with his long, tawny -hair hanging down his back, came striding through the barn to meet us. -Bill confirmed what Jack had told us, and said that as these young men -seemed to have more money than they knew what to do with he had rigged -up as good an outfit as he knew how. He continued: "The wagons, mules, -harness, camp outfit, and some grub left over is for sale, but their -riding horses are not for sale. They are to be shipped on the cars back -to New York. They've got a couple of pretty fair broncos which they got -here at starting, and they'll sell you them, or throw them in for good -measure. What will you give me for the whole lot?" - -Tom asked if he was willing to let us unload the wagon and look at -its contents, to which Bill assented. We found it an extraordinarily -complete camp outfit, with many duplicate parts for the wagon, a Sibley -tent, a sheet-iron cook-stove, a mess-chest, and a complete mess-kit, -or cooking outfit. There was a large amount of provisions left over. -The wagon and the animals were good and the broncos had saddles and -bridles. - -While we were unpacking the wagon Bill told us something about the -trip, which, from the point of view of the hunters, had been very -successful, though commonplace enough as Bill saw it. When the -examination was completed Bill asked: "What do you think of the outfit, -Tom, and what will you give me for the whole caboodle?" - -"It's a good rig, and no mistake," replied Tom with a seemingly -hopeless sigh, "but, Bill, I am afraid we haven't money enough to buy -it. The outfit was all right for your purposes, but we'll have to buy a -lot more things and must have some money left after buying a team and -camp outfit. To buy your outfit would clean us out." - -"Well," said Bill, "make a bid of what you can afford to give, not what -it's worth. They do not expect to get what it's worth." - -"It sounds like a mighty small price, Bill, and I'm ashamed to make you -the offer," said Tom hesitatingly, "but two hundred dollars is as much -as we can afford to give and still buy our other truck. Would your men -consider such a bid as that?" - -"Boys, that does seem like giving the outfit away, and until I see my -men I won't say whether they'll take it or not, but I'll talk for you -a little and help you out all I can. They told me to sell the rig for -whatever I could get, and I'll tell them that two hundred dollars is -the best offer I have had--it's the only one; if they say it's a go the -outfit is yours." - -As we stood on a corner near the levee awaiting Bill's return we heard -the long, hoarse whistle of a steamboat, and saw one approaching from -down the river, though still some distance away. A little later Bill -came hurrying out of the hotel and gladdened our hearts by telling us -that our offer had been accepted. His men were to take the approaching -steamer to Saint Joe, and he must hurry back to Brown's stable and help -get their fine hunting-horses aboard the boat. - -I counted him out the two hundred dollars, which he stuffed in his -pocket without recounting. We had bought for two hundred dollars an -outfit worth at least five hundred dollars. - -We soon had the six fine horses on board the boat. Bill went up to the -cabin to turn over the money we had paid him. Soon the steamer's big -bell clanged, and just as the deck-hands were about to pull in the -gangplank, Bill came running out and turned and waved good-by to his -employers, who stood on the hurricane-deck. - -In the autumn of 1861 there was no railroad in Kansas, and the nearest -point to reach the cars going east from Leavenworth would have been -Weston, six or eight miles above, on the Missouri side of the river. -The railroad from Saint Joseph east was patrolled by Union soldiers, to -protect the bridges and keep it open for travel. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -BACK TO THE BUFFALO RANGE - - -As we started back up-town Bill exclaimed gleefully: - -"Well, boys, what do you think? When I offered them fellows the money -you paid me for the outfit they would not take a dollar of it, but told -me to keep it for an advance payment--a sort of retaining fee--for -my services next season. They're coming out again next spring with a -bigger party and made me promise to meet them here and go with them." - -After Bill left us Tom said: "Bill never did know the value of money. -He could just as well as not have had the whole outfit that he sold us -or, if he didn't want to keep it, could have sold it for twice what we -paid him for it. But he's a free-hearted, generous fellow and never -thought of it. He's brave as a lion; never was known to do a mean or -cowardly trick; a dead shot. I am afraid, though, that he will die with -his boots on, and die young, too." - -When we got back to the stable we found Jim Brown, the proprietor, -there, and Tom told him that we had bought the wagon, mules, broncos, -and so forth, and would pay his charges before taking them away, as -soon as Wild Bill came around to confirm the sale. - -"Now, men," said the veteran, when we reached our boarding-house, -"we're beginnin' to see our way toward gettin' out of this town, an' -the sooner the better, I say; but we've got to do some more plannin'. -I'll give you my plans, an' if you can suggest better ways, all right. -To-morrow mornin' we'll pay our bills, an' then we'll hitch up an' pull -out onto that open ground out t'other side of Broadway and camp there -an' go to work gettin' ready to leave here. In camp we can overhaul the -outfit an' see just exactly what more we need." - -"Nothing could be better," chipped in Jack. - -"Same here," I added. "Now tell us what to do to get ready for -travelling?" - -"Hold on," said Tom, "I've got another suggestion to offer. We're going -to have a heap heavier load than them hunters had, an' I'm in favor of -gettin' a pair of lead harness an' spreaders an' putting them broncos -on for leaders an' work four going out. We'll want to take about five -months' supplies for ourselves an' what grain we can haul to help our -animals through the winter, an' all that will make too much of a load -for the mules alone. We can't afford to feed our stock full rations -of grain, but they ought to have some to help 'em through the worst -weather an' keep 'em from gettin' too poor." - -"That's a good idea; but what if the mustangs won't work?" suggested -Jack. "It's a common trick with their sort to balk in harness, though -they may be good under the saddle." - -"I know that," replied Tom, "an' so we want that question settled right -here. Ef one or both of 'em refuses to pull we'll trade 'em off for -something that'll work." - -On going over to the stable next morning before breakfast to give the -team a rubbing down, I found Jack there ahead of me, hard at work with -currycomb and horse brush, grooming the stock. - -Brown told us that Bill had called and said he should let us have the -outfit when we came for it. - -After breakfast, while Tom went down street to a second-hand store -and bought lead harness and spreaders for the mustangs, Jack and I -harnessed the mules and put all our belongings into the wagon. We were -delighted to find that the broncos when hitched up walked away like old -work horses, which they evidently were. - -Moving out Shawnee Street, beyond Broadway, where there was open ground -for camping, we made camp near a little creek and, after unloading the -wagon, gave everything a general overhauling to determine what more we -needed to fully equip us for the trip. - -We had noticed a nice-looking black shepherd dog around Brown's stable -that we had supposed belonged to Brown; but now discovered that it was -the property of Wild Bill. The dog seemed to be very intelligent and -his owner prized him highly. - -After establishing our camp our commander, old Tom, gave his orders, as -occasion suggested, and Jack and I promptly executed them. - -"One of us must always be in camp," said the old man, "for we don't -know what prowler might come along an' steal somethin' if we ain't -here to watch things. Now, for to-day, I'll be camp guard while you -youngsters do the foraging. First thing, Jack, you an' Peck light out -an' hunt up some wood to cook with." - -As the camp-stove would be so much handier and more economical of fuel -than an open fire, we had taken it out of the wagon and placed it on -the ground, with the mess-chest near by--just behind the wagon--and, -after pitching the tent, moved the stove inside. - -Jack and I skirmished along the creek, and each gathered an armful of -wood which we broke up into stove lengths, while Tom busied himself -overhauling the mess-chest and cooking utensils. - -When we had finished our job Tom gave another order: - -"Now, while you're restin' Jack, you take the two mules, an', Peck, -you take the two broncos, an' go back up the street to that blacksmith -shop just this side of the Mansion House an' git 'em shod all 'round. -That'll take about all forenoon. An' while the blacksmith is workin' -on 'em one of you can stay there an' the other can go to a meat market -an' git a piece of fresh meat an' bring it out to camp right away so -that I can put it on to cook for dinner. While you're gettin' the meat, -bring a loaf or two of soft bread, too. We've got plenty of hardtack -in the wagon, but we'd better use baker's bread while we're in reach -of it an' save the hardtack to use on the road, in camps where fuel is -scarce." - -Leaving Jack at the blacksmith's shop to attend to the shoeing of the -team, I carried out Tom's various instructions. - -While a kettle of bean soup was boiling Tom was busy rearranging things -in the mess-chest and wagon. Fearing that he might neglect the soup and -let it scorch, I asked: - -"Tom, is there any danger of the beans sticking to the bottom of the -camp-kettle and burning?" - -"What do you take me for, young fellow?" he retorted indignantly. "Do -you s'pose I've been a-cookin' an' eatin' Uncle Sam's beans all these -years an' ain't learnt how to cook bean soup without burnin' it? Ef -that soup scorches I'll agree to eat the whole mess." - -"Of course you know how to cook 'em," I said apologetically, "but I -noticed the beans are gettin' soft and thought maybe while you was busy -at something else they might get burnt." - -"Ain't you never learnt how to keep beans from stickin' to the bottom -of the camp-kettle?" - -"No, except to keep stirring them," I replied. - -"Well, I didn't think you'd a-got through five years of soldierin' on -the plains without learnin' how to keep beans from burning. Now, I'll -tell you of a trick that's worth a dozen of stirrin' 'em when you've -got somethin' else to do besides standin' by the kettle an' watchin' -'em. When your beans begin to git soft just drop two or three metal -spoons into the camp-kettle, then go on about your business, an' long -as they don't bile dry they won't burn. You savvy the philosophy of it?" - -"No, I don't." - -"Well, it's just this: the heat keeps the spoons a-dancin' around in -the bottom of the kettle, an' that keeps the beans from settlin' an' -burning. Savvy? Easy as rollin' off a log when it's explained to you, -ain't it?" - -After getting back to camp with the mules and broncos newly shod, we -had just taken our seats around our mess-box table when who should ride -up but Wild Bill. He had heard from Brown of our move and came out to -see how we were fixed. As he reined up near us Jack saluted him with: - -"Get down, Bill, an' hitch your hoss an' watch me eat." - -"Not by a durned sight, Jack; I can do a heap better than that," -replied the scout, too familiar with the rough hospitality of the -frontier to wait for a more formal invitation; "but if you've got time -to watch me eat I'll show you how to do it." - -He dismounted, tied his horse to the wagon, turned up a water bucket -for a seat, and sat down to dinner with us. "The smell of that bean -soup catches me." - -As a surprise, when we had nearly finished Tom went to the oven and -brought out a couple of nice hot pies. - -"What a blessin' it is, sure," said Jack, "to have somethin' to cook -an' somebody that knows how to cook it!" - -"Well," replied Tom, "it's better than having a surplus of cooks an' no -rations--a state of affairs we all know something about." - -"I was just a-goin' to remark," added Bill, "that I see you've got -a good cook in the outfit, an' that's no small help. I always knew -Tom was a first-class soldier, an' now I've found out another of his -accomplishments. Boys, I expect to be out to Fort Larned before long, -an' if I ever strike your trail out in that neighborhood I'll sure -foller it up an' invite myself to take a square meal with you once in a -while." - -"Well, I'll tell ye right now, Bill, you'll always be welcome," said -Jack, while Tom and I added: "Second the motion." - -"My special errand out here," said Bill as he unhitched his horse and -prepared to mount, "was to tell you that when you get ready to lay -in your supplies for the trip I think you can do better to buy 'em of -Tom Carney[C] than anywhere else in town. There's where I bought the -truck for our trip, an' I found his prices reasonable, an' everything -was satisfactory an' packed in good shape. Tom's accommodatin', an' -reliable, and an all-round good fellow to trade with." - -While standing by his horse Bill's dog had taken post in front of -him and by wagging his tail and looking up at his master was trying -to attract his notice, seeing which the scout stooped down and began -talking to his canine friend and patting him affectionately, which -seemed to put the dog in an ecstasy of delight. - -"Bill," said Tom, "I've been wondering ef we couldn't manage some way -to beat you out of that dog. Don't you want to git rid of him?" - -"No, Tom," replied the scout, "money wouldn't buy that dog. But there's -been two or three attempts made to steal him from me since I've been -here in town--I come pretty nigh having to kill a feller about him just -the other day--an', seeing as he's taken such a shine to you fellers, -I was thinkin' of gettin' you to take him along with you out to Larned -an' leave him with somebody there to keep for me till I come out; or -maybe you'd keep him with your outfit." - -"Just the thing!" exclaimed Jack. "We'll take him along, all right, an' -we won't leave him at Fort Larned, either--we'll keep him till you call -for him." - -"Well, boys, I b'lieve he'll be useful to you, for he's a shepherd -an' takes to minding stock naturally, an' he's a good all-round -watch-dog--one of the smartest I ever saw. I call him 'Found,' 'cause -I found him when he seemed to be lost. You'll have to keep him tied up -for a few days when you leave here; after that, I think, he'll stick to -you, 'cause he's been used to lookin' after them mules an' ponies all -summer. But, mind you, now, I ain't a-givin' him to you--only lendin' -him." - -"All right, Bill; he's your dog," said Tom, "an' we'll take good care -of him till you want him." Thus Found became one of us. - -That afternoon Tom began the work of estimating the supplies that we -would need for our winter's trip, endeavoring to calculate the quantity -of each item of the provisions and from that the weight that we would -have to haul in our wagon. As an old soldier, he made his figures on -the basis of rations--one man's allowance of each article of food for -one day. He said: - -"We'll make our estimate at about the rate of government rations, but, -as we don't have to restrict ourselves exactly to Uncle Sam's allowance -we'll allow a margin in some things to suit our own notions." - -Tom calculated that about four months' rations for three men ought -to be enough to carry us from the middle of October to the middle -of February, and he told me to make my requisition for four hundred -rations of each article and set down the number of pounds' weight of -each as I went along. - -"Of breadstuffs," he said, "we ought to take about three fourths -flour--three hundred pounds--and one fourth hardtack--one hundred -pounds. That'll make four hundred pounds of freight. Then, as an extra, -a sack of corn-meal--fifty pounds. - -"As we'll be able to kill plenty of wild meat, two hundred rations of -bacon will be enough. At three fourths of a pound to the ration, that -will be one hundred and fifty pounds." - -So he went through the list of beans, rice, hominy, coffee, tea, and -sugar, with vinegar, salt, pepper, yeast-powder, together with two -hundred pounds of potatoes and one hundred pounds of onions. With some -dried fruit and soap the total weight came to one thousand five hundred -and forty-one pounds, to which he added one thousand pounds of corn, -as feed for the animals during the worst weather. He purposed to take -also a scythe and hay-fork and, as soon as we got into camp, to cut hay -and make a stack as added provision against bad weather. These things, -together with all the camp equipment to be carried, would make a load -of not far from three thousand pounds for the animals. - -To this load I suggested that it would be a good idea to add some -interesting books to read at night, and I told him that I purposed to -subscribe for some weekly papers which would give the news of current -events. - -Wild Bill's skill in plains travel was evident in many things about -the outfit we had bought. He had fastened straps on the outside of the -wagon-box to carry the tent-pole, tripod, and stovepipe, and on the -opposite side to hold the axe, pick, and shovel, so that when needed on -the road or in camp the tools would be at hand. - -On the plains one must be prepared to encounter strong winds at any and -all times, and often violent storms, and on this account we commended -Bill's judgment in having selected a Sibley instead of a wall tent; for -the Sibley is in many respects a most serviceable tent. - -It is conical in shape, like the Indian lodge, but in other respects -it is far superior to the red man's habitation. It requires but a -single short pole which rests on an iron tripod, by pushing together -or spreading apart the feet of which the canvas is easily stretched -tight or slackened. The aperture at the top for the escape of smoke is -provided with a canvas cap which can be shifted so as to keep its back -to the wind, thus insuring a clear exit for the smoke. Two opposite -doors secure at least one entrance and exit away from the wind. Its -advantages over the wall-tent for withstanding stormy weather and for -comfort and convenience are generally admitted by all old campers. - -[Illustration: _Sibley Tent_] - -The inventor of this most excellent tent was a private soldier in the -Second Dragoons, whom I often saw at Fort Bridger, Utah, in '58, but -whose name I have forgotten. - -The next day we drove down-town and bought our supplies and on -returning to camp loaded the wagon for the trip to the plains, as Tom -directed. - -"Put the heaviest truck, such as the sacks of corn and flour, in the -bottom an' well toward the forward end," said he, "an' such things as -the mess box an' stove--that we'll be using a good deal on the road--in -the hind end, where they'll be handy to git out of the wagon. The tent -an' our bundles of bedding can go on top. The camp-stools, buckets, an' -camp-kettles can be tied on outside. An', mind you, everything must be -stowed away snug or we won't be able to get our truck all on the wagon." - -Stripping the wagon-sheets off the bows, we packed the wagon to the -best advantage, leaving at the hind end a vacant space to receive the -mess-chest and stove. Replacing the sheets, we tied them down snugly to -the wagon-box, all around, to be prepared for rainy weather. - -Tom, who once had served as hospital steward, had learned something of -the use of medicines, and during our stay in Leavenworth he fitted up a -small medicine-chest and stocked it with such remedies as he knew how -to use, to be prepared for emergencies. - -"You may not need 'em very often," he remarked; "you may never need -'em; but, as Wild Bill says of his pistols, when you do need 'em you'll -need 'em bad." - -As we were to pull out in the morning, Wild Bill rode out to our camp -that evening to take supper with us. The evening was pleasantly passed -with music from Jack's fiddle, singing by all hands, and wound up by a -jig danced by Wild Bill which astonished and delighted us all. - -As Wild Bill was mounting his horse to return to town, Tom took the -precaution to chain the dog, Found, to a wheel of the wagon, to -prevent him from following his master. - -Our commander, old Tom, had given orders for an early start next -morning, and before daylight his call, "Turn out, men!" routed us out -of our blankets. Tom got breakfast, while Jack and I fed the team and -then groomed and harnessed them while they ate. - -We intended to feed them well on grain as long as we were in the -settlements, where it was plenty and cheap; but after getting beyond -Council Grove there would be no more settlements, and consequently no -grain to be bought along the road, and, as the grain we were hauling -would be needed later to carry our animals through the cold of winter, -they would have to depend on the grass after leaving the settlements. - -Daylight was upon us when we had finished eating, and, all hands -turning to, the dishes were soon washed and packed away, the wagon -loaded, the team hitched up, the fire put out, and we were off. - -Our team was fat, frisky, and well rested, and walked away with its -load with ease; but, following our soldier training in starting -out for a long trip, we made short, easy drives for the first few -days, gradually increasing them till we reached the maximum--about -twenty-five miles a day. - -Shortly after leaving Leavenworth we met our old friends the -bull-whackers, with whom we had made the first part of our trip on -starting from Fort Wise. They were just getting in with their train, -as dirty and jolly as ever. We were gratified to realize that we had -gained so much time and avoided so much dirt by transferring to the -mule train at the Santa Fé crossing of the Arkansas River. - -Later we met more bull trains and other freighting outfits coming in -but found few going west. At this season most people were inclined to -seek the friendly shelter and comforts of the settlements rather than -to brave the inclemencies and dangers of the bleak plains. - -Among the travellers whom we met coming in was an occasional outfit -of "busted Pike's Peakers," as unfortunate and discouraged miners -returning from the Pike's Peak gold region were called. Most of these -gave doleful accounts of life and prospects in the Colorado mines. - -For a few days after leaving Leavenworth we kept the dog, Found, tied -up, lest he should go back to his master; but we were all kind to him, -and he showed no inclination to quit our company, and when we turned -him loose again he contentedly remained with our outfit. - -We found the roads fine and the weather real Indian summer; days hazy, -warm, and pleasant, nights cool, and mornings frosty, as is usual on -the plains at this the most pleasant time of the year. - -While in the settlements we indulged in such luxuries as milk, butter, -eggs, and so forth, whenever they were to be bought, and we killed -plenty of prairie-chickens with our shotgun. - -These prairie-chickens were very numerous in the Kansas settlements, -occurring in such multitudes that they were pests to the farmers, -eating great quantities of grain. They haunted the settled country or -grain-producing parts but were seldom found far out on the plains, -though while in the service I saw a few as far west as the Big Bend of -the Arkansas. - -In the army the Sibley tent was calculated to hold twelve to sixteen -men--crowded pretty close together--but in our Sibley, with only the -three occupants, there was room for stove, mess-chest, camp-stools, -or anything else we might bring inside. Found always made his bed -under the wagon, where he could keep watch over the animals and act as -general camp guard. - -In order to favor our team we made two drives a day, stopping for an -hour or so at noon to turn the animals out on the grass, while we made -coffee and ate some cold meat and bread. On our afternoon drive, as -night approached, we selected a convenient place and camped, turning -out the team--except the flea-bitten gray mare, which we always -picketed as an anchor to the rest. After supper, sprawled on our beds -in the tent, we talked and spun yarns. - -Tom having served three enlistments--fifteen years--and Jack two, -while I had only five years' service as a soldier to my credit, I was -considered a raw recruit and usually listened while they talked. When -in a musical mood, Jack got out his fiddle and played and sang. - -We seldom lit a candle at night, for we had only one box of candles and -knew that before us were many long winter evenings when lights would be -more needed than now. We had found, rolled up in the tent, an infantry -bayonet--the best kind of a camp candlestick. When we had occasion to -light a candle we appreciated its convenience. - -Since we first came from the plains into the Kansas settlements -we had heard much said about jayhawkers. The term jayhawking as -used then was a modified expression for theft or robbery, but was -applied more particularly to the depredations of gangs of armed and -mounted ruffians, who, taking advantage of the turbulent condition -of affairs resulting from the war--the civil law being impotent or -altogether lacking in many parts of the scattering settlements of -Kansas--roamed at will through the country, hovering especially along -main thoroughfares and helping themselves to other people's property. -Sometimes they professed to be volunteer soldiers or government agents -sent out to gather in good horses, mules, or other property for the use -of Uncle Sam, giving bogus receipts for what they took and saying that -these receipts would be honored and paid on their presentation to any -government quartermaster--which, of course, was pure fiction. - -Where they failed to get what they wanted by other methods they did -not hesitate to use violence, even to killing those who resisted their -demands. - -Such were the Kansas jayhawkers of those times, whom we had hoped -to escape meeting; but we had talked much of the possibilities and -probabilities of such an encounter and had decided on certain plans of -action to frustrate the probable movements of any jayhawkers whom we -might meet. We did not propose to be robbed and stood ready to put up -a strong bluff and, if necessary, to fight to defend our property. In -view of a possible fight, arms were to be kept in order and ammunition -handy. - -We had nearly reached Council Grove without encountering any jayhawkers -and had begun to flatter ourselves that we were going to slip through -the settlements without having trouble with them. At one or two places -along the road, however, we had heard that a party of jayhawkers had -lately been seen on the route ahead of us, and we had been cautioned to -look out for them. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -WE MEET DOUBTFUL CHARACTERS - - -One day, on stopping at a store to buy some feed, just before reaching -the crossing of a timbered creek, we noticed two saddled horses -hitched to the fence and on entering the store found two well-armed, -rough-looking fellows lounging about, one of whom seemed to be half -tipsy. The store was also a post-office and presided over by a very old -man. - -While Tom and the storekeeper retired to a back room to measure out -some grain, the two ruffians began to manifest considerable interest -in our affairs, asking many questions, to all of which Jack and I, who -had left the team standing in the road and walked up to the store, gave -rather curt answers. - -Apparently not satisfied with our replies, the drunken fellow staggered -out toward our team, remarking to his more sober companion: - -"Joe, let's take a look at their outfit." - -We paid little apparent attention to them but quietly watched every -movement they made, for we began to suspect that these were some of the -robbers we had heard of. - -Each of the men carried a pair of revolvers hung to his belt. The most -drunken one was a large, swearing, swaggering ruffian who was addressed -by the other as "Cap." The one named "Joe" was smaller and apparently -more sober and wore an old cavalry jacket. - -As they walked around the team we heard an ominous growl from our dog, -Found. The big fellow stepped back and laid a hand on the butt of one -of his pistols, and Jack quickly grasped the handle of his own weapon -and took a step or two in the direction of the drunken ruffian, keeping -his eyes on the fellow's pistol hand. "Cap" saw the movement and turned -toward Jack, still with his hand on his pistol, and remarked with an -oath: - -"Mister, ef that dog tries to bite me he dies." - -"Then there'll be two dogs die," returned Jack quietly, looking the -fellow in the eye. - -I kept a close watch of the motions of Joe, but he made no threatening -gestures and seemed waiting to see what his leader would do. - -"What do you mean, sir?" demanded the drunken blusterer of Jack. - -"I mean," replied the Irishman quietly, "that if you keep away from -that team and attend to your own business the dog'll not hurt you; but -you draw a gun to shoot him, an'--well, you heard my remark." - -Instead of resenting Jack's ultimatum, the big fellow turned to his -henchman and said: - -"Joe, these men don't appear to have heard of me. Tell 'em who I am," -and then disappeared into the store. - -Joe stepped up to Jack and said in a confidential way: - -"Pardner, you've made a big mistake to talk so insulting to that man, -an' I'm afraid you'll have trouble about it. That's Captain Tucker, one -o' the worst men in Kansas. I reckon he's killed more men than I've got -fingers an' toes. Best thing you can do now, is to foller him into the -store an' call for the drinks, apologize, like a man, an' make it all -up with him, fur he's turrible when he's riled, specially when he's -drinkin'." - -"Is that so?" exclaimed Jack. "Why, he's a bad one, ain't he? I'm right -glad to know him." - -"More'n that," added Joe, "he's captain of our company, an' we're the -toughest lot that ever struck this country." - -"Where's your company, and how many of you is they?" asked Jack. - -"Oh, they's a whole lot of us, an' we're camped down on the crick a -couple o' miles from here," was Joe's evasive reply. - -I began to get uneasy. What if Jack's rashness should bring this gang -of desperadoes down on us? Jack was game and would not back down from -the stand he had taken. I knew that Tom--who was still in the store -getting his sack of grain and knew nothing of the trouble we were about -to get into--was game, too, and would stand by the Irish-man; and if -it came to a fight I could at least handle cartridges for them. But -what could three of us do against a gang of unknown numbers of these -lawless men? - -"Jack, haven't you been a little too brash? You may get us into a -scrape if he brings up his men." - -"Ef there's none of 'em more dangerous than their captain there's -nothin' to fear. I've studied such fellows all my life, an' I never -made a mistake in one of his sort. He's just such another blowhard as -that 'bad man from Texas' that I swatted in Leavenworth. An' on the -principle of 'like master, like man,' you'll be apt to find that this -big company of desperadoes, if we ever meet 'em, will dwindle down to -six or eight windy ruffians like their captain. I believe the three of -us could whip twenty of 'em. Such fellers don't fight unless they can -get the drop, an' we'll see that they don't do that." - -Just as we reached the store door I turned to see what had become of -Joe, and noticed him still standing where we had left him--as near -the mules as Found would let him come--intently engaged in writing or -drawing something with a pencil on a piece of paper. The paper he held -in his hand looked like a yellow envelope, and, nudging Jack, I pointed -to him. - -Joe seemed to be deeply interested in his work, looking first at the -mules and then at his yellow envelope as he marked on it, and did -not notice us. I was still wondering what he could be doing when the -Irishman's quick wit comprehended the situation, and he whispered: - -"He's copyin' the brands on our mules. We'll hear more of this by an' -by." - -"How?" I asked. - -"He'll send somebody to claim 'em, on a lost-strayed-or-stolen plea, -an' the claimer will prove ownership by showing the exact brands marked -on paper before he has been near the mules. I've known that trick -played before." - -As we entered the store the old storekeeper and Tom came out of the -grain room--Tom with a sack of corn on his shoulder, making mysterious -winks at us as he moved toward the door, indicating that he desired us -to go back to the wagon. - -The store man cast an inquiring glance at the decanter and then at -Captain Tucker. The latter nodded his head and said: - -"Chalk it down." - -On the way to the wagon we met Joe, who had probably completed -draughting our mules' brands to his satisfaction. - -We told Tom of all that had occurred, and I rather expected that he -would reprimand Jack for acting so rashly, but to my surprise he -approved of the Irishman's doings. - -"Perfectly right, perfectly right," said Tom. "It won't do to give back -to such fellows a particle. If we've got to have a brush with them, -right now an' here's as good a time an' place as any. We must bluff 'em -off right at the start or fight. But we mus'n't forget the old sayin', -'Never despise your enemy'; he may turn out a better fighter than you -give him credit for bein'. We must watch every move they make an' be -prepared to bluff 'em off at every trick they try. Jack was right in -suspecting that that fellow with the cavalry jacket was copying the -brands on our mules. They'll be after trying to prove 'em away from us, -ef they can't bluff us." - -"Did you find out anything about them from the storekeeper?" I asked -anxiously. "You were in that back room so long I thought you must be -pumping him." - -"Yes, I wasn't idle," replied Tom, "an' I found out a whole lot. At -first the old man was afraid to talk, for he's scared of these fellers, -but when I promised him that we would not get him into trouble he let -out an' told me all he knows about 'em. - -"This is the gang we heard about at Burlingame and again at -A-Hundred-an'-Ten-Mile Creek," continued Tom. "They came to this -neighborhood about a week ago an' have been robbin' and plunderin', -an' everybody's afraid of 'em. The old storekeeper says that there -are so few able-bodied men left here--most all of 'em having gone off -to the war--that the few citizens left can't well make any organized -opposition to 'em. This lot is an offshoot from Cleveland's gang of -jayhawkers that we heard about at Leavenworth. It seems, the old fellow -says, that this Captain Tucker was a lieutenant under Cleveland, an' -they couldn't agree--each one wanted to be boss--so Tucker with a few -followers split off from Cleveland an' started a gang of his own." - -"Well, but did you find out how many there are in this gang?" I asked. - -"Yes. The old man says that they try to make people believe that there -is a big company, but from the best information he can get there are -only seven or eight." - -"What did I tell you?" said Jack contemptuously. "Ef they're no better -than these two we're good for that many, easy." - -"Yes," said Tom, "ef we don't let 'em get the drop on us I think we -can stand 'em off; but we may find 'em a tougher lot than we take -'em for--ef they tackle us for a fight we've just got to clean 'em -out, it's a ground-hog case. An' as to killin' 'em, I'd have no more -hesitation about it than I would to kill a hostile Injun. Ef we have -to open fire on 'em I want you men to shoot to kill, an' I'll do the -same. These jayhawkers have been declared outlaws by orders from the -commander of the department, an' the troops are turned loose to hunt -'em down, kill 'em, or break up the gangs wherever they can be found. - -"The old storekeeper says they've just taken possession of his store," -he continued, "helpin' themselves to his liquor or anything else they -want, tellin' him to 'chalk it down' an' by an' by they'll settle with -him. - -"A boy from the neighborhood who had been down to their camp to sell -'em some butter told the old man that there was only seven men of 'em -an' they had a tent an' a two-horse wagon. The boy said they had lots -of good horses, an' the old man thinks they gather in all the good -horses an' mules they can find in the country an' now an' then send a -lot of 'em in to Leavenworth an' sell 'em to the contractors there who -are buyin' up horses an' mules for the government. - -"Whatever happens," continued Tom, "we must be careful not to -compromise this old storekeeper an' his family, for he's very much -afraid of these jayhawkers an' cautioned me several times not to let -them get a suspicion that he had told us anything about them. - -"I put an idea in his head, though, which may be the means of ridding -this neighborhood of these rascals. I told him to write a letter to -General Hunter, in command of the department at Fort Leavenworth, -tellin' him the situation out here, an' to request the general to send -out a company of cavalry to clean out this gang an' give protection to -the farmers an' people travelling the road. - -"He jumped at the idea an' said he would write the letter right away -an' send it in by the mail which will go past this afternoon. I think -the general will send the troops immediately, for he is makin' war -on these bushwhackers wherever he can hear of them. If the scheme is -carried out right the soldiers will be apt to kill or capture this -whole gang. I'd like to stay an' help 'em at it, but it will take four -or five days, at least, before the soldiers can get here. Ef this gang -undertakes to make war on us we may have to teach 'em a lesson on our -own hook." - -"Well, Tom," I asked, "what are your plans for meeting this emergency -if you think these fellows are going to give us trouble?" - -Before he could answer me the two jayhawkers came out of the store -and, without making any hostile demonstrations, went to their horses, -mounted, and rode a little way back down the road we had come, and -then, turning across the prairie struck for the timber farther down -the creek. They eyed us in passing but said not a word. As they rode -past us we noticed that both were mounted on good-looking animals, -especially Tucker, whose mount was a splendid, large black horse of -fine proportions and good movement. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -STANDING OFF THE JAYHAWKERS - - -While Jack and I stowed away the sack of corn and waited for Tom's -reply to my question, he stood watching the disappearing riders till an -intervening rise of ground hid them and then began to unfold his plans. - -"It's earlier in the day than we generally camp," said Tom -thoughtfully, "but under the circumstances we must select a camp not -far from here an' hang up till we see what they're going to do. Ef we -try to go on farther they'll think we're running from 'em. We must camp -in open ground where they can't get in shooting distance of us without -showing themselves in open prairie. - -"I asked the storekeeper about the lay of the land on the other side -of the creek, an' he told me of a good place to camp about a half mile -beyond the ford, where there's an abandoned house out in the prairie -an' a good well. The family who owned the place got scared out and -moved into Topeka to stay till times get better. There's where we'll -camp; so let's get there an' get prepared for action in case this -outfit gives us a call. They won't let us go by without trying some -bluff game on us an' maybe a fight. - -"I don't think there's any need of it here," added Tom as he looked -toward the timber at the crossing of the creek ahead of us, "but, to be -on the safe side, while I drive the team, Jack, you an' Peck may take -your guns and form a skirmish line ahead of me as we go through the -timber." - -We did so, but, finding no sign of an enemy, as we again came out on -the prairie we joined the wagon and rode up to the abandoned house and -camped in a good, defensible position. There was no grass close to the -house whereon to picket our team, but some hay that had been left in -the barn made a good substitute. - -Finding the inside of the house littered with waste and rubbish left -by the recent occupants, we pitched our tent near the wagon, as usual, -camping by the house merely to secure a defensible location in open -ground with wood and water convenient. - -We were confident that we would receive a call from the jayhawkers and -hurried our dinner, keeping an anxious lookout back along the road -toward the store, which was now hidden from us by the timber. - -After we had cleared away the dishes Tom ordered: - -"Now, men, see that everything is prepared for action. See that all -arms are in good working order, an' have a good supply of ca'tridges -handy." - -Such orders were hardly necessary, for we made it a rule at all times -to keep our arms in good shape and cartridges convenient. - -"Here they come!" exclaimed Jack in great glee, and, looking toward -the store, we could see a party of mounted men just coming out of the -timber at the creek crossing. As soon as the announcement was made Tom -brought the field-glass to bear on them and began counting: - -"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven--all told." Then he added: -"They would likely leave only one man back to take care of camp; so -eight is about the full strength of the gang, just as we heard." - -Passing the glass to me, he added: - -"As soon as they get in hailing distance I'll halt 'em, an' you men -will be ready to enforce my commands. Ef they don't halt at the first -command I'll halt 'em again, an' maybe the third time, but not more. -An' when I give the command, 'Fire!' remember your old training--aim -about the saddles an' let em' have it, an' don't waste your ca'tridges. -Let each one of us try to see how many saddles he can empty." - -To me this sounded serious, but the veteran was as cool about it as -if giving instructions to a squad of soldiers on skirmish drill. Jack -always seemed happy when there was a good prospect of a fight before -him. I must admit that I began to feel a little squeamish as the -jayhawkers drew near us, but I was somewhat reassured by the firm and -fearless demeanor of my comrades. - -As the jayhawkers approached it was seen that all except the leader, -"Cap" Tucker, carried rifles, carbines, or shotguns in addition -to their pistols. All seemed to be well mounted, but Tucker was -particularly conspicuous by his fine black horse. They followed the -main road till opposite the house where we were and then turned and -rode toward us at a walk. - -As soon as they had approached within easy hail Tom took a few steps -toward them and, bringing his Sharp's rifle to a ready, sung out: - -"_Halt!_" - -Jack and I moved up in his rear and came to the same position. - -The jayhawkers did not seem to be expecting such a manoeuvre on our -part and did not promptly obey Tom's first command; but by the time he -had repeated "_Halt!_" in a louder tone they took the hint, and Tucker -quickly ordered his men to stop. Turning to us, he called out in a tone -of indignant surprise: - -"What do you mean?" - -"Just what I say," replied Tom. "Ef you men have any business with us, -one of you--and only one--can advance an' make it known. The rest'll -stand where they are." - -Turning and speaking a few words to his men, Tucker then rode up to us. - -As the big captain halted a few feet from us he demanded angrily: - -"What do you men mean by drawing your guns on us an' halting us this -way?" - -"In these doubtful times," replied Tom, "we don't propose to allow a -party of armed men to enter our camp without first finding out who they -are an' what's their business with us. Will you please tell us what -yours is?" - -"Why, certainly," returned the big ruffian. "We are free rangers -looking up stray an' stolen stock an' also gathering in good hosses an' -mules fer the government. Have you any objections to that?" - -"Not in the least," said Tom, "but we have no stray or stolen stock an' -no horses or mules for sale, an' I don't see as you have any further -business with this outfit." - -"The reason why we've made this call on you is this," answered Tucker. -"A short time ago one of my men had a fine pair of mules stole from him -an' trailed 'em down nigh to Leavenworth where he lost track of 'em. -I learned from the old storekeeper over the crick yonder that you men -had lately bought your mules in Leavenworth, an' when I went back to -camp an' mentioned this matter to Bill Sawyer he got to thinkin' about -it, an' he thought that possibly you might of bought his mules without -knowin' they was stole; an' so I jes' brung him an' a few more of the -boys over to look at your mules." - -While the captain was making his little speech Jack gave me an -occasional wink, which seemed to say: "Listen to what's comin'." - -"Now, pardner," continued the jayhawker, "we ain't in the habit of -spending much time arguing about a matter of this kind, an', as I tol' -you before, we're a-gatherin' up mules an' hosses fer the government, -an' whenever we find any that suits we just take 'em, givin' an order -on Uncle Sam, an' he foots the bill. But to show you that we're dealing -on the square with you men about these mules, ef they ain't ours we -don't want 'em. Now, I'll make you a fair proposition. The man that -lost the mules I'm talking about is out yonder, an' he's never seen -your mules yet. He's got the brands marked down on a piece of paper. -Now, ef you're honorable men an' willing to do what's right I don't see -how you can help accepting my proposition, which is this: I'll call -Bill Sawyer up here an' let him show his brands as they're marked down -on that paper afore he's ever had a chance to see the brands on your -mules, an' ef the brands he's got marked down is the same as what's on -them mules, why, it's a plain case that they must be his mules. Now, -what do you say to that?" - -Tom gave no sign that he was "onto their game," but merely said: - -"Call your man up, but only him--no more." - -Tucker rode out a few steps toward his gang and called: - -"Bill Sawyer, come here!" and then returned to us, while William -Sawyer, who seemed to have been rehearsed in his part, came trotting -up with alacrity, feeling in his inside pocket for the paper that he -seemed to know--although he had been out of hearing distance of us--was -to be called for at this stage of the game. As Sawyer left his chums -they all gathered about Joe--he of the old cavalry jacket--and seemed -to be holding an earnest consultation. - -As Sawyer reached us I had time to notice that he wore a green patch -over his left eye--or the place where the eye had been; a villainous -grin added devilishness to his sinister countenance. In his hand he -held the same old yellow envelope that Jack and I had seen Joe using to -copy the mules' brands on. - -Taking the old envelope triumphantly from his man, Tucker passed it to -Tom with a confident air as he demanded. - -"Now, let's compare the brands marked on that paper with the brands on -them mules." And he turned his horse as if to ride around on the other -side of our wagon, where the mules were tied. - -"'Twon't be necessary--wait a minute," returned Tom as he passed the -old envelope to Jack and me with the query: "Do you men recognize that -paper?" - -"Yes, we've seen it before," we both answered. - -"What do you mean?" demanded Tucker in assumed astonishment. - -"Just this," replied Tom, looking sternly at the jayhawkers' captain. -"This little joke of your'n has gone about far enough. These two -men," pointing to Jack and me, "stood an' watched that feller you -call Joe--that sneaking coyote out yonder who wears the old cavalry -jacket--take this ol' yellow envelope out of his pocket an' copy on it -the brands of our mules while the team was standin' in front of the -store, when Joe had no idea he was bein' watched. Now, I don't want to -hear any more of this foolishness. Mr. Jayhawker, ef you've any other -business with us please state it. Ef not this meeting stands adjourned." - -Seeing that his deception was detected and that the scheme failed, -Tucker apparently concluded to try a bluff on us. - -"If you won't listen to reason," said he, "we'll show you what we can -do in another line. I'm satisfied that them's Sawyer's mules an' we're -going to have 'em. It'll leave you fellows in a bad fix to break up -your team by taking the mules, but I'm willin' to do what's right. You -give the mules up peaceably and I've got a pair of good, old chunky -ponies down to camp that I'll sell you cheap. You may have 'em fer a -hundred dollars. I'll just call the boys up an' we'll take the mules -along with us now, an'----" - -"Oh, no you won't," interrupted Tom in a quiet but firm tone as he -began fingering the lock of his rifle. - -"Why, pardner," exclaimed Tucker in apparent astonishment, "you don't -mean to say you'd be so foolish as to compel us to use force? I've -got some forty odd men over to camp. Ef you don't give up them mules -peaceably I'll go an' bring the whole company, an' then--well, you'll -have to pay fer the trouble you've put us to, in course." - -A smile of contempt spread over Tom's visage as he replied: - -"Trot out your company an' try to take them mules an' we'll show you -what we'll do for you." - -Jack and I were keenly alive to all that was going on and, while -watching the five ruffians out on the prairie, were prepared to meet -any threatening move any of them might make. - -Being out of hearing of the argument, the squad on the prairie seemed -to be growing restless. One of them called out to Tucker as though -soliciting an order to charge on us: - -"_Cap, don't you want us up there to settle that matter? Ef you do, -jes' say the word!_" - -Tucker hesitated before answering and looked about our camp as though -calculating the chances. The notion--if he entertained it--was quickly -dispelled by Tom, who growled out: - -"You give 'em the order to advance an' it'll be the last one you'll -ever give. We've got the deadwood on you two fellers an' we'll give a -good account of them others, too, ef they attempt to come on." - -Tucker acknowledged the situation by shouting to his men in the offing: - -"_No! No! Stay where you are!_" Then, turning to Tom, he continued: -"Now, pardner, I've got one more last proposition to make you, to save -you trouble, an' that is this: We'll take them mules over to our camp -an'----" - -"That'll do," interrupted Tom. "I've heard enough of that. You'll never -take them mules to your camp, or anywhere else, while I'm alive. You -know that neither you nor this other feller has any more right to them -mules than I have to the horses you're ridin'. I don't want to hear any -more of your nonsense. The best thing you two can do is to git away -from here. If I see one of you in range of our rifles again he's liable -to git a hole in his hide. Five minutes to get out of range! Now, git!" - -Tucker turned his horse and, calling, "Come on, Bill," they started -to join their waiting comrades. After a few steps the captain turned -in his saddle and, with a threatening nod to Tom, said: "I'll see you -later." - -"Ef you do it won't be good for you," retorted Tom. - -Tucker and Sawyer joined the others, and without further -demonstration they moved off sullenly back along the road toward the -store and soon disappeared in the timber. - -[Illustration: "Five minutes to get out of range! Now, git!"] - -"They ain't done with us yet," said Tom musingly. "'Tain't likely that -they'll make an open attack on us while we're in this camp because they -can't well get the drop on us here. The most natural thing would be fer -'em to slip past us to-night, or go 'round an' get ahead of us, an' lay -for us in the timber at the crossing of some creek on the road ahead. -I think that one of you men might as well slip over into the timber -yonder, near the store, an' by keeping out of sight an' watchin' them -you may be able to guess what they're going to do. They'll be certain -to stop awhile at the store an' fire up on the ol' man's whiskey, an' -then's the time they'll be apt to be careless about talking their plans -over, an' after they've settled on what they intend to do they'll go on -to camp to get their suppers. After they go on to camp, ef you'd slip -into the store an' have a talk with the old man maybe he could tell you -what they're up to." - -"That's just to my notion, Tom," said Jack. "I was just a-thinkin' of -goin' on a little spying expedition after them fellers. I think I can -find out what their game is, an' by all that's good an' bad, I'll not -come back till I do." - -So saying, taking his revolvers and shotgun, Jack struck out down a -ravine that led to the creek and was soon out of sight, while Tom and -I busied ourselves attending to the stock and other camp duties. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -JACK TAKES A PRISONER - - -Jack had been gone a couple of hours and it had become quite dark, when -our dog Found, by growling, pricking up his ears, and looking toward -the road, gave notice that some one was approaching. - -On listening closely we could hear some one coming, but the tramping -sounded like that of a horse. We had made no light after dark, for we -did not intend to cook any supper and our experience in the Indian -country had taught us to dispense with lights when in the vicinity of -an enemy. - -As soon as we were assured that the coming party, whoever they were, -were making for our camp, Tom whispered: "Get your gun an' follow me." -With that he took his rifle and, advancing stealthily for several -paces toward the approaching persons--whose voices we could hear--he -squatted down in a patch of weeds on the path leading to the road while -I followed and did the same. We had chained the dog to a wheel of the -wagon lest he should rush on the newcomers before we could find out who -they were. - -We had scarcely got settled in the position we had taken when we -discerned two dark bodies nearing us that seemed to be a man on foot -and, just behind him, a mounted man. - -Letting them come on till they were within a few feet of the muzzles of -our rifles, Tom's voice suddenly rang out: - -"_Halt! Who comes there?_" - -We could now see plainly that there were but two persons, a footman and -a mounted man, and heard a prompt response from the horseman, in the -unmistakable voice of our Irishman, as they both suddenly stopped. - -"Jack, with a prisoner!" This sounded agreeable but mystifying, but the -speaker enlightened us by adding: "I've captured Tucker, the jayhawker, -and his horse." - -We all moved back to our tent and struck a light to take a look at -Jack's captures and hear his explanation. But the Irishman declined -to talk in the presence of his prisoner more than to answer a few -commonplace questions. - -By the light of the candle we saw Jack had tied the prisoner's -arms together at the elbows, behind his back, with the end of the -jayhawker's lariat, while with the other end securely fastened to the -horn of his saddle he had been driving the fellow before him. - -The desperado seemed now very crestfallen and by no means pugnacious -and had nothing to say. - -"What are you going to do with him, Jack?" I asked in hearing of the -captive. - -"Oh, make a 'spread eagle' of him on a hind wheel of the wagon till -morning I suppose, an' then take him down to the timber an' hang him -an' be done with him," he replied as he began to put the first part of -this programme into execution. - -The "spread eagle" is made by requiring the prisoner to stand with his -back against a hind wheel of a wagon; his arms are then stretched out -on each side and tied by the wrists to the upper rim of the wheel, -while his ankles, with feet spread apart, are tied in like manner to -the bottom of the wheel. The prisoner can ease himself a little by -sitting on the hub of the wheel, but this affords an insecure and -uncomfortable seat. - -As soon as we had securely spread the big jayhawker on the wheel, -Jack left me to watch him, with a caution to see that he did not work -himself loose, while he unsaddled and picketed out the fine black horse -he had captured. When this was accomplished he called Tom and me off to -one side, far enough to be out of hearing of the prisoner, taking the -precaution to place the light near the open tent door where it would -shine on our "spread eagle," so that we could see if he made any effort -to free himself, and then Jack gave us a detailed account of his trip. - -"When I got to a place in the timber where I could see the store, I -saw that the jayhawkers' horses was all hitched to the fence an' I -knew they was inside. Pretty soon they all comes out an' mounts, an' -all except this man Tucker struck out toward their camp. After seein' -them off, Tucker mounted an' struck off in a different direction, up -the creek like. I couldn't make out what he was up to, but I thought I -would go in an' have a chat with the storekeeper as soon as the coast -was clear. I went in an' had quite a talk with the ol' man, an', sure -enough, he had heard enough of their talk to make sure that their -plan was about what Tom had guessed it would be. They would go back -to their camp an' wait till after midnight, an' then mount an' take a -circuit 'round our camp, pass, an' git ahead of us, an' lay for us in -the timber at the crossing of the next creek, which the old man says is -only a mile and a half from here. Tucker had concluded that while he -sent his men back to camp he would ride over the route they intended to -take an' look at the lay of the land so as to be able to place his men -to the best advantage to get the drop on us. - -"In going to the place he had kept up the creek for a piece an' then -circled 'round across the prairie to the little creek so's not to be -seen or heard by any of us here; but in comin' back he had followed the -main road, 'cause he knew it was too dark by that time for any of us to -tell who he was as he passed along the road. - -"I was just comin' out of the timber, after crossin' the creek this -side of the store, on my way back to camp, when I spied him a-comin' -down the hill toward me at a walk, an' I squatted down so's to get him -'tween me an' the sky, to get a better view of him, to make sure it was -him; an' then I made up my mind to take him in right there. - -"So I got back behind a tree right beside the road, an' when he got -nearly to me I stepped out with both barrels cocked an' called out to -him to halt. He pulled up, sudden like, with a jerk, an' asked: 'What's -up? What's up?' - -"'Don't you make a motion toward your pistols,' says I, 'or I'll put -two big loads of buckshot into you.' I wasn't more'n six feet from -him, an' he must have seen that he had no show to get away or draw a -gun. 'Now,' says I, 'do just as I order you, an' don't you try any -foolishness, or I'll fill you full of lead. First thing,' says I, -'unbuckle that belt an' drop belt an' pistols in the road.' He did -so, at the same time saying: 'Pardner, I reckon you've mistook me for -somebody else. Who do you take me fur and who are you, anyway?' - -"'I've made no mistake,' I answered. 'You're Tucker, the jayhawker, an' -I'm Jack, the giant-killer'--an' wasn't that a big bluff? 'Now,' says -I, 'back out a step till I pick up your guns.' - -"He did so, an' I kept a close watch of him while I gathered in his -battery an' buckled the belt around me over my own. - -"Then I commanded, 'Dismount!' which he did like a little man, an' I -made him tie his horse to a tree; an' then I undone his lariat from -his saddle an' made him turn his back to me while I tied his elbows -together behind his back with one end of the lariat; an' with the other -end made fast to the horn of the saddle, with a good holt of it in me -fist, I mounted his fine horse an' druv him before me, as you saw. - -"An now what are we to do with him? No doubt he deserves hanging, as -they all do, but it ain't my style to kill a helpless prisoner an' I -know you nor Tom wouldn't do such a thing, though I told Tucker, comin' -along--just to keep him well scared up that we would hang him in the -mornin', sure as fate, as soon as it was light enough to see how to do -a good job of it; an' I b'lieve he's afeard we're going to do it, for -he's been mighty serious ever since. Ef we was nigh to any of Uncle -Sam's sogers we could just turn him over to them, an' they'd fix him, -sure, for the order is out fer these jayhawkers to be exterminated -to death or druv out of Kansas, an' the sogers is huntin' 'em down -wherever they can hear of 'em. By the way, the ol' storekeeper told -me that he had sent off that letter, by the mail that went past this -evenin', to General Hunter, at Leavenworth, askin' him to send a few -sogers out along the Santa Fé road to look after these fellers." - -While Jack had been telling us all this we had been standing far enough -away from the prisoner so that we were sure he could not hear what was -said. - -Tom, while apparently listening to Jack, asked no questions and offered -no suggestions but seemed wrapped in his own thoughts, and I knew, from -often having seen him in a similar revery, that he was studying out -some "strategy," as he would call it, to spring on our enemies, the -jayhawkers. - -When Jack came to a pause Tom began: - -"Men, we can't afford to fool away much more time with these robbers. -An idea struck me when I saw that big fellow tied to the wagon wheel, -an' I've been ponderin' on it ever since, an' if we can carry out the -scheme I think I see a way of running a bluff on him an' his gang that -will scare 'em out of this neighborhood, an' that will be the next best -thing to killing 'em an' we won't have to stay here. Now, listen an' -I'll give you a hint of my plan. We'll go into the tent, where we'll -be close enough to him for Tucker to hear what we're saying ef he -listens right sharp, an' I know he'll do that. I'll give you two men -a little talk that'll go to show that instead of our being what we've -represented ourselves to be--that is, three wolf hunters goin' out to -the buffalo range--we are really three soldiers disguised this way an' -sent out here to do a little detective service on purpose to locate -this gang of jayhawkers, an' that the company of cavalry to which we -belong is coming on close behind us, ready to swoop down an' gobble up -the gang as soon as I give 'em the word. An' then, when we git Tucker -to take this all in we'll manage to let him escape an' carry this news -to his gang; an' ef I ain't badly mistaken they'll pack up an' pull out -from here as quick as they can get away. Now, mind you, I'm sergeant in -charge." - -"Be the powers o' mud," exclaimed Jack. "That's a fine scheme if we can -only make it work, ef it pans out the way you've planned it. Tom--or -sergeant, I should have said--I'll always think that a great general -was sp'ilt when they made only a private of you. Now go ahead with your -rat killin' an' let's be tryin' it on." - -As our conference ended we strolled back to the tent and Tom began -giving orders for guarding our prisoner through the night. - -"Now, men, we'll divide the night into three parts, like a 'running -guard,' an' each one of us'll take a third of the night to stand post. -An', mind you, don't go to sleep on post or the prisoner might git -away. I guess we'll let Jack take the first watch, an' you, Peck, -can come on for the middle tour, an' you may call me up for the last -turn. Ef you think you won't git sleepy you might bring out one of the -camp-chairs an' take a seat where you can keep a close watch of the -prisoner; but ef you find yourself gittin' the least bit drowsy you -must get up an' walk about, for it won't do for the sentry to go to -sleep to-night." - -"Why, fellows," whined the big jayhawker, "you shorely don't mean to -leave me in this fix all night, do you? I don't see how I can stan' it -so long." - -"Well, as to that," said Jack with a fierce look of assumed -heartlessness, "ef it'd be any accommodation to you we might be able -to rig up some sort of a gallows out about the barn an' swing you off -to-night so's you wouldn't have to stan' there all night. Come to -think of it," he continued, turning to Tom and me, "that would be a -good scheme for us as well as to put the prisoner out of his misery, -fer ef we hang him to-night instead of waitin' till mornin' we'll save -ourselves the trouble of standing guard over him, an' that's quite an -item. What do you say to it?" - -But Tom and I decided that with no better light than a candle, which -the wind might blow out, the jayhawker might escape, and if he didn't -we would not be able to do a good job of hanging with so poor a light. -And the prisoner concluded that he would try and worry through the -night on the wagon wheel rather than put us to so much inconvenience. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -TOM'S STRATEGY - - -Calling us inside the tent and changing our bayonet candlestick to a -position where it would be protected from the wind, while the light -would still shine on the prisoner through the open tent door, Tom, in -a low voice, began giving us the talk that we intended Tucker should -overhear. - -"Now, men," began the old man, "the objects of our expedition are so -nearly accomplished that I thought I'd better explain the situation to -you more fully so that you will clearly understand the parts you are to -play in our future movements. Everything is working out, so far, just -as the captain planned it. I don't believe that anybody along the road -or any of these jayhawkers suspects us of being soldiers or anything -else but jest what we've told 'em, that we are three wolf hunters goin' -out to the buffalo range. There's nothin' military about our team -an' camp outfit except the Sibley tent an' our rifles, an' lots of -citizens use them; an' laying aside our uniforms an' puttin' on these -new buckskin togs makes us look like three tenderfeet tryin' to imitate -frontiersmen. I must give our captain credit for long-headedness, for -'twas him planned the whole expedition." - -"An' I give the captain credit," interrupted Jack, "for selectin' a -sergeant, among all the non-coms of the company, who could carry out -his plans to the letter." - -"Thanks," returned Tom with a wink. "An' the two privates that were -selected to go with the sergeant shows that our captain knows his men." - -"Now," continued Tom, "ef things turn out as they look now, I think our -trip'll end right here, for we've got our game purty nigh bagged. The -captain, with the company, has kept just far enough behind us to keep -out of sight, an' to-night they're about ten miles back on the road; -an' ef he gits the message I sent to him this afternoon, which I'm sure -he will, they ought to be here, or over about the store, rather--for -there's where I promised to meet 'em--a little after midnight." - -I could see that our prisoner was taking a keen interest in Tom's -remarks, craning his neck forward and turning an ear toward the tent -door in an attitude of attentive listening. - -"I have arranged with the boy," continued the old veteran, "who carried -my message back to the captain, to guide the company up to the store -an' to meet me there not later than two o'clock to-night. An' this boy -has been down to the jayhawkers' camp an' knows the lay of the land -all around there; an' when I join the captain an' company the boy is -to guide us all to the camp, or nigh enough so that the captain can -string the company all around 'em; an' as soon as it's light enough -we'll close in on 'em an' make sure that nary one gits away. From what -Jack says, they are all pretty full of whiskey an' will be apt to sleep -sound, an' it'll be an easy matter to gobble the whole caboodle." - -"Sh, sergeant," I said in a loud enough whisper for the prisoner to -hear. "Don't talk so loud--the jayhawker might hear you." - -"Oh, I don't think he could hear what I say, 'way out there; but it -won't make much difference ef he does, fer he'll never live long enough -to profit by what he might hear, for he's pretty nigh as good as a dead -man right now. His time's short." - -Tucker had dropped his head forward--in our direction--as far as he -could lean, and had closed his eyes as if asleep, but was trying to -catch every word that was said. - -"But, sergeant," I asked Tom, "what will the captain do with the -jayhawkers after he takes 'em in--take 'em back to Leavenworth as -prisoners?" - -"Not much," replied the old man. "He has his orders from General Hunter -to exterminate these jayhawkers wherever he can catch 'em--to shoot -or hang 'em; an' you know our old captain is jest the man that'll -take delight in carryin' them orders out to the letter. We've heard -complaints enough from people along the road to satisfy the captain -that these rescals are entitled to no mercy, an' you bet they'll get -none from him." - -"But, sergeant," inquired Jack, "what will we do with this feller? Hang -him in the mornin'?" - -"No; unless he should try to get away, according to my orders, we'll -have to keep him till the company gits here an' then turn him over -to the captain. It'll only delay his hanging a little while, for the -captain'll fix him quick enough. But ef he should accidentally get -loose an' run, why, shoot him, of course." - -"Well, I'm sorry," said Jack, "that we can't hang him ourselves as soon -as daylight comes, fer I promised him that, an' I always like to make -my words good." - -"Now," continued Tom, "I want you two men to keep a close watch of him -an' give him no chance to give us the slip, for that'd spoil all our -plans." - -"We'll see that he don't get away." - -"Well, as I've got to meet the captain an' company over at the store -a little after midnight, I'll lie down an' try to git a little sleep, -an' you an' Jack'll have to divide the time between you, guardin' -the prisoner, for, of course, I'll not be able to get back here till -some time after daylight, an' when I come it'll be with the company. -I guess," added Tom after a pause, "I'd better ride the jayhawkers' -horse over to meet the company; he'll make a better mount for me than -one of our broncos." - -"Yes, do so," said Jack; "he's a good one, I think." Then he added -pleadingly: "But, sergeant, is they no way we could fix it so that me -an' Peck could go with you on this round-up? S'pose we go out to the -barn an' hang this feller to-night, or shoot him, an' say he tried to -run--then we could all go." - -"No," replied Tom decidedly, "that won't do at all. Remember the old -saying, 'It's a good soldier that obeys orders,' an' we've got our -orders to hold any and all prisoners we may chance to take and turn -'em over to the captain. Much as I'd like to have both of you along, -you must stay an' take care of the camp an' prisoner. But I'll speak -a good word to the captain fer you, an' I think I can safely promise -that you'll both be made corporals as soon as there's vacancies in the -company." - -"Well," said Jack sorrowfully, "I suppose we'll have to stan' it; but I -hate like blazes to break my promise to the jayhawker, for I told him -he could depend on bein' hung at daylight." - -"But, sergeant," I put in, "won't the jayhawkers down at their camp, -waiting for their chief, suspect something wrong when he don't show up?" - -"No, it ain't likely. They were all pretty full on leaving the store, -Jack says, an' they'll be apt to go right to sleep on gettin' to camp -an' think no more about it till mornin'. An' ef they do happen to miss -him they'll think he got too drunk to git back to camp an' so laid out -some'ers. - -"Now, Jack," said Tom in concluding this conversation, "you may as well -put that candle out an' take post outside where you kin keep an eye on -the prisoner. An', Peck, you'll take a turn around camp, to see that -the animals are all tied securely, an' then turn in, an' you an' me'll -be tryin' to get what sleep we can afore it's time for us to go on." - -As we came out of the tent the captive seemed to be just rousing up -from a nap he pretended to have been taking and whined: - -"Men, would you mind loosenin' these strings around my wrists and -ankles a little mite? They're cuttin' into my flesh." - -"Well," replied Tom compassionately, "we don't want to torture a man -unnecessarily. It'll be enough to put him to death properly, when the -time comes, without keepin' him a-sufferin' so long. Loosen up them -cords a little, Jack. There won't be much danger of his gettin' away, -without you should go to sleep, an' I know you won't do that." - -Jack complied with Tom's instructions with apparent reluctance, -grumbling as he did so. He purposely slackened the cords on the wrists -so much that the man would probably be able to slip his hands out of -them, seeming to rely on his watchfulness and shotgun to prevent the -possibility of an escape. Then bringing out a camp-chair, the Irishman -sat down with the shotgun across his lap while I made a tour of the -camp as directed. Then joining Tom in the tent, I put out the light and -we pretended to turn in for a sleep. In reality we lay down near the -open tent door, where, having the prisoner between us and the white -wagon cover, we could see every motion he might make, for it had been -arranged that Jack should apparently go to sleep in his chair and let -the jayhawker have a chance to get away. - -Jack had prudently taken his seat far enough from the prisoner so that -the latter could not, after freeing himself, spring upon him and seize -his shotgun, and Tom and I, in anticipation of such an effort, lay down -with pistols ready to defeat the move should it be attempted. We had -chained the dog far enough away to be out of reach of the jayhawker, -for fear that he might catch the fugitive and thus spoil our scheme. - -Tucker remained in his fixed position on the wagon wheel an -exasperatingly long time before he began to make any move toward -freeing himself, and he remained so still that I began to think that he -had fallen asleep in spite of his uncomfortable position. - -After manifestly keeping awake for a reasonable time so as to give his -actions a semblance of reality, Jack began to nod in his chair, and -finally let his head drop against the back of his seat, very naturally, -but in a position that would enable him, through nearly closed eyes, to -watch every move of the prisoner; and then the Irishman began to snore. -Tom and I responded by doing our share of hard breathing, and now the -captive began to show some signs of life. - -In the dim light I could see him--silhouetted against the white -wagon cover--leaning over to his left and working his right arm as -if slipping the hand out of the loop that held it to the wheel. When -that hand was free he resumed his original position, kept perfectly -still for a moment, and, when apparently assured that we were all -still asleep, he dropped his free right hand slowly to his waist and -carried the hand to his mouth, evidently having drawn his pocket-knife -and opened a blade with his teeth. Instead of untying the bonds on his -other hand and ankles he had concluded that the quickest and quietest -way was to cut them. - -After replacing his right hand in its former position on the wheel, -watching Jack closely for a moment, and listening intently to our -steady, hard breathing, he quietly reached over with the knife in his -free hand and cut the string that held his left wrist to the wheel; -then replacing both hands on the wheel again for a moment as if tied, -he looked earnestly at Jack and then turned an ear toward our tent -door. - -Assured by our snoring that we were all asleep, he reached down and cut -the cords that held his ankles, after which he gave another earnest -look at Jack, took a step out from the wheel, and no doubt intended to -steal quietly out to his horse and mount him; but as soon as he started -from the wagon the dog gave an angry growl and sprang the length of his -chain toward the escaping jayhawker. - -Knowing that his flight would now be discovered, Tucker quickly darted -around the wagon, to get out of the range of Jack's shotgun, with Found -lunging on his chain and barking furiously. - -Jack sprang to his feet, calling to the fugitive, "Halt! halt!" as he -rushed around the wagon, followed by Tom and me, only to see the form -of the jayhawker disappearing rapidly in the darkness. Still calling -out "Halt! halt!" Jack let off one barrel after another of his shotgun, -but high over the head of the retreating ruffian, merely to accelerate -his speed. Tucker made no attempt to get his horse and was probably -only too glad to get away with a sound carcass. - -After chasing him out on the prairie a little way, calling excitedly to -one another to mount and follow the fugitive and try to head him off -at some point toward the jayhawkers' camp--all to impress Tucker, in -case he heard us, of the earnestness of our pursuit and our anxiety to -recapture him--we returned to our tent to chuckle over the success of -Tom's strategy. - -"'Tain't likely," observed Tom, "that he'll fool away time hanging -around here to try to get his horse. He's scared bad, for sure, an' -no doubt b'lieves every word of that yarn I got off about the company -of cavalry; but, to be on the safe side, Jack, you'd best bring the -black horse up here an' tie him to the wagon wheel that his former -master jest vacated, an' then turn Found loose, an' I'll guarantee no -prowler'll come nigh our camp without our gettin' due notice of it." - -"Holy smoke," exclaimed Jack, still commenting on the jayhawker's -escape, "didn't he run! When I run 'round the wagon after him I could -have shot him easy, ef I'd wanted to, fer he lost so much ground -a-zigzaggin' as he run, to keep me from hittin' him when I shot, that -he hadn't got very far ahead of me. But after I let off both barrels -of the shotgun he struck a bee-line fer the timber, only hitting the -ground in high places. He'll lose no time in getting back to his camp -an' rousing up his men an' telling 'em about the company of cavalry -that's comin' after midnight to surround their camp an' hang or shoot -every mother's son of 'em. What a time the half-drunken robbers'll -have a-saddling up in the dark an' gettin' away from there in a hurry. -They'll put as many miles as they can between them an' their ol' camp -before that company of cavalry surrounds 'em." - -After carrying out Tom's orders we all turned in and slept till -daylight, when the veteran's usual morning call brought back the -recollection of the recent exciting incidents. - -After breakfast Tom rode over to the store to see what he could learn -of the jayhawkers. - -Before he started: Jack asked, "Tom, what are we to do with Tucker's -horse?" - -"Why, Jack, ef no more rightful owner than Tucker turns up to claim him -the horse is fairly yours by right of capture." - -"I've been thinkin' it over," said Jack, "an' come to this conclusion: -We know that these jayhawkers make a business of robbing people, taking -all the good horses an' mules they come across; it's more'n likely -that this Tucker has stole this fine horse from somebody hereabouts, -an' I think the square thing to do will be to leave word with the ol' -storekeeper that in case any man comes along claiming the horse, an' -can prove his property, we'll give him up to the rightful owner. If -the owner should show up in a day or two he can follow us up, prove -ownership, an' take his horse. Ef he shouldn't show up until after -we've got out to our winter's camp, or well on the road toward it, -we'll leave word with the storekeeper to say that we'll be comin' back -this way in the spring an' we'll fix the business up then." - -"Good idea, Jack," said Tom. "I guess that'll be as good a plan as any -to settle about the ownership of the horse, an' we'll leave it that -way." - -"As to the horse being mine," added Jack, "in case no owner turns up, -I don't look at it that way. This is a partnership concern, I take -it, an' everything belongs to all hands. But that horse is a dandy. I -was out brushin' him off a bit ago, an' I haven't laid a currycomb on -a finer animal this long time. He's young--only six years old--well -built, clean-limbed, got good action, fine carriage, sound as a dollar, -an' I'll warrant he can run a good lick, too." - -As Tom started off, instead of following the road he took a course -across the prairie that would bring him to the creek some distance from -the regular ford, thus, instinctively, as it were, following out an -old frontier scouting rule by which we were taught that in travelling -a probably dangerous road one should avoid the regular crossing of a -timbered creek as a precaution against being ambushed. - -About the middle of the forenoon Tom made his appearance and soon -joined us. - -In response to our eager inquiries for news he replied: - -"Good news. Our strategy won the game. The whole gang, lock, stock, an' -barrel, lit out from their ol' camp last night about midnight, an' went -in a hurry, too. Judging by the signs an' what a man told us who heard -'em gittin' away across the prairie, they must have been scared. Now, -let's hitch up an' strike the road again an' try to make up some of -the time we've lost here--for we've been knocked out of nearly a day's -drive by these jayhawkers. I'll tell you all about it as we go along." - -We soon had our team strung out and were again rolling along the old -Santa Fé road, Jack and I on the wagon seat, with Tom riding the black -horse alongside and giving us the particulars of his visit to the store. - -"When I got to the store," he said, "early as it was, I found a farmer -there who lives down near where the jayhawkers have been camped an' -who had come up to report that some time before midnight he had heard -considerable commotion in their camp, an' shortly afterward heard a -wagon an' some mounted men pass not far from his house, goin' southward -across the prairie. He supposed that the gang was breaking camp an' -moving away, but couldn't understand why they should light out so -sudden an' at such an hour. When daylight come he visited the abandoned -camp an' there saw plenty of signs that they'd gone in a hurry. They -left clothin', lariats, an' other camp equipage scattered about that -they had failed to gather up in the dark. - -"Well, when I got to the store the farmer an' the storekeeper was all -worked up an' tickled at the going of their unwelcome neighbors; an' -their astonishment was greater still to see me ridin' Tucker's fine -black horse an' saddle, which they all seemed to recognize at first -sight. - -"To explain the situation to 'em, an' how I come to be ridin' Tucker's -horse, I had to tell 'em all about the jayhawkers comin' to our camp to -try to bluff us out of our mules, an' how we stood 'em off; an' about -Jack capturin' the big duffer; an' how we made a 'spread eagle' of him -an' give him a good scaring up with that yarn of the company of cavalry -coming; an' how we give him a chance to get away; an' how he got. - -"I told the storekeeper what Jack's plan was, in case an owner for the -black horse should turn up; but he don't think the horse b'longs to any -one in this part of the country; an' ef anybody comes 'round inquiring -for such a horse he's to write to me at Fort Larned. - -"The ol' feller was dreadful uneasy for fear the jayhawkers would find -out that we'd gone on out to the plains an' that there was really no -company of cavalry behind us and then would come back. But I tol' him -not to worry about that, for I believed there would be a company of -cavalry here from Fort Leavenworth before long in answer to that letter -he had written to General Hunter. - -"I put another idea into his head, tellin' him that he could help the -soldiers to capture or break up the gang by havin' a man foller their -trail an' find out just where they locate. He took up with the idea -right away, an' the farmer said he'd foller the trail. When he gets 'em -located he's to come back an' guide the soldiers to the jayhawkers' -camp." - -As we passed through the strip of timber at the crossing of the little -creek where the jayhawkers had planned to get the drop on us we noticed -that it would have been an admirable place for such a manoeuvre, and -Jack and I commented on the possibilities of an encounter with the -enemy here. - -"You're wastin' your wind," interrupted Tom impatiently. "I had it all -planned out to take a by-road that leads off from the house where we -camped, which crosses the creek--so the storekeeper had told me--about -a quarter of a mile below this crossin', comin' into the main road -again in the prairie beyond. In that way we'd have left the jayhawkers -'holdin' the sack,' like the feller that went a-snipe huntin'." - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -BUFFALO NEAR THE BIG BEND - - -That afternoon we reached Council Grove, on the west bank of Neosho -River. It was then a place of less than a hundred and fifty inhabitants -but an important business point--the outpost of Kansas settlements and -the last town, going westward, until Denver, Colorado, was reached. -Travellers going to the plains usually halted here to lay in any -requisites for their trip that might have been overlooked in starting -from the Missouri River and also for last repairs on wagons and for -horseshoeing. - -The tires on our hind wheels had become a little loose, and we decided -to have them shrunk and reset, so we camped by a blacksmith shop near -the centre of the village, and soon had the blacksmith at our work, -which he finished before dark. - -Making an early start next morning, we rolled out, nooned at Diamond -Springs, fifteen miles from the Grove, where there was but one family, -and at evening camped at Lost Springs, thirty miles from Council Grove, -where Jack Costillo's ranch was the only habitation. So long as the -road and weather were fine we wished to make up the time lost in being -delayed by the jayhawkers and lengthened our drives accordingly. - -We were now fairly launched on the plains and would see little more -timber and no habitations of white men except an occasional trading -ranch at the crossing of some creek along the road. We were nearing the -eastern edge of the buffalo range. - -The road from Fort Riley, that we had formerly travelled in going out -to the Arkansas River and back, enters the Santa Fé road here at Lost -Springs. At this camp there was no timber and no running water--merely -a series of water-holes strung along a prairie hollow. This had long -been a well-known camping ground; but where the springs were from which -it takes the name I never knew, for I never saw any. - -We pitched our tent near where the Fort Riley road enters the Santa Fé -and after supper attended to the usual camp work. After we had groomed -and fed our animals the Irishman and I strolled up to the ranch to -renew old acquaintance with the proprietor, Jack Costillo, also an -Irishman, whom we had previously known as a soldier in the Mounted -Rifle Regiment in New Mexico. - -Costillo was delighted to meet us again and, of course, set out his -best for us. We spent a couple of hours very pleasantly talking over -old times with him and then returned to our camp. As we walked along, -thinking of the Italian name borne by this man, who, as Jack said, -"wore the map of Ireland on his face," I remarked: - -"When I hear such names as O'Shaughnessy, Finnegan, or McCarthy given -for an Irishman, they seem natural and Irish enough, but now and then -I find an Irishman with what seems to be a very un-Irish name, such as -Costillo's, for instance. How do you account for these misfit names, -Jack?" - -"Oh, that's 'asy," replied Jack. "You see, ould Ireland is a sea-girt -isle an' is visited by ships of various nations, an' now an' then some -foreign sailor, in an Irish port, falls in love with an Irish girl an' -marries her, an' the childther, of course, will bear the foreigner's -name, though they be as Irish as Paddy's pigs." - -"Well, that is a reasonable explanation of a question that has -occasioned me a good deal of speculation," I answered, "and, accepting -your solution of the problem, my mind will be much easier in the -future." - -At these roadside ranches, which had sprung up at every important -camping place along the road since the Pike's Peak gold discovery, -liquor was sold and a small general assortment kept of such goods as -were in demand by travellers. - -No attempt was made to cultivate the soil or raise crops; they were -there merely for the trade of the road and--at points farther out--for -Indian trade. They also bought worn-out stock from passing outfits -and, after resting and recruiting such animals, sold them to other -travellers needing fresh animals. - -The Santa Fé mail contractors, Hall & Porter, of Independence, -Missouri, had established stations at certain ranches, but beyond -Council Grove there were, as yet, no regular eating or lodging stations -for passengers in the mail-coaches. They had to carry their own bedding -and take camp fare with the mail hands--two drivers and a conductor to -each coach. - -At Cottonwood Creek, the next camp west of Lost Springs, we began to -see buffalo--a few straggling old bulls at some distance from the -road--but as yet no herds. By the time we had reached the Little -Arkansas small bands became more numerous and neighborly; and from -there on the herds grew larger, till by the time we reached the -vicinity of Fort Larned--much later--dense masses of them were to be -seen in every direction. - -As far west as Lost Springs we found multitudes of prairie-chickens -along the road and our shotgun kept our mess supplied with fresh meat. -From Lost Springs westward we saw no more prairie-chickens, but as we -soon reached the buffalo range we killed young buffalo or antelope. - -In running buffalo we used the black horse, Jack's capture, and -although at first somewhat shy of the brown, woolly monsters, he soon -got used to them and evinced keen interest in the chase. - -In killing a buffalo for fresh meat we usually selected a yearling or -two-year-old, to insure tender meat, and cut out only a few pounds of -the choicest parts from the carcass, buffalo being so plenty that we -seldom thought of the wastefulness of this then common practice. - -Antelope, the fleetest and most graceful animal on the plains, could -seldom be overhauled by a mounted man, but their inquisitiveness was so -great that they would often, in herds of a dozen or more, approach our -camp through curiosity; and if they did not come close enough to suit -us, by displaying a red blanket we could lure them on, almost close -enough to knock them over with a stick. Their meat is tender and well -flavored, but at certain seasons there is little fat on it and a little -bacon cooked with it improves it. - -Coming in from grooming the black horse one day, Jack declared: - -"The more I handle that horse the better I like him. He's one of the -best I ever rubbed a brush over. I've been wondering who that jayhawker -could have stole him from an' dreading lest the owner should follow us -up an' claim his property, in which case, of course, we'd have to give -him up." - -"Well, Jack," I replied, "it ain't likely that the owner of the horse, -whoever he may be, will ever bother us; and when we hear from the old -storekeeper, back where you got him, if no owner has shown up there to -inquire about him, then your claim is the next best and he'll be your -horse." - -"No," said the impulsive Irishman, "ef we're to git to kape him he's to -be company property--he'll belong to all of us." - -"Well," put in Tom, "I've been thinkin' that the black horse is -entitled to a name, anyhow. We've named the mules--or Wild Bill -did--'Dink' an' 'Judy' an' the broncos 'Polly' an' 'Vinegar'; now, -what'll we call the horse?" - -"Why not call him 'Captain Tucker,' after the jayhawker?" I suggested. - -"No," promptly objected Jack, "it wouldn't be treatin' the horse fair -to call him after such a scoundrel." - -"How would 'Black Prince' do?" proposed Tom. - -"That suits me better. 'Black Prince' it shall be." - -Passing successively Cottonwood Creek, Big and Little Turkey Creeks, -Little Arkansas, Jarvis Creek, Big and Little Cow Creeks, we reached -Big Bend, the point where the Santa Fé trail, going westward, first -strikes the Arkansas River. - -Before reaching Big Bend we noticed with uneasiness that the tires on -our fore wheels were becoming loose. At Council Grove, where we had -had the tires of the hind wheels shrunk and reset, those of the fore -wheels had seemed tight enough; but since leaving there the woodwork -of the fore wheels had been shrinking more and more each day, until -now something must be done to tighten them or we would soon have a -broken-down wagon. We had hoped to reach Fort Larned before having to -reset these tires, but from Big Bend it was nearly two days' drive to -the fort. - -Seeing old Tom examining the wheels, I asked: - -"Well, Tom, what are we going to do about it? Hadn't we better take -them fore wheels off and throw them into the river overnight?" - -"No," replied the old man, "that would only help us for a day and -by to-morrow night they'd be dry as ever. We'll just give 'em a -plainsman's shrinking, an' that's pretty nigh as good as to have a -blacksmith cut an' weld an' reset 'em. We'll swell the felloes by -puttin' canvas between them an' the tires. The first thing is to unload -the wagon." - -It was quite a job, but Jack and I soon had the stuff all out and -stacked up on the ground. - -"Now, prop up the front ex an' take off the wheels." - -This was soon accomplished. - -"Now, while I knock off the tires you an' Jack can get out your gunny -sacks an' carry up a whole lot of buffalo-chips an' pile 'em handy." - -By the time we had done this Tom had taken off the tires and laid them -down, one on top of the other, raised a couple of inches off the -ground by stones placed here and there under them. - -"Now pile your chips all round over the tires, 'bout a foot deep, an' -then set 'em afire, an' the breeze'll keep the fire a-boomin'; an' -while the tires is a-heating bring the wheels up here close by; get -that piece of old canvas out o' the wagon; cut some strips from it -long as you can git 'em, jist the width of the felloes; get some of -the tacks out of the till of the mess-chest; put the canvas strips -on the outside of the felloes, draw 'em tight, an' tack 'em here an' -there as you go round the wheel until you get about four thicknesses -of canvas on; then give the outside layer of canvas a little wettin' -so's it won't burn out afore we can git the tire cooled off. Then lay -the wheels down handy to the fire, with a rock here an' there under the -rims to make 'em lay solid." - -When this had all been done: - -"Now get the shovel an' scoop out a little, long hole in the ground -close by an' keep it filled with water. Bring the pick an' shovel an' -spade an' axe an' hatchet an' lay 'em handy. Then fill all the buckets -with water an' set 'em close by." - -The wind kept the circle of buffalo-chips that covered the tires -blazing briskly, and by the time the chips were nearly burnt out we -could see that the tires were red-hot and knew that they had expanded -enough to drop over the canvassed wheels. - -"Now," resumed Tom, "we'll have to work lively an' make no mislicks -when we drop a tire over a wheel so's to get it cooled an' shrunk on -afore it burns out the canvas. We'll have to use the pick an' spade an' -shovel to lift 'em out o' the fire an' drop 'em over the wheels. Peck, -you take the pick, Jack the shovel, an' I'll take the spade. When all's -ready I'll give the word, an', Peck, you stick the point of your pick -under the top tire an' lift it up a little so's me an' Jack can slip -our shovel an' spade under it; then the three of us'll lift the tire -out of the fire an' lay it in its place over the wheel an' then go to -pourin' water on, an' quick as it's shrunk enough to stay on Jack'll -run his shovel handle through the hole in the hub, pry the wheel up, -an' with one of you on each side, a-holt of the shovel handle, you can -hold the wheel over the pool of water with the lower rim in the water -while I spin it 'round, an', with axe in one hand an' hatchet in the -other, I'll hammer the tire to its place as it shrinks. Now, do you men -'savvy' all them instructions?" - -We "savvied," and, following Tom's directions, we soon had both tires -nicely reset and shrunk, and it made a very substantial job. It was hot -and laborious work and gave us unusually keen appetites for the supper -that followed, which Tom prepared, while Jack and I reloaded our wagon. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -WHY SATANK KILLED PEACOCK - - -After supper, as we lay on our beds in the tent talking over old times, -Jack recalled to my mind the Cheyenne campaign of 1857 and how we used -to gather wild plums in the sand-hills near where we were now camped. -He spoke also of a man bitten by a rattlesnake near here. This called -out a story from Tom, who said: - -"Speakin' of rattlesnakes reminds me of a little incident that -happened out in New Mexico when I was in the old First Dragoons. I -was a sergeant, an' we had a new recruit in the company by the name -of Nesbit--a mighty quiet sort of a feller that the men called a -'stoughton-bottle,' or a 'bump on a log'--a good man for duty, only he -didn't make free with the other men or have much to say to anybody. He -had a fashion in hot weather, when he was loungin' about camp off duty, -of goin' barefooted, with the bottoms of his pants an' drawers rolled -up several inches. - -"One day, when we was camped on the Rio Grande, water call had jest -gone, an' we'd all started out from our tents to water our horses an' -picket 'em out on fresh grass. I was walkin' a few steps behind Nesbit -when I heard the whiz-whir of a rattlesnake in the direction of the -man, an' as I looked to'rds him I was horrified to see a big rattler -that seemed to have hold of one of his ankles an' was a-jerkin' an' -squirmin' an' wrappin' itself all 'round his leg; but, as I found out -afterward, the snake had struck at his ankle an' caught a mouthful -of the roll of Nesbit's trousers an' got his fangs tangled so's he -couldn't git loose but hadn't touched the leg at all. - -"Well, sir, I was nearly paralyzed with fear an' was tryin' to think of -some way I could help the man but didn't see how. He never said a word, -but just reached down as cool as ef he was goin' to pluck a flower, -grabbed the snake right back of its head so close it couldn't turn to -bite his hand when it got its fangs loose, then pulled its fangs loose -from the roll of his trousers an' pulled the snake away from where it -was wrapped around his leg. It coiled itself around his arm an' kep' -its rattle a-hummin', and I couldn't imagine how he was goin' to get -rid of it without gettin' bit. - -"Well, it all happened quicker'n scat, an' while I was a-tryin' to -study out some way I could help him out he knew just what to do an' was -a-doing it without asking anybody's help. - -"He just reached for his belt with the other hand, pulled his -butcher-knife, sliced the snake's head off clean--taking a slice out -of his finger in doing it, shook the snake loose from his arm an' -dropped it, stooped down an' dug a little hole with his knife, raked -the snake's head into it an' covered it up so's nobody would tramp on -it with bare feet an' get pizened, wiped his knife on his britches' leg -an' returned it to the sheath, tore a piece off his ol' hankercher an' -wrapped his cut finger up, an' went on an' 'tended to his horse--all -without sayin' a word or makin' any fuss; an' when I got my breath -enough to say, 'Nesbit, that was a close call,' he merely remarked -indifferent like: 'Yes, but you know a miss is as good as a mile.' - -"It had all been done so quietly an' quickly that the other men passin' -by hadn't noticed what was goin' on. - -"Well, sir, I count that one of the coolest, grittiest things I ever -saw done, an' when I got back to camp I went an' told the orderly -sergeant about it, an' he had to go an' tell the captain; an' then the -captain sent for me, an' I had to tell him all the particulars; an' -when I got through all the ol' man had to say was, 'He'll do,' but I -could see that the captain was mightily pleased with the raw recruit. - -"Well, the upshot of it was the next evenin' at 'retreat' the orderly -sergeant published an order to the company to the effect that 'Private -Nesbit is hereby appointed corporal an' will be obeyed an' respected -accordingly.' - -"You see, the captain saw from that little affair of the snake that -Nesbit was something more than a 'bump on a log,' an' so he give the -man a lift to start him, an' in a little while he was made sergeant; -an' then, when the ol' orderly sergeant's time was out an' he was -discharged, Nesbit was made first sergeant right over the heads of us -old hands who'd been in the service a heap longer. But he deserved -it, an' I never begrudged him the promotion, for he made one of the -best orderly sergeants I ever knew--always the same quiet, cool, nervy -Nesbit." - -"I always told you," remarked Jack, "that it won't do to set a man down -for a fool 'cause his clo's don't fit him. - -"Changin' the subject," said Jack, "it's about five miles from here up -to Charley Rath's ranch, at the mouth of Walnut Creek; ain't it, Tom?" - -"Yes; five miles to Walnut Creek, sixteen from there to Pawnee Rock, -eight miles from the Rock to the crossin' of Ash Creek, six from Ash -Creek to Pawnee Fork, an' three miles, after crossing Pawnee Fork, on -up the creek will bring us to Fort Larned, which is two miles and a -half off the Santa Fé road, but in plain sight of it." - -"I was thinkin'," continued Jack, "about the Walnut Creek ranch an' -some o' the lively times it's seen since I first know'd it. In '57, -when we come out here on the Cheyenne expedition, Allison owned it. -Many's the time the Injuns made life a burden to Allison, but still he -saved his scalp an' died on the square. In '58 he left his hired man, -Peacock, in charge of the ranch while he took his teams an' went in to -Westport, Missouri, after goods. On that trip Allison died suddenly at -Westport, an', as he had no kinsfolk at the ranch an' none ever come -out to claim it, Peacock jumped the claim an' held it as his own. He, -too, had some lively times with the Injuns an' was finally killed by -ol' Satank, in the summer of 1860. An' then Charley Rath jumped the -claim an' still holds it, but more'n likely he, too, will lose his -napper to some o' the Indians yet. It was near the ranch, when Peacock -had it, that Pawnee, the Kiowa chief, was killed by Lieutenant Bayard; -wasn't it?" - -"Yes," I replied, "I was in at the death and had an opportunity to have -done the killing myself that day, but Lieutenant Bayard came up and -took the job off my hands. You see, I was one of the first to mount and -start in chase of the Indian after he'd escaped from the ranch, mounted -his horse, and was racing across the level prairie north of the ranch. -I was riding that speedy little bay horse that we called 'Greased -Lightning,' that the officers used in making races. I'd got the start -of Bayard and the rest, overtook the Indian in about a mile and was -right alongside of him, with Lieutenant Bayard coming up just behind -me, and when I called back to the lieutenant to ask whether I should -shoot the Kiowa he replied, 'No, let me speak to him,' and I gave way -and let Bayard come in between me and Pawnee. Bayard called on him a -couple of times to halt, on the second demand firing a shot in front of -the Indian as a warning, and when he found that the Indian only jeered -and made faces at him the lieutenant reined in a little and let the -Kiowa go ahead, and, as he did so, dropped his pistol to Pawnee's back, -saying, 'Take it, then,' and let him have it--shooting him through the -heart. Pawnee threw up his hands and fell off his horse dead." - -"Well, by rights," said Jack, "you'd overtook the Injun first an' had -the best right to have done that job, but Bayard took advantage of his -bein' an officer over you to hog the honors." - -"I didn't consider that there was any particular honor in killing that -Indian, under the circumstances," I replied, "but I should have done -so if the lieutenant had said the word. But Bayard seemed to think -that the Indian would halt and surrender on his demand, and when the -Kiowa not only refused to yield but defied him, why, there was nothing -else to do but to kill him. We thought it strange at first that Pawnee -should act so defiantly when we had the drop on him, but Peacock told -us when we got back to the ranch that this Indian carried a medicine -or charm hung around his neck that was supposed to protect him from a -white man's bullet, and when the lieutenant fired a shot and missed him -he was sure he was bullet-proof; but Bayard's bullet killed him so -quick that he hardly had time to feel disappointed." - -"I don't know but what it was best, after all," remarked old Tom, -"seein' that the Injun had to be killed, for an officer to do it, for -after that shot the Kiowas started on the war-path an' caused the loss -of a good many lives of innocent people an' give the troops a whole lot -of trouble an' hard service for a year or more afterward. Ef it had 'a' -been an enlisted man fired that shot he'd 'a' been court-martialled an' -punished, more'n likely, instead of being honored. So I guess Peck lost -nothin' by it, for Bayard was sharply reprimanded an' had to do a whole -lot of explaining to get out of trouble for that little job. As to the -killing of Pawnee bein' the real cause of the Kiowa outbreak, that was -the idea that some fool people back East got of it; but none of us ever -believed that, for we knew from the actions of ol' Satank an' his band -for some time before that, they was bound to go on the war-path with -or without provocation, an' they seized on the killin' of one o' their -chiefs as an excuse for turnin' loose on the Pike's Peak emigrants an' -others along the road." - -"You'll remember," said Jack, "that I wasn't with you the next summer -on the Kiowa expedition, for I'd been left back at Fort Riley, in the -hospital, but I know Peck an' you"--speaking directly to Tom--"was both -with Major Sedgwick's command in this part of the country when Peacock -was killed; an', as I've heard two or three different stories about -that affair, I'd like to know the straight of it. Tell me jist how it -happened." - -"Well, sir," began old Tom as he raised up and began whittling another -pipeful of tobacco, "I can give you the straight facts about that -scrape, for I got 'em from Charley Rath an' the sick man--you know at -the time Satank killed Peacock there was a man sick in bed in the ranch -that the Injuns never touched, an' he was the only one of Peacock's men -left alive, 'cept Wild Bill an' John Adkins, an' they was away from -the ranch somewhere. After peace was made with the Kiowas an' they got -to comin' around to the Walnut Creek ranch to trade ag'in, Charley -Rath was runnin' it, an' he got all the particulars about it from the -Indians who was with Satank when he killed Peacock. So I think I got it -pretty straight. - -"You'll remember that we--that is, Major Sedgwick's command of four -companies of First Cavalry from Fort Riley--had been chasin' the -Kiowas' round over the plains all summer, but hadn't been able to get -a fight out of 'em 'cept that little scrimmage our detachment of forty -men under Jeb Stuart had with Satank an' a little bunch up north of -Bent's Fort, where we killed eight of 'em an' captured all their women -an' children an' packs. - -"Captain Sturgis, with four companies from Fort Arbuckle, had also come -up into this country on the same errand as us--huntin' the Kiowas--an' -he'd had better luck, for he caught 'em up on the Republican Fork an' -had a nice little fight an' killed a whole lot of 'em. - -"I'm givin' you all this preamble to give you a clear idee of the -situation that led up to the killing of Peacock. There was a slight -split among the Kiowas durin' this war, for ol' To hausen--Little -Mountain--their head chief, with a few of the cool-headed older -warriors of the tribe, had refused to join Satank an' the hostiles in -makin' war on the whites, an' To hausen, with his little band, had -kept out o' the way for fear of bein' mistaken by us for the hostiles. -But the biggest part of the tribe, under the leadership of Satank an' -Satanta an' Big Tree, was a-doin' their level best to wipe out every -white man, woman, an' child on the plains. - -"Satank was the recognized leader of the hostiles an' was always very -bitter in his hatred of the whites. - -"As our two commands, Sturgis's an' Sedgwick's, had kep' him on the -jump purty lively durin' the summer, an' he'd got the worst of it all -'round, 'long in the last of August or fore part of September, I think -it was, Satank seemed to conclude--as the time was soon coming when -the Injun agent at Bent's Fort would be a-giving out the annuities -that Uncle Sam sends out every fall to the peaceable Injuns--that he'd -better make a treaty with Major Sedgwick for the winter, anyway, so's -him an' his band could come in for their share of the presents. So he -applied to Peacock for a letter of recommendation to Major Sedgwick, -thinkin' that a letter from such a prominent trader would help him to -make easy terms with Sedgwick. - -"'Well, sir, right there's where Peacock made the blunder of his life, -an' it cost him his life, too. Peacock was a pretty smart man an' was -acquainted with nearly every Kiowa in the tribe, an' it's hard to -understand how he could be so foolish as to do the way he did. But -Satank an' his band had made him a heap o' trouble durin' this last -outbreak, an' now Peacock thought he saw a chance to even up with his -old enemy. So, instead of writin' a letter to Sedgwick askin' mild -treatment an' makin' excuses for Satank an' his scalpers, he wrote one -reading something like this: - - MAJOR SEDGWICK, - - _Commanding Kiowa Expedition_: - - The bearer of this is Satank, the leader of the hostile Kiowas - and the instigator of all, and the actual perpetrator of many of - the atrocious murders and outrages that have been committed on - innocent men, women, and children on the plains during this last - outbreak. He is, by long odds, the worst Indian on the plains, and - you can't do the country a greater service than to kill him on - sight. - - (Signed) PEACOCK. - -"Here was the unaccountable part of Peacock's folly. He certainly knew -that that low-down renegade Englishman that they called 'English Jim' -was living among the Kiowas at this time; but Jim was a brute an' -appeared to be so ignorant Peacock must have supposed either that the -fellow would be unable to read writing or else that Satank would never -doubt the genuineness of his recommendation and would, therefore, take -no steps to test it. But there's where the trader fooled himself. - -"The Kiowas were camped across the Arkansas, a few miles south from -the ranch. Charley Rath an' his pardner, George Long, had just begun -to build them a ranch-house here at the Bend, close to where we are -now camped, an' could see the Kiowas passing back an' forth across the -river. - -"When Satank received the paper from Peacock he and a few men who -was with him went straight back to their camp, give the document to -'English Jim,' an' axed him to read it an' interpret it into Kiowa, -which he did. - -"As soon as Satank heard the purport of the paper an' understood the -trick Peacock was trying to play him, he an' the same gang mounted -their horses an' rode right back to Peacock's to settle the account. -On reaching the ranch, as an excuse for their sudden return an' to -keep Peacock from suspecting what he was up to, Satank an' his men -never dismounted, but sat on their horses outside the gate an' called -to Peacock in Mexican--the Kiowas an' Comanches can nearly all talk a -little Mexican--says he to Peacock, says he, 'Bring your spy-glass -out an' look down the road an' see ef this is a lot of soldiers -a-coming',--when there was no soldiers in sight nor anything that -looked like 'em. - -"Never suspecting the trap that Satank had laid for him, Peacock -come out with his long telescope an', resting it on the end of a log -sticking out at the corner of the house, begun looking through it in -the direction Satank pointed. - -"While busy trying to focus the glass on a little cloud of dust that -Satank kept tryin' to point out to him, the ol' rascal put the muzzle -of his rifle to the back of Peacock's head an' put a ball through his -brains. While Satank dismounted to scalp Peacock his warriors rushed -into the enclosure through the gate that Peacock had left open as he -come out, an' it was such a complete surprise to the ranchmen that they -were all soon killed 'cept the sick man I spoke of. They found him in -bed but never offered to disturb him. I've known of Injuns, several -times, a-sparing sick people thataway, but don't know why, unless they -have a superstition ag'in harming sick folks. - -"When Rath an' Long, down here at the Bend, saw the Kiowas going -back across the river, a-drivin' Peacock's herd, they begun to think -something was wrong, so they got out their spy-glass, took a close -look, an', although the Injuns was two or three miles away, could see -that they had a lot of the ponies packed with what seemed to be some -of Peacock's goods. This made 'em suspect that the Injuns had captured -an' plundered the ranch, ef they hadn't killed Peacock an his men; -so they dropped their work, mounted their horses, an' went a-flying -up to Peacock's to see what was up, an' found all hands killed 'cept -the sick man, an' he told 'em what little he'd seen an' heerd of the -fracas, from where he lay in bed, not bein' able to get out, an' how -after killing the other men the Injuns had come to the open door of the -room where he lay helpless an' fully expecting to be murdered, an' how -surprised an' glad he was when they turned away without disturbin' him. - -"Peacock had left no heirs on the place, an' there was no one in this -part of the country that had any claim on it, so Rath an' Long decided -to abandon the ranch they had just begun to build here at the Bend an' -move up an' take possession of Peacock's place, jumping the claim, same -as Peacock had done after Allison died. An' Rath is holding it yet, but -George Long quit the business an' went back to the settlements--got -scared out, I guess. Charley Rath--barring the everlasting danger from -Injuns--has got a bully good layout in that Walnut Creek ranch, both -for trade of the road an' for Injun trade, for there he gits part of -the trade of Kiowas, Comanches, Cheyennes, an' 'Rapahoes; but it's more -directly in the Kiowa range than the others." - -"Well, Tom," I asked as the old man seemed to be at the end of his -yarn, "as the Kiowas are now living under a treaty, do you think their -friendship is to be depended on?" - -"I wouldn't feel a bit uneasy in the neighborhood of ol' To hausen's -band, for him an' his followers has kept faith with the whites right -along, through all the late troubles. He's one of the few good Injuns. -But his band is a small part of the tribe now though he used to be -their head chief. Most of the Kiowas follow the lead of Satank now, an' -you know Satank hates a white man as the devil hates holy water, an', -although he may keep the peace for a while, it ain't to be depended -on. I would never feel perfectly safe in the neighborhood of Satank's -band. An' then Satanta an' Big Tree run with him, an' they're as bad as -Satank." - -"What I was thinking of," I added, "is that the winter camp we're -intending to establish, north of Fort Larned, will be right in the -range of the Kiowas, and if they should happen to find our layout in -the course of the winter they might make trouble for us." - -"Well, we won't borry any trouble on that score. We knew there was a -risk to run afore we undertook the expedition. When a man goes into the -country of hostile or doubtful Injuns he takes his risk. But at this -time of the year the chances are that we won't see any Injuns, 'cause -they generally hole up in as snug shelter as they can find in winter -an' don't ramble about much. An' then, ag'in, we'll not be more'n -twenty miles from Fort Larned, and they'd hardly dare to disturb us ef -they should find our camp." - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -WE REACH FORT LARNED - - -"Now, men," said old Tom as we gathered around the mess box for -breakfast next morning, "we want to get an early start for we've got a -big drive before us. It's only about thirty-eight miles from here to -Fort Larned, but that's too much to do with a load in one day; an' we -can't divide the distance equally because there's no water anywhere -nigh the half-way p'int. By takin' the river road we could get water to -camp at the half-way station, but that route, by way of the mouth of -Pawnee Fork, would take us four miles out of our way, an' part of it's -a sandy, heavy road for the team. So I've concluded it'll be best for -us to go the main road by Pawnee Rock an' camp at Ash Creek. That'll -make about twenty-nine miles for to-day's drive, an' then we'll only -have nine miles to-morrow mornin' to knock off to reach the fort. We -can easy do that by the middle of the forenoon, an' have the rest of -the day to look up some old acquaintances there an' make some inquiries -about the best p'int over on Walnut to locate our winter camp an' how -best to get there. Ef French Dave, the interpreter, is at Larned he'll -tell us all we want to know about it. If Wild Bill was here, he'd go -right along an' guide us to a snug place for our camp, 'cause he knows -every foot o' the ground. It's all open prairie from Pawnee to Walnut, -an' once we get across Pawnee Fork we can't miss it ef we just follow -the buffalo trails." - -We rolled out from Big Bend by sunrise, made a short stop at Rath's -ranch to renew old acquaintance with Charley, and in the evening camped -at the crossing of Ash Creek, a small stream with a little timber along -its banks. - -We reached Fort Larned by ten o'clock next morning. I left Tom and Jack -to inquire for mail, while I went to the adjutant's office to report -our arrival and destination; after which I rejoined the outfit at the -sutler's. - -"Well, now, men," said old Tom, gathering up the mail matter and -putting it away in the wagon, "we must first hunt a camp, an' then -we can spend the rest of the day reading our papers an' letters an' -rounding up old acquaintances about the garrison an' getting ready to -go on to Walnut Creek in the mornin'. I'm told that we can get pretty -good grass by crossin' the creek here an' going half a mile up on the -other side. We'll go an' make camp an' eat dinner, an' then, leaving -one man to take care o' camp, the others can come back and take in the -garrison." - -A little crowd of idlers had gathered around our team. A soldier -volunteered to guide us to a good crossing and camp, and we soon had -our animals turned out and tent pitched, and, while Tom and Jack were -getting the dinner, at their request I overhauled first the letters and -then the papers, reading to my comrades the most interesting items as I -came to them. - -The papers and magazines were full of exciting and interesting news -concerning the progress of the war, then just getting under good -headway. Of letters we got but few, the most interesting of which to -me was one from the girl I had left behind me and another from the old -storekeeper and postmaster back at the camp where we had encountered -the jayhawkers. - -The storekeeper informed us that no inquiry had been made for the black -horse, and he did not think it likely that there would be as he had -learned that Tucker and his gang had stolen many of their best horses -from over the border in Missouri and the black horse was probably one -of them. - -He also informed us that, following out the plan suggested by Tom, -his neighbor had trailed the jayhawkers to their new camp down on the -Neosho River, near Emporia; that a few days after we left a company of -cavalry had arrived from Fort Leavenworth, in answer to the letter he -had written to the commander of the department, looking for the gang -of outlaws, and the man who had followed them and located their camp -guided the soldiers to the jayhawkers' new layout, where the cavalrymen -succeeded in surrounding and capturing the whole gang and taking them -as prisoners to Fort Leavenworth. - -"Well, who's going to mind camp, an' who's going over to the fort?" -said Jack when dinner was over. - -"We'll draw straws for it," said Tom decisively. "Peck, you prepare the -straws, two long ones an' a short one, an' the man who gets the short -one stays." - -I did as directed. Tom and Jack drew the long straws, and I got left. - -"Well, rack out now, you fellows, and I'll have a good time reading the -papers while you're gone," said I, trying to console myself for the -lonesome afternoon I expected to have. - -But I was not left alone long, for presently a couple of strolling -soldiers from the garrison dropped in, and we passed some time in -exchanging information, I giving them the latest news from the -settlements, and they telling the gossip of Fort Larned and vicinity. - -We had not been out of sight of herds of buffalo since we had entered -the range till we crossed Pawnee Fork, but here, near the fort, where -they had probably been hunted more than elsewhere, they were scarce, -though this was about the centre of their range east and west. The -soldiers said that a few miles out in any direction we would find them -numerous again. - -To my comrades and me the country about Fort Larned was familiar -ground. As already stated, our company--K of the old First Cavalry, -afterward changed to Fourth Cavalry--had built and occupied the -original military post, called "Camp Alert," in the adjoining bend -of the creek, below Fort Larned, in the fall of '59, when the Kiowas -were on the war-path. During that winter we had been stationed there, -escorting the Santa Fé mails and giving what protection we could to -travel on the roads to New Mexico and the Pike's Peak gold region. By -the following spring (1860), the War Department had ordered a permanent -post established at or near "Camp Alert," to be called Fort Larned. -This post was built by the two companies of Second Infantry that were -sent to relieve us, while we, joining Major Sedgwick's command from -Fort Riley, went on the Kiowa expedition. - -My two years of hard service along the Arkansas gave me an interest in -everything that had happened in this part of the country, and I kept my -soldier visitors plied with questions about persons and events until -the approach of sunset warned them to return to the post to prepare for -dress parade. - -Tom and Jack remained at the garrison till after dress parade and then -joined me in time for the supper which I had prepared. - -In narrating the results of his inquiries at the post Tom said: - -"As we had all been pretty well acquainted with Weisselbaum when he -used to keep the little store in Ogden, near Fort Riley, before he got -to be sutler of this post, I thought I would first call on him an' -renew old acquaintance. When I tried to remind him who I was an' the -many times I had been in his store at Ogden an' bought goods of him he -couldn't remember me at all. An' then I asked him if he remembered Jack -an' Peck, tellin' him that you was both here with me an' the object of -our trip an' so forth, but he couldn't recall either of us an' looked -at me kind of suspicious like, as though he was afraid I was goin' to -ask him to credit me for a plug of tobacco or something of that kind. - -"To set him straight on that point I called for a couple of cigars, an' -in paying for 'em I managed to show several greenbacks, an', my, what a -change come over his countenance when he saw that money! The sight of -them greenbacks at once refreshed his recollection. - -"He suggested that we should leave our surplus money in his safe, and I -believe it's a good scheme, for we'll have no use for money over on the -Walnut, where we're going, an' we might lose it. Peck might go over to -the store now, takin' Jack along for a witness, an' deposit our money -with the sutler an' take a receipt for it; an' if we have occasion to -draw any of it out at any time it can be entered on the back of the -receipt. Savvy?" - -We "savvied" and agreed to Tom's plan. - -"Weisselbaum told me," continued the old man, "where to find 'French -Dave,' an' Dave told me that it's all plain sailing an' about twenty -miles from here over to Walnut in the nearest direction, straight -north; an' there'll be no rough ground to get over except the head of -Ash Creek, an' there ain't much there. He says by bearin' a little to -the west of north we'll miss the breaks of Ash Creek an' strike Walnut -about the mouth of a little creek putting into Walnut from the south, -where there's a snug place for a well-sheltered winter camp, with -timber on the north an' west; an' I think that's just about the kind of -a layout we want to find." - -"What does Dave say about the Kiowas?" I asked. - -"He says they're peaceable so far, 'but always keep your eye skinned,' -sez he, 'whenever Satank or Satanta, with their bands, come around.' -But of course we knew that." - -Jack and I hurried over to the sutler's store, where we were very -affably received by Weisselbaum, who shook us warmly by the hands and -now had no difficulty in remembering us. We made our deposit, took his -receipt, and returned to camp. After reporting to Tom the result of our -trip, Jack remarked: - -"Well, I don't know of any surer winnin' game than a post sutler's job. -It'll beat four aces an' a six-shooter." - -"Right you are, my lad," chipped in Tom. "It's a sure shot--dead open -an' shut. Better'n a goldmine, for there's little risk an' small -loss compared with the profits; for the post sutler on the frontier -just rakes in the money of officers, soldiers, citizens, Injuns, -an' everybody. Besides havin' a monopoly of all trade on the post -reservation, he generally has the inside track on forage contracts an' -the like." - -"Do you mind old Rich, the sutler at Fort Leavenworth?" asked Jack, -"an' the dead oodles of money he rakes in all the time? An' he's been -sutler there so long, too, he must be as rich as the Rothschilds. -A queer duck is old Rich," he continued reflectively, "or 'Kernel' -Rich, I should have said, for when you call him 'Kernel,' specially if -you salute him along with it, it pleases him all over an' raises his -opinion of himself about five hundred per cent." - -"Yes," replied Tom, "I remember one time when several of us soldiers -were a-standing around old Rich's store door, an' among the lot was -Bob Chambers, of F Company. You know Bob always had his cheek with -him. Well, while we were a-talking, Bill Shutts come out of the store -a-grumbling an' a-cussing. 'What's the matter, Shutts?' asked Bob. -'Why, I'm expectin' a letter from home,' says Bill, 'an' when I asked -that old galoot if there was a letter for me, the old fellow wouldn't -look--never even asked me my name--but just says, crabbed like, says -he: "No, nothin' for you." 'Now,' says Bill, 'I'll bet two dollars an' -sixty-five cents that there's a letter in there right now for William -Shutts, Esquire, from Dresden, O., but I can't get it.' - -"'Why, man,' says Bob Chambers, 'where've you been all this time that -you ain't got acquainted with that estimable old gentleman, Kernel -Rich? You ain't onto the combination, that's all. Now, I'll bet you the -drinks for the crowd, down at old mother Bangs's, that I'll go in the -store an' ask the kernel for a letter, an' although I ain't expecting -one, an' would be surprised if I got one, the old kernel'll rush flying -'round behind the counter a-trying to find me a letter. Now, lemme show -you how it's done,' sez Bob, a-buttonin' up his jacket an' a-cockin' -his fatigue cap up on three hairs. - -"We all followed him into the store to see the performance. The old -kernel was pacin' the floor. By a 'left-front-into-line' movement Bob -swung himself into position in front of the kernel, halted, come to -'attention,' bringing his heels together with a crack, an' raised his -right hand to the peak of his cap as he asked: 'Kernel, is there any -letter in the office for me, sir?' - -"Well, say--you ought to have seen the smile that come over old Rich's -phiz as he fell all over himself getting 'round behind the counter, -asking as he went: 'What's the name, my man?' 'Robert Chambers, of F -Company, sir,' says Bob, still standing to 'attention.' - -"Well, sir, the old kernel shuffled those letters over two or three -times a-tryin' his level best to dig up one for Chambers, an' -seemed awfully sorry when he had to say, as he put them back in the -pigeonhole: 'No, nothing for you to-day, Chambers.' An' he was so sorry -to disappoint Bob that he reached over on the shelf an' handed out a -plug of tobacco, as he added, sort of regretful-like: 'But there's some -of the best navy tobacco you ever smacked your lips over.' 'No doubt -of it, kernel, for when you recommend a thing it's bound to be first -class, but unfortunately I'm dead broke,' says Chambers. 'Oh, take it -along,' says the old man, as he pushed the plug across the counter; -'you can hand me the money next pay-day.' An' he was so pleased with -Bob's blarney that he never even chalked it down to him; an' I'm dead -sure that Chambers didn't remind him of it when pay-day come, for Bob -wasn't built that way. - -"As we started out of the store, Bob says over his shoulder like for -old Rich to hear, 'Kernel Rich is one of the finest old gentlemen I -ever knew.' - -"When we got outside the store door again, Bill Shutts remarked, as he -gazed at Chambers in honest admiration 'Well, old pard, if I had your -cheek I'd never work another lick.' 'It's all done by a slight turn of -the wrist, as the magician says,' said Bob; 'anybody can do it that -knows how. Now, let me tell you how to get that letter of yours. Just -go over to the quarters an' wash your face an' hands for a disguise, -black your boots, button up your jacket, brace up, an' look brave; and -then go back to the store--by that time the old man's forgot you ever -asked for a letter--then execute a flank movement on him, like I did; -be sure to salute an' call him kernel, an' you'll get a letter if he -has to write you one.' - -"An' by following Bob's advice Bill got his letter; an' it tickled him -so't he called us together, an' we went down to old mother Bangs's, an' -he set up the drinks on it, 'cause he said that trick that Bob learnt -him was worth a whole lot, if not more." - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -OUR CAMP ON WALNUT CREEK - - -Next morning at breakfast I said: - -"How was it, Tom, that when we were buying our outfit at Leavenworth we -forgot to get a compass? That is a pretty useful thing in travelling -across the prairie, where there is no road or trail to follow?" - -"Well," replied Tom, "it would be handy to have a compass, but we -haven't got one and so we'll have to do the next best thing, and thank -the Lord I have a good watch to run our course by." - -"What!" I exclaimed. "Do you mean that you can tell the points of the -compass by a watch?" And Jack chimed in: "I never heard of the like." - -"If you live long enough, young fellows, you may find out that there -are some other things you never heard of. Look here, I'll explain to -you how it's done," and Tom pulled his big silver watch out of his -pocket, opened it, and put it on the table. - -"You turn the watch so that the hour-hand points to the sun; then -measure just half-way to the figure twelve on the dial in the shortest -direction, and that will be south. Of course, the opposite point will -be north, and you can tell east or west. - -"If you get it firmly fixed in your mind that, with the hour-hand of a -watch pointing to the sun, half-way between that and the figure twelve -in the shortest direction on the dial is south, you can always get the -points of the compass when the sun is shining." - -"Whoever taught you that watch trick, Tom?" I asked. - -"First Lieutenant James E. B. Stuart, late of G Company, First Cavalry, -and now an officer in the rebel army, learnt me that once when I was -out on a scout with him in the mountains and we got lost," answered -Tom. "It was cloudy and we wandered about in every direction except -the right one, as lost men will do. After a while the sun came out for -a little while and I saw Jeb halt, take out his watch, and look at -the sun. Then he said: 'Now, I have got it. The trail is off in this -direction,' pointing with his right hand, while he held the watch in -the left. Then he called to me: 'Come here, sergeant, and I will show -you how to tell north and south by a watch. It may be useful to you -some day.' And then he explained it to me, and many's the time it has -been useful." - -By the time we had everything packed up after breakfast and the team -strung out, the sun was up and we started north. - -[Illustration: _Where Old Fort Larned Stood_] - -We ran a fairly straight line, bearing a little to the west, to the -head of Ash Creek, which we found here to be only a prairie hollow -destitute of water and timber. Before reaching Ash Creek we had begun -to see plenty of buffalo in every direction except toward Fort Larned. - -On reaching the high prairie north of Ash Creek we could see away to -the north the distant line of timber that marked the course of Walnut -Creek. A heavy body of timber was seen right ahead, and in line with -our course, that Tom rightly conjectured was at the mouth of the little -creek emptying into the Walnut, where French Dave had told him we would -find a suitable location for a winter camp. Toward this we directed our -course. - -It was but little past noon when we reached the edge of the timber -near the junction of the little branch and Walnut Creek, and we found -here an ideal spot for our purpose--a snug camp and good hunting and -trapping ground. - -"We'll camp here for the night," said Tom as he dismounted, "an' -to-morrow we'll look the neighborhood over thoroughly an' decide where -to pitch our permanent layout." - -As we had found no water on the road we had made this drive from Pawnee -Fork without our usual halt for noon and decided to have our dinner and -supper in one about the middle of the afternoon. After turning out the -stock, bringing wood and water, and pitching the tent, while Tom was -preparing the meal, Jack and I separately rambled off to do a little -exploring of our immediate neighborhood. In doing so I found a prairie -ravine, not far from our camp, in which there was considerable standing -water at a distance of about three hundred yards from the timber on -Walnut Creek. I wondered at this water, but on following the ravine -down to the creek I discovered a beaver dam built across the creek, in -which a number of the dome-shaped huts were standing, and saw other -evidences of the presence of a populous colony of these industrious -animals. The water I had seen up the ravine was backwater caused by the -dam. - -At Tom's call of "grub pile" I hurried back to camp to acquaint my -comrades with my discovery, only to learn that Jack had found the -beaver dam before I had and, having rushed back to the wagon, was now -busy getting out our steel traps preparatory to setting them for beaver. - -As we sat around the mess-chest eating, Tom, between mouthfuls, -explained his ideas about the establishing of our winter camp. - -"This big timber here is in the right place to shelter us from the -northwest winds. We must also remember that we've got to protect -ourselves and stock against a surprise by hostile Injuns. I ain't -looking for trouble of that kind, but it's always best to be prepared -for such emergencies. So I think it'll be best to move out to the -bank of that ravine Peck spoke about, say two or three hundred yards -from the timber, which will still furnish us good protection from -the northwesters. In case of hostilities the water in the ravine -can't be cut off from us. Into the banks of that ravine we'll dig our -dugouts--one for ourselves, on one side, and a stable for the stock on -the other side, opposite and facing each other. We'll cut and split -some slabs in the timber and lay a sort of a floor across the ravine, -for a gangway, and it'll be as handy as a pocket in a shirt. - -"Now, Peck, while Jack goes to set his traps for beaver, suppose you -saddle up Black Prince and go out and kill a buffalo calf or yearling -and bring in a quarter or so of fresh meat. And, as there's plenty -of time yet before night, while you're at it you may as well make a -complete circuit of the camp, say about a mile or two out, and see if -there's anybody or any sign of anybody in this neighborhood besides -ourselves." - -"Tom," I said, "I believe it would be better for me to go out and kill -a yearling first and bring in some meat and then take a ride around -the country afterward; for if I kill the yearling first and leave the -carcass till I make the circuit of the camp the wolves will get away -with the meat before I get back to it; and if I make the round first -before killing our meat I'll be scaring all the near buffalo away." - -"You're right," replied the old man; "do as you say. I'm glad to see -that you do a little thinking of your own once in a while." - -"And I believe I can kill two birds with one stone," I continued, "by -taking some strychnine along and baiting the remains of the yearling -after I cut off the hind quarters, and in the morning I'll have a few -coyotes to skin to give us a start in business." - -"That's a good idea, too; but don't fool away too much time, for I want -you to make that round of the neighborhood before night." - -As I got our package of strychnine out of the wagon, opened it, and -took out one of the phials to put in my pocket, Tom suggested: - -"You'd better open that bottle here an' put in a little water to -dissolve the crystals; you'll find it's easier to handle in liquid than -in crystals, and also more savin'." - -Tom's suggestion was a good one and I did as he advised. Then hanging -the hatchet and field-glass to my saddle, I mounted and rode away. - -Crossing the creek just below the beaver dam, where Jack was already -looking out locations for his traps, I rode through the timber to look -for the most convenient band of buffalo, and espied one that suited my -purpose about a mile down the prairie bottom, strung out in single file -on the trail, coming in to the creek for water. - -Recrossing the creek so as to keep out of their sight behind the -timber, I rode down to a point that would intercept them and prepared -to await my game. The place I had chosen to wait for them was an old -buffalo crossing, the converging trails, deeply worn in the banks on -either side, showing that it was much used. They would have to pass me -here, and, again recrossing the creek to the north side, I rode down -into the timber, tied my horse behind some bushes, and returned afoot -to the crossing, being careful not to give the buffalo my wind. - -Soon they passed me, went on down, drank, and climbed the hills on the -other side of the stream. As the young cattle filed past me I selected -a yearling and, as he came opposite, shot him, and he dropped dead in -the trail. The rest gave a jump or two and went on. I cut off the hind -quarters and with some trouble put them on Prince. - -Then stripping back the skin from the fore quarters, I applied my -solution of strychnine, a few drops here and there over the meat and -entrails, and left them for wolf bait. - -Having left my meat at camp, I rode away on my scout, reaching camp -again about sunset. - -Just after we finished supper the howling of a pack of coyotes--which -we seldom noticed--prompted me to exclaim: - -"Make the most of your time, my lads, for if you happen to scent that -bait I put out for you I'll be skinning some of you in the morning." - -The howling and barking of wolves was such familiar music to us -that it seldom provoked remark, for we had scarcely passed a night -since entering the buffalo range that we had not been serenaded by -the shrill, discordant notes of the coyote, varied occasionally by -the deeper bass of the big, gray buffalo wolves, or "lobos," as the -Mexicans call them. - -Next morning Jack and I hurried through the work of watering and -changing the animals to fresh grass, while Tom prepared breakfast. We -were impatient to be off, and after the meal, taking our rifles in -addition to revolvers, we started out to our respective tasks, Jack -afoot and I on Black Prince. - -As I approached my wolf baits I disturbed a couple of coyotes--probably -late comers that had but recently found the carcass, for they certainly -gave no evidence of the effects of strychnine as they loped off on the -prairie a little way and there sat on their haunches licking their -chops and watching me as though reluctant to leave their feast. - -I tied Prince a few rods away from the bait, of which but little -remained, while I walked about through the tall grass, looking up -the dead wolves, three of which I noticed lying by the bait before -dismounting. On looking about I found five more, at varying distances -from the carcass, none of them more than a hundred yards away. Some of -them were still warm. - -I put down the rifle, drew my knife, and went to work. Having had -considerable experience in skinning wolves, I was quite expert at it -and soon had the eight pelts stripped off the dead coyotes and rolled -up together ready for tying on behind my saddle. - -The process of skinning was simple. I turned the wolf on his back and -with the point of my knife split the skin from the point of the chin -down the throat and belly to the root of the tail; then split the -inside of each leg from the foot to an intersection of the first, or -belly cut; then stripped back the skin from belly, legs, and sides. The -tail was then slipped off the bone whole, without splitting, in this -way: strip the skin of the tail away from the bone for about an inch -at the root; then slip a split stick over the bone, take an end of the -stick in each hand, clamping the bone tightly, and give a jerk toward -the end of the tail. The bone slips out of its skin as if it were -greased. - -When it came to tying the skins on behind the saddle, Prince objected -very strongly, and I was compelled to blindfold him before I could -accomplish the job. After I had mounted, Prince was still nervous, -but by coaxing and talking kindly to him I soon got him reconciled to -carrying the burden. - -When I reached camp I found Jack jubilating over three fine beavers -which he had carried up from the creek. He was grumbling because he -had not put out more traps. - -"Time enough," said Tom consolingly. "We've now found out that there's -plenty of 'em there and can wait awhile. Their fur'll be getting -heavier an' better all the time." - -He and Jack were finishing skinning the third one as I dismounted and -threw down my batch of coyote pelts. - -"How many did you get?" asked Jack. - -"Only eight," I replied. "If I'd had time to have killed and poisoned -three or four buffalo in different directions out around camp I'd 'a' -got as many as the horse could carry." - -"Time enough for the wolves, too, by and by," said Tom. - -"Now, men," said Tom after we had discussed beaver and how to catch -them, "while you were out I went over to the ravine and found a good -place for our dugouts and measured and staked off the ground where -we'll dig 'em. After dinner we can move camp over there close to the -work. And while I'm getting the grub ready you two can water the horses -and mules and be a-making a lot of little pins to peg your skins down -to dry." - -After dinner we moved camp close to the bank of the ravine, where Tom -had marked out the ground for our winter quarters. On the opposite bank -he had staked out a site for a larger dugout for a stable. The ravine -here was narrow, and by a good jump we could clear the water that -occupied its bottom. On top of the banks the ground for some distance -around was smooth and level, bearing no other vegetation but the short, -nutritious buffalo-grass. - -Pitching our tent in a convenient place for our work, we turned out -the stock, picketing the gray mare and Prince. Tom was to ride the -"buckskin" bronco to look for a hay-field. - -Jack and I soon had our coyote and beaver pelts stretched and pegged -down on a smooth piece of ground. - -"I'll try to get back," said Tom as he mounted Vinegar, "in time -for you men to go and put out your baits for the night; and in the -meantime, while you're resting, you may as well get out the pick and -shovel and turn yourselves loose on them dugouts, just to see if you've -forgot how to work. You'd better begin on the horses' stable and we'll -try to finish that up first, for if a 'norther' should catch us the -stock'd be in a bad fix for shelter, while our tent'd shelter us, all -right." - -In a couple of hours Tom returned, reporting that he had found, in a -bend of the creek just below us, a large bottom that would afford us -all the hay we would want. - -"Now, men," he said as he unsaddled and turned out the bronco, "we've -got lots to do that's pressing us, and, as the wolf poisoning and -beaver trapping ain't pressing and won't suffer any loss by waiting -a few days, I've been thinking that we'd better let the pelts go for -a while and put in all our time at haymaking and digging till we get -everything made snug for cold weather." - -Tom's suggestion seemed so reasonable that we agreed with him and -decided to let the pelts alone for a while. - -Tom got his scythe out of the wagon and "hung" it and then went down to -the timber to make a couple of wooden hay-forks. When he had returned -from the timber with his wooden forks he remarked as he sat down and -began whittling the prongs to points and otherwise smoothing them up -with his knife: - -"While I was at it I cut a lot of poles for a hay frame to put on top -of the wagon-box to haul hay on; and I also cut some poles to lay on -the ground under our freight when we unload the wagon." - -Later in the day we unloaded the wagon, piling the contents on the -poles inside the sideboards, which we had taken off together, leaving -the bows on them. After the goods were thus piled up the wagon-sheet -was stretched over the bows and securely tied down and the load was -thus protected from the weather. - -Tired and very hungry after our hard day's work, we devoured our supper -and, after agreeing to devote the next day to digging and haymaking, -were soon sound asleep. - -After breakfast next morning Tom shouldered the scythe and his rifle -and set out for the hay-field. - -When we had cleared away the breakfast dishes Jack chose the -pick-and-shovel work and was soon making the dirt fly out of the hole -on the other side of the ravine, while I set to making a hay frame of -crossed poles on top of the wagon-box, notched and lashed together and -held in place by strips of rawhide cut from the skin on the yearling -buffalo quarters. Now and then on the still morning air, although about -a mile away, we could hear the "whick-whack" as Tom whetted his scythe. - -At nine o'clock Jack went to the hay-field to help Tom, while I put on -the dinner, to which I called them by flag at noon. In the afternoon -they returned to their haymaking, and by evening they had a nice lot of -hay in cocks which would do to haul and stack next day. After finishing -the hay frame I worked at digging in the dugout. - -Buffalo were to be seen on the prairie all about us, and now and then -a few antelope made their appearance, but we were too busy to spare -the time to go out and kill any. Flocks of water-fowl--wild geese, -brants, ducks, and sand-hill cranes--were seen and heard flying over -and sometimes alighted in the pond formed by the beaver dam, and also -seemed to come down at a point several miles down the creek, which -indicated that there was a body of water there. - -In the evening when the men had returned from the hay-field we all -stood for a while looking down the valley and remarking on the -appearance of civilization imparted to the scene by the distant flat -dotted over with cocks of hay. But in the morning at daylight, on again -looking in that direction, we were filled with indignation to see that -during the night a herd of buffalo had preempted our hay-field and had -trampled, horned, and scattered all the nice cocks in every direction, -and were now bedded on the ground, probably chewing their cuds in total -indifference to our rights after almost destroying the previous day's -work of our haymakers. - -"I'll make wolf bait of one of 'em for spite, so I will," said Jack as -he seized a rifle and started down the hollow to get a shot. - -"Don't kill more'n one, Jack, just enough to scare them off," suggested -Tom as the irate Irishman sneaked off down the ravine, "for we don't -want our hay ground littered up with dead buffalo and dead wolf -carcasses." - -For some minutes Tom and I stood watching the buffalo to see what -the Irishman would do for them. They were all lying down in apparent -perfect contentment except one large bull. We kept our eyes on the -big bull and after a time saw the huge beast drop, and immediately -afterward the report of the rifle reached our ears. The rest of the -buffalo jumped to their feet in alarm at the sound of the shot, but, -instead of running away, stood staring at the timber from whence Jack -had fired; and had he desired to do so he could probably have remained -in concealment and shot several more, for the buffalo do not readily -take the hint of danger till they can see the enemy. Presently we -saw the herd stampede, and at the same time our Irishman made his -appearance, running out of the timber shouting and firing another shot -over them to give them a good scare. - -"Our hay's ruined entirely," he said as he put away his rifle and sat -down to breakfast, "scattered all about and tramped over. Even what we -left in the windrows is all horned and tossed about. We may be able to -rake up some of it, but it'll be hardly worth the effort. But I took me -satisfaction out of that big fellow--I got a good broadside shot at him -and must have shot him through the heart, for he dropped in his tracks. -Peck had better go down there this evening and put some poison on the -carcass, and be taking a few wolf pelts, too, while we're a-haymaking." - -"Well," said Tom, "we'll have to stand these night-prowling buffalo off -some way, and I think the best way will be for Peck to mount one of the -horses just before night and ride 'round the neighborhood and drive -off any herds that seem to be heading toward our hay-field. I wouldn't -kill any more of them at present, for we can't spare the time to do -much wolf skinning, but just stampede them and stand them off for a -few days till we get our hay cut and hauled; then you may go for them, -and the wolves, too. We don't often have occasion to take the hide off -a buffalo, but I've been thinking it would be a good scheme to skin a -few of the first ones we kill till we get hides enough to lay over the -timbers on top of our dugouts before we throw the dirt on, to keep the -fine dirt from sifting down on the inside; so, Peck, you may as well -take the hide off this one and bring it up to camp when you go down -there to poison the meat for wolf bait. - -"While Jack and I are mowing to-day you can look out a suitable place -along up the ravine here above camp where we can make a crossing, and -dig down the banks a little, throwing the dirt into the hollow so's we -can cross the wagon over; and while we're hauling hay we'll just leave -the wagon over on the other side of the draw. We'll stack the hay, as -we haul it, on the bank, close up to the stable so's it'll be handy. - -"And, mind you, that at no time and under no circumstances must the -camp guard leave camp." - -"Have you seen any fresh signs, Tom, that make you think there's -Indians about?" I asked. - -"Not a thing, but I want to keep you 'minded with the idea that in -this country 'eternal vigilance is the price of life, liberty, and -the pursuit of happiness,' as the Bible says. We know how tricky -Injuns are, and, although we've seen no fresh signs, a prowling party -is likely to drop onto us any time; and just think what a fix we'd -be in if they should happen to get into our camp and all hands away. -How completely they'd have the drop on us! I'm not scared of them, -nor trying to scare you, but we've got to keep our eyes peeled and be -prepared all the time." - -[Illustration: _Camp of the Wolf Hunters_] - -"All right," I replied with an air of more confidence than I really -felt, "I guess Found and I will be able to take care of camp." - -"Of course," continued Tom reassuringly, "all Injuns ain't hostile, but -we've got to keep on the safe side; and if a party of them approaches -our camp at any time, even if they profess to be friendly, we must -stand them off and never allow more than a few--just what we feel sure -we can handle--to come into camp at a time; and even then, always keep -your eyes on them and your arms and cartridges handy." - -Leaving me with these cheerful subjects for thought, the two men -proceeded to their work. - -After they left I moved our horses and mules across the ravine where -the dog and I could guard them on one side, while on the other the two -haymakers would be some protection. During the forenoon I worked at the -banks of the gulch, a little above our tent, to make a crossing for the -wagon. - -In searching for the place for a crossing for the wagon I discovered a -little spring of water trickling out of the bank a few steps above our -dugouts. It was only a weak vein, but by digging a pit under it, in -which we planted an empty barrel, we made a reservoir that furnished us -an abundance of good water. - -The discovery and improvement of this little spring made our camp an -ideal one. At first we had expected to use backwater from the beaver -dam, but we soon realized that the trash from our camp might render -this water unfit for drinking and cooking; and but for finding the -spring we should have been obliged to carry water from the creek, which -would have been laborious and inconvenient. - -When an occasional rain or melting snow flushed out the trash in the -ravine we could use that water for our stock for a few days, but at -other times we watered them at the creek. - -I felt more confidence in the protection afforded by our shepherd dog -than in all the measures we were taking for the safety of our outfit. -With the natural instinct of his breed, Found spent most of his time -out with the stock, always selecting a position on some elevation -between our animals and camp where he could see all that was going on -in our neighborhood; and I was satisfied that neither friend nor foe -could approach without his giving notice. - -At noon when the men came in to dinner they reported that they had -raked up a good load of the hay that had been scattered, and in the -afternoon they took the mules and wagon with them and Tom brought the -first load to camp on returning in the evening, while Jack remained and -began skinning the dead buffalo. When I joined him we soon stripped the -hide off, applied the strychnine to the carcass, and left it for the -wolves. - -"First come, first served, will be the rule here to-night," I remarked -as we started to camp. "The first wolves to reach the bait will -probably get laid out before they have time to get half a feed, while -those that come later may not get strychnine enough to give them a -bellyache." - -"How many do you expect to find in the morning?" asked Jack. - -"Oh, about eight or ten for the first night will be a pretty fair haul; -but by to-morrow night I'll poison the bait again, and by that time it -ought to catch more--maybe as many as twelve or fifteen--for the scent -of the dead buffalo will then attract them from a greater distance." - -I did even better than I anticipated, for next morning I found thirteen -dead wolves lying around the bait awaiting my skinning knife. Jack -remained in camp until I had skinned the wolves, brought in the pelts -and pegged them down to dry, after which he took the team and went out -to the hay-field where Tom was mowing. - -The dead buffalo only lasted for three nights' baiting, by which time I -had taken nearly fifty pelts, some big gray wolves but mostly coyotes -and little yellow foxes. We killed no more buffalo for wolf baits until -the more important work was done. - -Our haymakers were now making a good showing, bringing in and stacking -a load at noon and another at night, and in a week we had stacked as -much hay as we should need. - -While doing duty as camp guard, I had put in all my spare time throwing -dirt out of our stable dugout and had the excavation about completed. -While Jack and I were doing a little trimming up inside and cutting a -doorway through the wall of dirt on the side next the ravine, Tom had -gone into the timber and cut and split a lot of poles and slabs to -support the roof of dirt. - -First putting a small log, twenty-four feet long, on the brink of each -side of the excavation, to serve as "plates" to rest the roof timbers -on, we then laid twelve-foot slabs and poles across from side to side, -as closely as they would fit, covering the larger crevices with brush. - -"Now," said Tom, stepping back to take an observation of our work when -we had reached this point, "ef we had buffalo-skins enough to cover -it, to keep the fine dirt from sifting through, we'd be ready to go to -throwing the dirt on an' soon have the horses' stable finished up so's -we could go to work on our own quarters." - -"Well, we can soon get them," I replied. "In the morning Jack and I -will go out and kill a few buffalo and bring in the hides, and by -to-morrow night we can have this dugout about completed." - -Next morning the Irishman and I saddled up and started out to secure -the hides. We could have killed what we needed out of the first band -we struck, but, as I wished to use the carcasses for wolf baits, we -decided to distribute the baits at different points about the camp and -not less than a mile from it. - -We killed and skinned six bulls, making a complete circuit of our camp, -and by noon had returned with the hides. - -After dinner we spread enough of them over the roof timbers to -completely cover them and then set to work shovelling on the dirt, -making quite a mound of it. This finished our stable, except for the -mangers and feed-boxes inside and making a door of some kind to close -up the opening we had cut through the bank. This last Tom made next day -by a frame of poles on which was tacked a buffalo-hide. This door was -hung on rawhide hinges. - -"Now, men," said the old man as we topped out the dirt roof and -smoothed it up, "we've a snug shelter here for our stock in case of -need, but, of course, we won't put 'em into it till we have to. As long -as it's fair they'll do better out on the buffalo-grass, as they've -been doing. Our stable, hay, an' grain will be our reserve for stormy -weather or when the grass is covered with snow. We must still work -hard till we get our own winter quarters finished up, an' then let the -weather turn loose--we'll be ready for it." - -Toward evening I made the round of the buffalo carcasses and poisoned -them for the night's catch of wolves. - -As we gathered around the supper table in the evening I suggested: - -"As I expect a big job of wolf skinning in the morning, I guess I'll -need help, and maybe I had as well take Jack along with me and be -breaking him in." - -"All right," replied the Irishman, "if Tom says so, I'm your -huckleberry. How many skins are you going to get this haul?" - -"Well, I don't know, but, putting it low, I ought to find at least -five or six around each bait, and maybe twice that many, so you see, -skinning, bringing in, and pegging down thirty-five or forty wolf pelts -is no small job." - -"Well, it'll take the two of you the whole forenoon," said Tom -ruefully, "but the wolfskins must be taken care of--that's what we're -here for. Still, I'm mighty anxious to get the other dugout done, so I -guess you'd better not kill any more buffalo for bait unless we need -some more of their skins to cover our dugout. These six will keep you -a-poisoning and a-skinning for at least three or four days to come, -and all of that time there'll not be much done on the dugout, for part -of my time'll be taken up doing the cooking an' camp work. But go ahead -with your wolf killing, for every pelt cured is as good as six bits or -a dollar in pocket at the least calculation." - -After an early breakfast next morning Jack and I mounted and started. -We found fully as big a job as I had anticipated, for the night's catch -yielded us over fifty wolfskins. It took us most of the morning, brisk -work, to get them all gathered in, and our horses were so well loaded -with the hides that we had to walk and lead them back to camp. Jack -proved an apt pupil at wolf skinning and soon could snatch a hide off -as quickly as I. - -When we reached camp with our loads we found that Tom, with his usual -foresight, had whittled us out a good lot of pegs, which greatly -assisted us in disposing of the pelts, and we soon had them stretched -and pegged down, flesh side up, on a smooth piece of ground near the -tent where we had already started a drying yard. - -Each evening, while there was anything left for a wolf bait of the -buffalo we had recently killed, I made the round, poisoning the flesh, -and next morning Jack and I visited the baits, skinned the dead wolves, -brought in the pelts, and pegged them down. This generally "spoiled" -the forenoon, while the afternoon would be spent in digging our -dugout; but, as our winter quarters were to be only about half the size -of the stable, we soon had the new excavation finished. - -After putting the roof timbers on our dugout we placed the stove in -its corner, put on the extra joints of pipe provided for the purpose, -extending it up through an opening in the slabs, and plastered a lot -of mud around the pipe to prevent it setting fire to the timbers. Then -spreading buffalo-hides over the timbers, we heaped up the earth on it, -as we had on the other one, and our winter residence was ready for its -furniture and tenants. - -Our ten-foot-square room was rather cramped quarters to hold us and all -that we had designed to put in it, and we found it necessary still to -use the tent to store such of our plunder as would not need protection -from the cold. - -Without giving any reason, Tom insisted on moving the tent up as close -against the rear side of the pile of dirt that constituted the roof -of our dugout as we could get it. I suspected then that this was one -of his strategic plans, and a few days later my surmise was verified -when we found him at work digging a tunnel from the dugout room to the -centre of the tent. By this underground connection we could go from one -place to the other without being exposed and, if necessary, could use -the tent as a lookout station. - -On the evening that we moved into the dugout, as we sat down to our -first meal in winter quarters, Tom remarked with evident satisfaction: - -"Now, men, we've got things in shape so that we're ready for a cold -snap, snow-storm, or norther ef one chances to come this way. From now -on we can take it easier. There will be a lot of trimming an' tidying -up to do about camp yet for several days, an' while I'm putting on the -finishing touches you two can light out and go to poisoning wolves an' -trapping beaver or hunting any other game that you can find. You ought -to explore the neighborhood for ten or twelve miles around in every -direction. It's about time, too, for one of us to take a trip over to -the fort to get our mail an' find out what's going on in the world." - -"Well, Tom, what are the orders for to-morrow?" said I. - -"Why, you an' Jack had better go out an' kill a few more buffalo for -baits an' Jack can set his traps for some more beaver. You might both -of you ride up or down the creek for a few miles now and then, to learn -the country like an' maybe pick up an antelope or some wild geese or -ducks, to make a change in our bill of fare. An' about to-morrow or -next day or the day after, when I get things pretty well shaped up -about camp, I think I'll ride over to the fort an' get our mail an' see -what's going on in the United States." - -"In a little while," remarked Jack, "if our luck holds out, we'll be -gettin' a big lot of wolfskins dried. How are we going to stow 'em away -to take care of 'em till spring?" - -"Well," replied Tom, "in a few days I'll rig up a lever to press 'em -with, an' then as fast as we get a hundred or so dried we'll put fifty -of 'em in a pile, press 'em down tight, an' tie 'em in bales with -rawhide strips an' then store the bales away in the tent." - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -KILLED BY THE INDIANS - - -For the next few days we were all very busy. Tom was putting the -finishing touches on our quarters, while Jack and I were doing the -trapping, baiting, and skinning. I assisted Jack in trapping beaver and -he helped me in killing buffalo and taking care of the wolfskins. - -While working at these tasks we were riding the surrounding country, -east and west, up and down the creek, and north and south in open -prairie. At a distance of about three miles down the creek, on the -north side, we found a series of connected sloughs leading off from the -creek out into the prairie bottom, through which a string of little -ponds ran for about a mile and then united with the main stream again. - -These sloughs, bordered by a rank growth of rushes, made excellent -feeding-grounds for water-fowl. It was easy here to procure all the -ducks, geese, brant, and sand-hill cranes that we wished. On the -prairie were plenty of antelope, with now and then a few deer and -elk in the timber along the creek. Everywhere were seen bleached and -bleaching buffalo bones--too common a feature of the landscape to -attract more than a passing glance. - -One day Jack and I had been killing some buffalo for wolf baits on the -high prairie south of our camp. We had become separated by a couple -of miles; each had killed his buffalo, and I had poisoned mine and -started to Jack, who was waiting for me to prepare his buffalo for the -wolves also. As I rode through a scattered lot of bones, where several -animals seemed to have been killed together, I noticed among the lot a -human skull. Looking more closely, I saw other human bones of the same -skeleton and those of a horse, the hoofs of which, with the shoes still -on, showed that it had not been an Indian's horse. Bones of wolves lay -among the others. - -Here, then, seemed the evidences of a past tragedy, and, wishing -to have Jack come and help to read the signs, I rode out clear of -this bone-yard, fired a shot from my rifle to attract his attention, -and then began riding around in a circle--the usual signal in such -cases--to call him to me. - -He understood and galloped toward me. While he was coming I walked -about among the relics, trying to solve the mystery of which these -bones were the record. They had been somewhat scattered, by the wolves -that had picked them, but their general lay indicated pretty clearly -the relative situation of the man and animals at the time of their -death. The bones had probably not been there more than about a year. - -Although somewhat mixed and scattered, the general lay of the bones -seemed to show the buffalo on one side, the horse on the other, and -the man between them. The man's skull had a small bullet hole through -it at the temples, which sufficiently indicated the immediate cause of -his death; but whether this shot had come from an enemy or had been -self-inflicted could not be determined by the signs. - -While thus trying to interpret the indications, Jack reached me. - -"Here, Jack, has been a man, horse, and buffalo killed," I said as he -halted, "and from the looks of things, I think it happened about a year -ago. Help me to read the signs. The horse was a white man's horse, for -the hoofs, you see, have shoes on." - -"That ain't sure proof," replied he, "for the horse might have been -lately captured or stolen from the whites. But, hold on!" he exclaimed -after a moment's survey of the bone-yard, as, stooping, he picked up -what proved to be the lower jaw-bone of the human skull. "This settles -it. This says he was a white man, for here's a gold plug in one tooth." - -"Well, that settles one important point," I replied. "But how did the -buffalo, man, and horse happen to die so close together?" - -"Seems to me," said Jack, still walking about scrutinizing the relics, -"it could have happened in only one or two ways. Either the man and -his horse have been killed by a wounded bull, an' the bull then fell -an' died with 'em, or--which is more likely--the man killed the buffalo -an', while busy cutting some of the meat out, was corralled by Injuns. -How do you read it?" - -"The signs disprove your first proposition, Jack," I answered, "but -confirm the second. If it had been an accident from a wounded bull -there would be some such remains as the metallic parts of his gun or -pistol, or buttons, spurs, buckles, and so forth; but you see there's -not a thing of that kind to be seen. If he was killed by Indians they -would have carried off all his and his horse's equipments; and I think -that is what happened." - -"I guess you're right," admitted Jack. "It must have been the work of -Injuns." - -Just then he stopped and picked up an old bleached buffalo -shoulder-blade that seemed to have been carefully placed, flat side -down, on top of the weather-whitened skull of the older set of bones. -"Halloo! what's this?" he exclaimed excitedly as he began scanning the -bone. "Here it is, Peck. This'll tell us something about it if we can -only make out the writing. See if you can make it out." - -On the flat side of the shoulder-blade was dimly pencilled a partially -obliterated and nervously written inscription. It was without date, and -yet enough of the wording was legible to enable us to make out the -following message from the dead man: - -[Illustration: Cut off and surrounded by Injens Woonded--laying between -ded hors and ded buffalow standing them off. Catriges nearly all gon -God hep me - - John S. Kel Gran Mo.] - -The name seemed to be something like Kelton, Kelsey, or Kelley, and -several of the other words were so imperfectly written that I had to -guess them out. We guessed the name of the town to be Granby, Missouri. - -As I finished rendering my interpretation of the inscription Jack said, -as he devoutly crossed himself: - -"'God help me!' the poor fellow said, an' no doubt the Good Man took -pity on him an' let him in at the gate, for the good Book do tell -us that he never was known to go back on such a prayer as that. Well, -he must have hurted some of them Injuns in the row. It would be a -satisfaction to find some sign that he got away with some of 'em; so -let's mount an' take a circuit 'round over the prairie for two or three -hundred yards out an' see if we can find anything." - -[Illustration: "It must have been the work of Injuns."] - -We did so and were rewarded by finding the bones of two small horses, -probably Indian ponies that the man had shot in defending his position. - -"That's some satisfaction," said Jack as we returned, "for it's more'n -likely that he killed some of the Injuns, too. Well, what'll we do -with these things?" pointing to the skull, jaw-bone, and buffalo -shoulder-blade. - -"I was thinking of taking them back to camp with us," I replied, "to -see what Tom will say." - -"Just what I was thinkin'," said Jack, dismounting and preparing to -tie the skull and jawbone to his saddle. "I'll carry these an' you can -carry the shoulder-blade. You'd better carry it in your hand, an' be -careful of it so's not to rub out the writin' any more, for it's hard -enough to make out as it is." - -Of course Tom was interested in the memorials we brought and asked us -many questions about the signs we had found. - -After giving him time to study the problem out, I asked: - -"Well, Tom, what do you make of it?" - -"It's my guess," he replied deliberately, holding the skull up before -him as though reading its history, "that this man was a wolf hunter, -like ourselves, an' if so there'll be more of this affair to be -discovered hereabouts. He had killed that buffalo for wolf bait, 'cause -if he'd been after meat he'd 'a' killed a younger one, or a cow, for -you say the bones showed it was a big bull. A man wouldn't be so far -away from the Santa Fé road huntin' buffalo without he had a camp in -this neighborhood. If he had a camp he's had a pardner or two, an' what -must have become of them? Their camp must have been somewheres along -the creek, not far from here. Have either of you seen any signs of such -a layout in your rambles up or down the creek?" - -"No," I answered, "but, then, neither of us has been more than about -three miles up or down." - -"Well, after this, when you go up or down the creek make your trips -extend a little farther each time till you've covered at least ten or -twelve miles each way; an' by keeping your eyes peeled you may be able -to find some remains of a hunter's camp or some sign that'll give us -something more about this. This man came to his death about as you an' -Jack guessed it; that is, while getting ready to poison his buffalo for -wolf bait the Injuns came onto him an' surrounded him." - -"I think," I interrupted him to say, "that he had probably already -poisoned the buffalo, for I noticed the bones of several wolves there, -which would go to show that the wolves had died from eating the -poisoned meat of the buffalo." - -"Well, yes--likely," returned Tom. "He put up a good fight, though, -from what you say, an' seems to have been a man that's had some -previous experience in that line. Did you notice any bullet hole in his -horse's skull?" - -"No. I looked for that, but there was no sign that the horse had been -shot in the head; but he might have been shot elsewhere." - -"'Tain't likely," replied the old man thoughtfully, "for you say the -horse's bones show that he died close to the buffalo, an' the man in -between 'em, as his bones show an' the writing on the shoulder-blade -says. He must have cut its throat. How far off from the man's bones was -the bones of the Injun ponies that you found?" - -"About three hundred yards," I replied. - -"Well, he must have had a Sharp's rifle,[D] for a muzzle-loader -wouldn't kill that far. But he's had a navy pistol, too, for this shot -he give himself was a navy ball." - -And taking a navy bullet out of his pocket, Tom showed us that it would -just fit the hole in the skull. - -"He's been right-handed, too," continued the old man, "for the ball -went in on the right side an' come out on the left. You see, the little -hole is clean-cut on the right side but bigger an' ragged on the left -where it come out. That tells where it went in an' where it come out. -When he wrote that note on the old shoulder-blade he's been getting -nervous, or maybe weak from loss of blood. It's a pity, though, that -he didn't set down his name an' the town where he come from a little -plainer so's we could write to his folks an' let 'em know what become -of him. But, like many another poor devil that's been wiped out by -Injuns, his people'll never know where, when, or how he died. - -"Well," continued the old man after a pause, "I b'lieve I'll ride over -to the fort to-morrow; an' get our mail an' come back next day, an' I -guess I'll just take them things along," pointing to the bones, "an' -maybe some o' the folks over there can tell me somethin' more about -this affair. If anybody knows anything about it French Dave'll know, -for he's been among the Injuns a good deal an' would be likely to have -heard something about it." - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -SATANTA'S STORY - - -Next day, mounted on Black Prince, Tom started for Fort Larned. He had -stowed the skull of the supposed deceased wolf hunter in a gunny sack -tied to his saddle, but the buffalo shoulder-blade he wrapped carefully -in the fur of a fox skin, to make sure that no chafing should further -obliterate the already obscure record. - -These relics he intended to submit to the best sign readers to be -found about the fort, to ascertain if any light could be thrown on the -supposed tragedy. - -As I was writing a letter to send in by Tom, Jack remarked: "We ought -to have a name for our camp, a place to date letters from, something -more than just 'Camp on Walnut Creek.'" - -"That wouldn't be a bad idea," I replied, "but what shall we call it? -The only things we see here are buffaloes, coyotes, and antelopes, with -a few prairie-dogs and rattlesnakes. How would it do to call our place -'Camp Antelope'?" - -"I think it would be more to the point," said Jack, "to call it 'Camp -Coyote.'" - -"Well," said Tom, "why not compromise and call it 'Camp Coyotelope'?" - -"Let it be so," said I, and I so dated my letter, and from that time on -we spoke of our winter home as Camp Coyotelope. - -Nothing unusual happened while Tom was gone. Jack tended his traps, -while I did the wolf baiting and skinning. - -On the second evening, just in time for supper, Tom returned from Fort -Larned, bringing our mail, and as we gathered around the table we asked -him anxiously what he had learned about the dead man. - -"A whole lot," replied the old man between mouthfuls, "an' not just -what I wanted to find out, either. None of 'em could make out the man's -name or where he come from any nigher than we did. I went right to the -adjutant's office, where I found several of the officers, an' when I -brought out the bones an' told 'em the story they became interested. -One officer had heard something about a party of hunters being wiped -out by the Injuns about a year ago, but he didn't know the particulars. -That writing on the old shoulder-blade attracted 'em most, an' each one -had to take it an' examine it. But they couldn't make it out. - -"I suggested to the adjutant that maybe French Dave might know -something, an' he sent an orderly for Dave right away, an', sure -enough, the ol' French-Canadian did know something. - -"Ol' Dave asked me: 'Where you find 'em?' An' then I told him all I -knew about the matter, an' what the signs seemed to show, an' read to -him the writing on the shoulder-blade, for Dave can neither read nor -write. He studied awhile an' then said: 'Yes--mus' be same lot. I know -'bout yother two. See 'em bones where Injuns kill 'em. No see this one -bones, but Satanta tell me 'bout it one day. Mus' be same one.' - -"The story of the affair," continued Tom, "as I gathered it from -Dave, is about thisaway: Three wolf hunters with a wagon an' team had -established their camp on Walnut Creek, an' from what Dave says the -remains of that camp an' the bones of two of the men must be down the -creek from here about five miles, on the same side we are on. - -"These wolf hunters had just fairly got established when Satanta an' -about twenty of his men come along, one day, just in time to see this -fellow, whose bones you found, a-starting off on the prairie to kill -a buffalo an' poison it for wolves. The Injuns hadn't been seen by -the white men, an' after this one was gone Satanta kept his men out -of sight of the wolf hunters, all except one besides himself, an' him -an' this one rode out in sight of the white men an' made signs of -friendship, an' the wolf hunters let 'em come into their camp. After -begging some grub from the white men the two Injuns made themselves -very agreeable an' friendly, an' by and by a few more of the Kiowas -dropped along an' was allowed to come into the camp; for I s'pose -they seemed so friendly that the white men thought it wouldn't look -neighborly to show any suspicion of such good Injuns. - -"Satanta told Dave, bragging how slick he worked it, that when he got -these wolf hunters in a proper frame of mind an' saw that the sign was -right, he give the word, an' they turned loose and killed the two men -before they had time to realize the trap they'd got into. - -"Then, after plundering the camp, a warrior called Lame Deer took six -others an' started off to follow up an' take in the man they'd seen -going away, for fear that he might somehow get wind of the affair -before coming back to camp and get away. - -"They overtook him, so Satanta told Dave, just after the man had killed -a buffalo, skinned part of the hide back, an', as the Injuns supposed, -was about to cut out some o' the hump steak; an', just as we made it -out by the signs, the man, seeing the desperate fix he was in, had cut -his horse's throat to make a breastwork of his carcass on one side, -an', with the buffalo on the other, had got down between 'em an' give -the Injuns a rattlin' good fight, killin' one Kiowa, badly woundin' -another, an' killin' the two ponies you found the bones of. - -"But they got him at last--at least he killed himself when he was down -to his last cartridge--an' then they piled onto him an' stripped every -stitch of clothes off his body, but, seein' that the man had committed -suicide, their superstitions kept 'em from scalping him or mutilating -his body. - -"An', now comes a gratifying part of the proceedings, as told to Dave -by Satanta, that the signs didn't reveal to us. When Lame Deer an' his -party had stripped the dead man an' his horse of all their equipments -an' was gittin' ready to return to Satanta's party at the hunters' -camp, some of the Injuns concluded to cut out a big chunk of the hump -steak of the buffalo that the white man had just stripped the hide off -of an' intended to cut out the steak himself, as they s'posed. - -"But it turned out that the white man had unconsciously set a -death-trap for some of 'em; for he had already poisoned the skinned -side of the buffalo, and when the Injuns got back to the camp an' -cooked an' eat their fresh hump steak all that eat the fresh meat was -poisoned, an' four of 'em kicked the bucket right there. - -"Well, sir, Dave says, this so scared the rest of the Injuns that, -although they had packed their ponies with a lot of the white men's -provender, they were afraid to use any of the food, an' so they piled -all of it into the white men's wagon an' set fire to it an' burned the -whole business. - -"Then, packing the bodies of their dead warriors on their ponies, they -made their way back to their main village, some miles down the creek, -a little the loser in the long run, for, although they had killed -the three white men an' destroyed their outfit, it had cost 'em five -warriors. - -"The wiping out of these wolf hunters," Tom went on, "corroborates what -I've often told you, an' what your own experience ought to teach you, -that it's never safe to depend on the friendship of Injuns--'specially -Kiowas. Whenever they can get a good chance at a white man, or a small -party of whites, they don't hesitate to murder 'em--an' 'specially a -party of hunters, for that class they consider their natural enemies -on account of the hunters killing what the Injuns claim to be the red -man's game. - -"I left them bones with the adjutant over to the fort," continued Tom, -"as he thought maybe somebody might come along who could throw more -light on the mystery. Then I called on Weisselbaum an' told him we were -just a-gettin' under good headway poisoning wolves, trapping beaver, -an' so forth, an' he offered to buy all our catch--wanted to make a -bargain with me right then--but I stood him off, for I think maybe we -can do better to take our skins into Leavenworth. Some of the officers -wanted to know if we couldn't bring 'em over a saddle of antelope for -their mess whenever one of us goes over there for our mail. I guess we -can do it just as well as not an' make a little spending money on the -side; an', besides, it's always a good idea to be on good terms with -the officers at the post, for we may want favors from them now an' -then." - -Since moving into our dugout we had found ourselves so much more -cramped for room than we had been in the tent that, following Tom's -suggestion and example, we had each built himself a swinging frame of -poles with a buffalo-hide stretched over it on which to spread our -beds. During the day we kept these hanging bunks triced up to the -timbers overhead, out of the way, lowering them to within a couple of -feet of the floor to sleep in after supper each evening. We found them -a luxury compared with sleeping on the hard ground. - -Next day, after Tom's return from the fort, Jack and I rode down the -creek to look for the bones of the wolf hunters of whom French Dave -had told Tom and had little difficulty in finding them, for the burnt -remains of their little log cabin, on the prairie, a little way from -the timber, attracted us and guided us to the spot. The bones of the -two men had been scattered by the wolves, but the irons of their burnt -wagon were lying just where the fire had left them. - -That their camp had been established at a reasonable distance from the -timber and otherwise well located in a defensive point of view showed -that these men had had some knowledge of the dangers to be guarded -against from hostile Indians and that they had probably been plainsmen -of experience; but, as Tom said, their fatal error was in allowing too -many Indians to come into their camp. - -We were now--about the middle of December--"doing a land-office -business," as Jack expressed it, in taking wolf pelts, gathering them -in daily about as fast as we could take care of them. Jack was doing -well also in beaver trapping, having already accumulated a lot of fine -furs. - -Tom had rigged up a press by means of which we put the skins into -compact bales and stowed them away in the tent. The tunnel connecting -the dugout and tent came up into the latter right in the centre, -between the legs of the iron tripod that supported the tent-pole, and -he placed the bales of skins in a close wall all around the tent, -leaving an open space in the centre around the tripod, and I asked him -why. - -"This tent," he answered, "will be our lookout station and also our -'bomb-proof' in case of need." - -"The bales of fur'll make it bullet-proof, all right," I replied, "but -I don't see how we can see out after you get that bank of wolfskins -piled up toward the tops of the doors." - -"When we get them up that high," said Tom, "I intend to cut three or -four loopholes in the canvas, about big enough to look through an' -shoot out of, an' over each hole, to keep out the weather, I'll sew a -flap that can be tucked up or let down to suit circumstances." - -"Great head," said Jack. "A good general was spoiled when Tom enlisted." - -"'In time of peace, prepare for war,' was one of George Washington's -maxims," said Tom, "an' never was more sensible advice given for either -individual or nation." - -Usually Jack and I did most of the hunting and scouting around over the -adjacent country, but now and then Tom would strike out for a short -trip up or down the creek on his own account. - -One day, after being out for a short time, he came hurrying back and -began to delve in the mess-chest, inquiring for a fish-hook and line -that he had seen there, declaring that he had just found a lot of fresh -otter tracks on the bank of the creek. - -"Why, Tom," asked Jack innocently, "do they catch otter with -fish-hooks?" - -"No, you numskull," replied the old man impatiently, "the fish-hook and -line is to catch fish to bait traps for the otter. - -"Now, then, Jack," continued the old man after finding his -fishing-tackle and assuring himself that it was in good condition, -"come along with me down to the beaver dam, an' while I catch a fish or -two for bait you pull up a couple of your beaver traps an' we'll set -for otter." - -"Well, I guess I can spare you a couple of traps now," replied Jack. -"I ain't catching as many beavers lately as when I first started in. -I think I'm getting the herd pretty well thinned out. But I've done -pretty well at trapping, for I've took some thirty odd nice beaver -skins besides a few muskrats." - -A few hours later the two men returned to camp after having caught some -fish and baited and set the traps for otter, and next morning, taking -Jack with him, Tom found, on visiting his traps and fishing them up out -of the water, a fine otter fastened by a leg in each trap and drowned. -Later Tom took a number of otter skins, but they were by no means as -numerous as the beaver. - -Black Prince, after he became accustomed to it, was a much better -buffalo horse than either of the mustangs, though, when two mounted -hunters went out, the buckskin bronco, Vinegar, did pretty well for -that work. The gray mare, Polly, could not be brought near enough to a -buffalo to be used as a hunter. Now and then Jack and I went afoot down -to the slough to kill some ducks or geese. Our shepherd dog Found was -a good retriever, and when we went gunning for water-fowl we generally -took him along to bring ashore any birds killed on the water. - -"I want to remind you men," said Tom one day, "that this fine weather -we've been having can't, in the nature of things, last much longer. -We're liable to have a cold rain, turning to a sleet or snow-storm, or -maybe a regular old blizzard swooping down on us now soon, an' we must -be prepared for it. Our camp's in pretty good shape, but we haven't -fitted ourselves out with fur caps an' mittens an' other fixings to -enable us to stand the winds of winter. I propose that we put in our -spare time for the next few days a-dressing some hides, an' then -a-cutting out and making us a good fur cap an' pair of mittens apiece, -an' something in the way of buffalo overshoes, too, to slip on over our -boots, an' a wolfskin overcoat apiece. - -"Now, the first thing to do is to select the hides to be used an' flesh -'em, an' then get out that package of alum that we brought along to -tan 'em with an' go to dressing 'em. Those little yellow fox skins -ain't worth much to sell, but they will be just the things for caps an' -mittens. I've got an old buffalo robe that we can cut up for overshoes -an' put rawhide soles to 'em. As for myself, I've been thinking that -the next time I go over to the fort I'll see if I can find enough -dressed buffalo calfskins in Weisselbaum's stock--it'll only take about -six or eight--to make me an overcoat; for a buffalo calfskin overcoat -is a mighty serviceable garment for winter wear." - -"You're right, they are," said Jack, "but I guess me an' Peck'll have -to put up with a coyote coat apiece for knockin' around here this -winter, and when we get back to Leavenworth we'll have a stylish -overcoat of beaver skins put up for next winter. What do you say, Peck?" - -"I'm favorable," I replied, "but, as this is a partnership business, of -course we'll have to pay Tom for his interest in the beaver skins." - -"Well," said the old man, "I'll balance the account with you this way. -I'll make it a stand-off, if I get otter skins enough, by having me a -fancy overcoat made of them." - -The caps, mittens, overshoes, and coats were duly made and gave us much -comfort during the storms of winter. - -Game continued plenty. We often killed antelope within a few rods of -our dugout and sometimes had to turn out in the night and help the dog -drive a herd of buffalo out of camp. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -WILD BILL VISITS US - - -In preparing for a probable blizzard we had hauled up several loads -of good, dry wood and chopped much of it into stove wood, carrying it -into our quarters and stowing it away in the tunnel, still leaving -a passageway, however. We found that the tunnel acted as a flue and -caused such a draught through our little room that we were forced to -temporarily close up the opening in the tent by placing a bale of -wolfskins over the hole. We now put our stock into their dugout stable -at night, giving them a little hay to gnaw at, and during the day, when -not in use, we kept them out on the dry buffalo-grass. As yet we were -feeding them no grain, saving that for a time of need. - -"From now on," Tom said, "I want you men to be particular to put -harness, tools, an' everything under shelter of nights, so that we can -find these things when we want 'em, for we're liable to get up 'most -any morning now and find a couple of feet of snow on the ground an' -this ravine between us an' the stable drifted level full. In that case -we'll want the spade an' shovel to clear away a passage to the stable -door, so's we can 'tend to the stock; for a blizzard is liable to keep -up the howl for several days an' nights; an' during such a spell we -won't dare to poke our noses out of the shanty further than to feed -the stock. We'll fix Found a comfortable bed in the tent, between -the stacks of wolfskins, where he can be of some service as a sentry -without being too much exposed, but in case of a very keen spell we'll -bring him into the dugout." - -Previous to this time Jack and I had explored the country for a -distance of ten or twelve miles in every direction--not looking for -game particularly, for that was always plenty close around camp, but -for signs of the presence of Indians. We had discovered, however, no -fresh signs--nothing to indicate that Indians had visited this part -of the country more recently than a couple of months past. This fact -encouraged us, and we hoped that we would be fortunate enough to finish -our winter's work undisturbed. Still, Indians were likely to be moving -about occasionally, even at this time of the year, and might yet -discover our camp, in which case they might make it unpleasant for us. - -This part of the plains was sometimes ranged over by the Cheyennes, -Arapahoes, and other tribes, but had been for some time past the -special range of the Kiowas, who, under the leadership of Satank, -Satanta, and Big Tree, were ever ready to wipe out a small party when -the opportunity presented. - -While we relied somewhat on our proximity to Fort Larned as a -protection from Indian depredations, we felt that our only real -security was in not being discovered by the Kiowas until our hunting -season was over and we were ready to break camp and return to the -settlements. - -On Tom's last trip over to the fort he had learned that our old Company -K, First Cavalry, together with the other three companies from Fort -Wise, under command of Captain Elmer Otis, had passed by Fort Larned a -few days before, _en route_ to Fort Leavenworth and the war. - -We were all sorry that we had not learned of the passing of our old -command in time for one of our party, at least, to meet them at Fort -Larned and exchange gossip with them; and Jack was regretting that he -had not re-enlisted, instead of going wolf hunting, so that he could -now be going to the front with them. He feared that the fighting would -be all over and the war brought to a close before he got a chance at it. - -"Don't you fret about this war coming to a close before you can get -a whack at them rebels," said Tom. "It's just a-getting under good -headway now, an' there'll be lots of good fighting yet for you and me; -and more'n likely, if we live through it, we'll be longing for peace -long before peace comes again." - -Our tent was fast becoming filled with bales of wolfskins, and one day -I asked: - -"Tom, what are we going to do for some place to store our wolfskins? -Our tent is nearly full, and we are still taking them, and the season -isn't half through." - -"I've been thinking about that, too," replied the old man, "and I guess -I'll make another trip over to the fort to-morrow to get them buffalo -calfskins for my overcoat, an' while I'm over there I'll try to get the -use of an empty room there among the old dobes where we can store 'em; -an' we can take a wagon-load over from time to time as the tent gets -too full." - -Next day he went to the fort, returning on the following evening, -with a lot of Indian-dressed buffalo calfskins for his overcoat, and -reported that he had engaged an unused room of Weisselbaum wherein to -store our baled skins. - -Tom soon had a very serviceable overcoat made from the calfskins--far -better than the coyote coats Jack and I had made us--lining it with a -red blanket and covering the collar and cuffs with muskrat skins, which -have a beautiful fur, somewhat similar to the beaver in color but not -so heavy. - -As yet we had had but one light fall of snow--nothing like a storm--and -it had soon passed off, the weather continuing fair but quite cold of -nights and mornings. - -One day, as we were about to sit down to dinner, my attention was -arrested by a whoop or two that had a familiar sound, and, on looking -out on the trail toward the fort, I saw a mounted man coming at a -gallop. Found, too, seemed to think he had heard that whoop before, -for he ran up onto the dirt roof of our dugout, looked and listened a -moment at the approaching horseman, and when the shout was repeated he -hesitated no longer but with a wild yelp of recognition dashed away to -meet the newcomer. - -I had just time to call to my comrades in the dugout: "See here, men, I -believe it's Wild Bill," when, as they came rushing out, I noticed the -mounted man halt suddenly and roll off his horse as the dog met him, -and in a moment more Found and his master were rolling over the ground -hugging each other in mad delight, while Bill's horse stood looking on -in apparent astonishment at their wild antics. - -As Bill came walking up to camp, leading his horse, with Found prancing -and yelping about him, I thought I had never seen a dog so nearly crazy -with delight. No doubt, Found had often thought of his absent master -and had wondered what had become of him and whether he would ever see -him again; and now they were reunited, and both seemed overjoyed at the -meeting. - -After hearty greetings and handshakes all around the scout tied his -horse to a wheel of the wagon while we all retired to the dugout, -where our dinners were in danger of getting cold, and were soon seated -around the mess box, eating and talking, for we all had a great deal to -say to Bill, and he to us. Found had huddled down beside his master and -was not neglected. - -"I hope you've come to stay several days with us, Bill," said Tom. - -"No, boys," replied the scout; "I'll stay with you to-night, but I've -got to get back to the fort to-morrow. You see, the regulars are going -away before long, and the troops that's coming to take their places are -volunteers and, of course, green as grass about frontier service and -managing Injuns; an' so me an' French Dave an' a few other ol' hands -have got to get out an' scout around and find out where the Injuns are -at an' try to find out how they're feelin' toward the whites, an' so -forth. That's what I was sent out here ahead of the volunteers for. But -when I get back to the fort I'll be close enough to come over an' take -a square meal with you every now and then." - -Leaving Bill and Tom to talk while the old man cleared up the dishes, -Jack and I went out to attend to the stock; and the Irishman suggested -that while I took our two broncos out of the stable and staked them on -the lee side of the haystack he would unsaddle the scout's horse and -put him in the stable. When Bill came out and found what he had done he -remonstrated. - -"Now, boys, I don't want you to go to any trouble on my account, for -I'm used to taking things as they come, an' my horse is, too. I'm -afraid it'll be hard on your broncos to turn 'em out in the cold." - -"Not a bit of it," replied Jack. "The weather's not bad now, an' -they're tough, anyway. You see, we don't have the honor of entertainin' -the Honorable William Hickock, Esq., every day, an' we want to treat -him so well that he'll come again." - -"Well, I'll sure do it," replied the scout; then taking a look at -our camp and surrounding grounds, he added: "Boys, you've certainly -picked out an' built a good camp an' planned everything handy for your -winter's work. I think I can see ol' Tom's handiwork all through this -layout." - -"You're right," said Jack; "if it wasn't for ol' Tom's brains I don't -know what we'd do." - -Going into the stable again, Jack brought out Black Prince to show him -to Bill. - -"This is the horse that we captured from them jayhawkers back t'other -side of Council Grove," he said as he led the black out for the scout's -inspection. - -"He's a fine-lookin' fellow, Jack. Is he any good?" - -"You bet. One of the best horses for all-'round service I ever saw," -replied the enthusiastic Irishman. - -We had a great time that afternoon relating to Bill all the happenings -since we parted with him in Leavenworth, and after supper we still had -plenty to talk about by candle-light. - -"Boys, you seem to have taken good care of Found," said Bill, stroking -the dog's head again for the thousandth time, "judging by his looks and -the contented way he's stuck to you. Has he been any account to you?" - -"That he has," replied Jack. "He's one of the best and smartest dogs I -ever saw. I don't know how we'd get along without him." - -"Well, I guess he may as well make his home with you as long as you -stay here, for I'll be away from the post pretty often, an' I wouldn't -like to leave him there to run with everybody; but if you've no -objections I'll take him over to Larned with me to-morrow, just to -give him a little exercise an' let him renew old acquaintance with the -soldiers an' officers, for they all know him; an' I'll be coming by -this way in a day or so again--for I expect I'll have to take a trip -over to the Smoky Hill to locate the Kiowas--an' then I'll leave him -with you again." - -"All right, Bill, he's your dog," replied Jack, "but he's mighty -welcome here an' he's a lot of help to us minding camp." - -"No doubt of it, for he's got more sense than some people have. I can -talk to him an' tell him to do things, an' he seems to understand -'most everything I say to him an' will do just what I tell him to." - -"Bill," I asked, "do the officers at the garrison seem to think there's -any danger of the Indians going on the war-path?" - -"Well, no, I don't think they really expect any outbreak," replied -the scout, "but Injuns, you know, are the most uncertain varmints on -earth; an' on account of taking away the regulars an' putting green -volunteers to garrisoning the posts on the plains, it's more'n likely -that the Injuns'll soon discover the difference an' take advantage of -the chance to raise a ruction. I've got to look up the Kiowas first, -'cause they're the most likely ones to make trouble; an' when I find -their winter camp I'll stay with 'em a few days, to kinder feel of 'em -an' see what sort of a humor they're in, an' then I'll hunt up the -Cheyennes an' Arapahoes next an' feel of their pulses, too. An' while -I'm a-doing that job French Dave an' the other fellows'll be looking -up the Comanches an' Prairie Apaches--they generally range between the -Cimarron an' Red River, an' ain't likely to come up this way before -grass comes, anyway, but the Kiowas an' Cheyennes'll need watchin'." - -"Well, when you get back you must call around here and let us know what -you think of the prospect for peace or war--that is, if you find out -anything," I said. - -"How many of you will go on this trip?" asked Tom. - -"Only two--me an' John Adkins. You see, Frenchy is to take a man with -him an' round up the country south of the Arkansas, along the Cimarron -an' the Canadians, an' I'll take Adkins with me an' scout the country -north till we find the camps." - -Next morning, after breakfast, Wild Bill, followed by Found, took the -trail back to Fort Larned. Jack and I made our usual round of the baits -in the forenoon, skinned the dead wolves that we found lying about -them, brought in the skins and pegged them down to dry. - -In the afternoon we started out afoot to kill some fresh meat for our -mess, the Irishman going up the creek in search of antelope or deer -while I walked down to the slough to see if there were any water-fowl -there to be picked up. I killed a sand-hill crane and returned to camp. -Jack had done better than I, having killed a large deer and come back -and taken Prince out to carry the meat in. Tom had outdone us both, -having killed four antelope without leaving camp. - -"How in the world did you do it, Tom?" I asked as I come to where he -was busy skinning and dressing four dead antelope that he had strung up. - -"Well, sir, I'll tell you how it was," replied he with a gratified -smile, still plying his butcher-knife. "Soon after you men left camp a -bunch of antelope come playing 'round on the prairie out yonder, up -the ravine a piece, but, as they wouldn't come quite close enough to -suit me, I got out a red blanket, tied it to a little pole, an' crept -along up the ravine till I got about opposite to 'em, an' then raised -the red blanket above the bank an' planted the pole. - -"Soon as they sighted the strange red thing they raised their heads an' -stared at it a bit, an' then come up toward it, all in a bunch, an' -stopped an' took another look. Then they seemed to get frightened an' -turned an' run away, but I knew they'd come back. They circled 'round -an' come up again an' halted for another look, an' then run away again -an' circled 'round an' come back, an' each time they came a little -closer. - -"I noticed that when they'd halt to gaze at the blanket they'd line -up four or five abreast; so the idea struck me that if I could get -back into another little ravine that was close by, an' crawl up that a -little ways, so as to take 'em in flank when they'd line up thataway, -I'd get two or three of 'em. I did that, an' the next time they halted -an' lined up there were four of 'em in range, with their sides to me, -an' I turned loose an' killed three of 'em an' wounded the fourth so -that I got him next shot." - -"You did a good job, and did it well, too," I replied. Just then Jack -came up with his load of deer meat. "Why, Jack," I began, "how in the -world did you happen to kill a buck? I didn't think you were hunter -enough to stalk a deer." - -"You don't appear to know me, young fellow," he returned with a -swaggering air. "It's a mighty hunter I'm getting to be, as well as a -famous trapper." - -"But tell us all about how you got that buck; I know there's something -to explain about it," I replied. - -"Well, now," laying aside his assumed braggadocio and becoming the -candid Irishman again, "to tell you the honest God's truth, I just -blundered onto him. It was this way: I was a-sneaking along through the -timber when all of a suddent I sees this laddybuck a-standing broadside -to me, only about twenty steps away, an' he hadn't seen nor heard me, -for I was behind a big tree. I was that nervous I didn't think I could -have hit the side of a barn, so I rested my carbine against the side of -the tree, took as good aim as I could about where I thought his heart -ought to be--right behind the fore shoulder--an' let him have it; an' -I'm blest if I didn't fetch him, first pop. He gave one big bound into -the air an' fell dead; an' just then two does, that had been laying -down behind some bushes, jumped an' run an' were out of sight in a -jiffy, before I could shove another cartridge into me carbine. But I -didn't want any more deer meat just then, so I came back to camp to get -the horse to fetch the meat in." - -"But, Tom," I asked, "what are we going to do with so much venison?" - -"Oh, it'll keep, all right; but then I'll be going over to the fort -again in a day or so, an' I guess I'd as well take two or three of the -carcasses over there an' sell 'em to the officers' mess." - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -TOM LOCKS THE STABLE DOOR - - -This evening, just before dark, when we were bringing in the tools and -making things secure for the night, I noticed that Tom had got out an -old padlock that had long lain unused in the mess-chest, and then had -found a piece of trace-chain, and with the two had securely locked -the stable door--a precaution that we had never thought necessary -before--and I asked him: "What are you doing that for, Tom? Seen any -fresh signs about?" - -"No," he answered, "but 'tain't much trouble an' it's always best to be -on the safe side. We've been used to having Found to do guard-duty of -nights, an' it may have got us in a fashion of sleeping sounder than -we would if we'd had to look out for ourselves; now, while the dog is -away, with the stable door unlocked it would be easy enough for an -Injun to sneak our horses out an' get away with 'em." - -I smiled at what seemed to me a useless precaution and it passed from -my mind; but along in the night, after we had been some hours asleep, -I was suddenly awakened by a slight noise like the rattling of a chain. - -Instantly I was thoroughly aroused and remembered Tom's chain on the -stable door. Had I been dreaming? I raised my head cautiously and -listened intently. There it was again--unmistakably the chain on the -stable door. - -I determined to investigate before arousing my comrades, and slipping -quietly out of my bed I tiptoed carefully to the door, pulled up -one corner of the muslin cover to the lookout hole, and peeped out -at the stable door. The moon was shining brightly, and there, to my -astonishment, sat a man, crouched at the door of the stable intently -working at the lock, either trying to pick it or pry it off. He was not -an Indian, either. He had soldier clothes on, and beside him on the -ground lay a small bundle. - -I took in all this at a glance, and then quietly and quickly slipped -back to Tom's bed, shook him gently, and whispered: - -"Sh! don't make a bit of noise, Tom. There's a man working at the lock -on the stable door. Get up quietly while I wake Jack." - -It was more difficult to keep the excitable Irishman quiet while -arousing him, but I succeeded in getting him up without making noise -enough to be heard outside. Each man took a look through the peep-hole -and saw that the crouching soldier was still intently working at the -lock. - -"Now," I whispered to my comrades, "let each one of us get his carbine -or pistol ready, and be careful to keep them from rattling, and when -I open our door we'll call on him to throw up his hands and take him -prisoner." - -"I think I'll give him a load of shot first," whispered Jack, who had -the shotgun, "an' then call on him to throw up." - -Finding that I could not open our door without making a noise, I jerked -it wide open quickly. As I did so the kneeling man turned the full side -of his face to me, and in the bright moonlight I recognized private -John Flaherty, one of two soldiers who not long before, with Lieutenant -Smith, had been caught in a blizzard at our camp and had stayed there -until the storm was over. Seeing Jack raise his shotgun to fire, I -knocked the muzzle up as I exclaimed: - -"Don't shoot, Jack, it's Flaherty!" - -He had pressed the trigger, but my throwing the barrels up sent -the load of shot into the dirt roof of the stable instead of into -Flaherty's back. - -I wondered at the stupid, sluggish manner of the man as he rose to his -feet at the report of the gun, but when he started off up the path -leading to the top of the bank his uncertain gait plainly showed that -he was drunk. - -Dropping his shotgun, Jack bounded out and up the path after him, soon -overtaking the drunken soldier, seizing him by the collar and cuffing -him right heartily, with each slap rebuking the would-be horse thief -for his drunkenness and thievery. - -When Flaherty was brought into the dugout it was evident that he was -almost senseless from drink. He was taken over to Found's bed and left -there, sound asleep. - -"There," said Tom, "we forgot to bring in that little bundle he left by -the stable door." - -He brought it in, and on opening it it was found to consist of a pint -bottle with a little whiskey in it and a change of underclothing marked -with the man's initials. - -"Well," said Tom, "this poor fellow has gone on a spree; while drunk -the idea of deserting has come to him, and he has started off over the -prairie in the dead of winter, through an Indian country, without arms, -provisions, or clothing. As I have often said, a man who is drunk is -literally crazy, and this proves it." - -Next morning, when Flaherty was aroused, he had at first no idea -where he was and, after he had been told, no idea how he got here. -He professed that he had no wish to desert, for he was getting along -in his company as well as any of the men and his time of service had -nearly expired. - -However, he actually had deserted, and he did not know what to do, -whether to go back and give himself up and take his punishment or -whether to go on. Tom said to him: - -"Of course, Flaherty, you can do as you like, but I really think, under -the circumstances, you had best go back and give yourself up and take -your medicine. Maybe, if I go along with you and explain the situation -to Lieutenant Smith, and ask him to intercede with the commanding -office, you can be returned to duty without a court martial." - -"Would you do that for me, Tom?" asked Flaherty gratefully. - -"I'll do all I can for you, Flaherty, for I do not hold you responsible -for what you have done; but you had a mighty close call, and if whiskey -serves you that way you ought to take warning and swear off." - -"That's just what I've been thinking, Tom, and I swear right now I'll -never taste another drop." - -As I rode up to camp about sundown that day I noticed two or three -mounted men far out on the high prairie, coming on the trail from Fort -Larned. The field-glass made them out to be Wild Bill and John Adkins -with a pack-mule, and Found trotting along with them. They soon reached -us and dismounted and began unpacking. - -"Is supper most ready, boys?" asked Bill. - -"I'll have it ready," replied Jack, "by the time you're ready for it." - -"We've just got room in the stable for your two horses," I explained, -"in place of the mule team Tom took with him, and I guess I'll take -one of our broncos out and tie it behind the haystack to make room for -your pack-mule, Bill." - -"Don't you do anything of the kind, Peck," replied the scout. "That's -one of Uncle Sam's mules, an' he'll do well enough tied in the lee of -your haystack; in fact, it wouldn't hurt our horses much, either, to -stand out." - -While Bill, Adkins, and I had been watering, feeding, and putting away -the stock, Jack had been getting supper, and now stepped to the door of -the dugout with his fiddle and sounded "mess call," to see if the scout -would know what it meant. - -"That sounds pretty natural," said Bill to me, "let's go in an' see -what he's got to show for it, for I'm as hungry as a coyote." - -As we gathered around the mess-chest I inquired: - -"When do they expect the volunteers that are coming to relieve the -regulars?" - -"Don't know a thing, only that they're on the road somewhere 'tween -here an' Leavenworth. Now, if they were regulars you could calculate -to the hour when they'd get here, for when they get orders to go -anywhere neither hell nor high water'll stop 'em; but if a little bad -weather strikes these volunteers, an' they can find a snug camping -place, they're liable to hang up for a week or two, an' put in the time -stealing chickens an' playing cards." - -"How long do you and Adkins expect to be gone on this trip, Bill?" - -"Well, now, that's a sort of a 'kin-savvy' case," he replied. "It -depends on how soon we find the Injuns' camp. Maybe it'll take us a -week--maybe two weeks or more--can't tell; but once we get onto their -trail we'll soon overhaul 'em. John, here, says that ol' To hausen, -the 'Little Mountain,' an' his band is camped right down Walnut Creek, -about half-way 'tween here an' Charley Rath's ranch--'bout twenty-five -miles from here." - -"Yes," said Adkins, "I was up to their camp 'bout a week ago, an since -that some of the Injuns was down to the ranch a-trading; but they -don't know, for sure, where Satank an' the rest of the tribe is; but -they thought we'd be apt to find 'em on the Smoky, or the Saline, or -Solomon, or maybe on some of the little timbered creeks in between the -rivers." - -"Do you think, Adkins," I asked, "that there is any likelihood of To -hausen's band moving up this way? For it would bother our wolf-hunting -business if they should come near us." - -"Oh, they may be a-moving camp now an' then, to get fresh grass for -their hosses; but if they get to crowdin' on you, all you've got to -do is to go to ol' To hausen an' ask him to keep far enough away so's -not to interfere with your wolf poisoning, an' he'll do it, for he's -a pretty good ol' Injun, an' always tries to keep on good terms with -the whites. There's only about a hundred men in his band, an' they're -mostly ol' men what's had experience enough to know that it pays better -to keep on good terms with Uncle Sam's people than to be bucking again -'em. But the most of the tribe now seems to be of the other way of -thinking an' have split off from ol' To hausen, who used to be head -chief, an' taken to following the lead of such devils as Satank, an' -Satanta, an' Big Tree; an' they're the ones we've got to look out for." - -"Where do you expect to find the Kiowa trail, Bill?" - -"Well, from here, we'll follow this ol' lodge-pole trail; it turns off -from the Walnut a few miles up the creek an' goes over to the Smoky -Hill, which is about twenty miles from here; an' about opposite this -point on the Smoky is a mail station on the Denver stage route, an' -I reckon we'll be able to find out from the station men whether the -Kiowas have gone up or down the river an' lay our course to suit." - -"When we first came here," I informed him, "it looked like the last -travel over the trail had been about two months before--that would have -been about September--and the tracks were going toward the Smoky Hill; -but they might have been made by Cheyennes or 'Rapahoes." - -"We'll be apt to find an old moccasin, or a broken arrow, or somethin' -dropped or thrown away on the trail, before we travel very far, that'll -tell what tribe travelled it last," remarked the scout. - -"I noticed that you don't carry any picket-pin," I remarked; "how do -you picket your horse out?" - -"I picket him to a hole in the ground. I dig a hole with my knife about -a foot deep; tie a big knot in the end of my lariat; put it down in -the bottom of the hole; fill in the dirt an' tamp it down hard as I -can with my foot; an' that'll hold him 'bout as good as a picket-pin, -an' saves the trouble, an' saves my horse the weight of the iron pin; -an' I always try to lighten my horse's load of every ounce I can do -away with. An' when I'm out by myself, or where there's nobody to stan' -guard at night, I make my bed with my head on my saddle, 'bout half-way -'tween my horse an' the end of my lariat that's buried, an' if anything -strange comes in sight the horse'll begin running 'round at the end of -his rope, an' dragging it over me'll wake me up." - -"Well, your way of doing these things is just about the same as we were -trained to do in the cavalry," I remarked. - -"Why, of course," replied Bill, "for nearly all I know about scouting -is what I learnt from the ol' cavalrymen an' ol' army officers. You -take one of them ol' soldiers or officers that's been out on the -frontier fifteen or twenty years, an' what he don't know about such -matters ain't worth knowing." - -In the morning, after breakfast, while assisting the two scouts to -saddle up and pack their mule, Jack cut off an antelope ham and tied it -in their pack, "to give them a starting of fresh meat," as he said. - -Taking up a position in front of Bill, Found stood wagging his tail and -looking up pleadingly into his master's face, seeming to ask: "May I go -with you?" - -"No, Found," said the scout, between whom and his dog there seemed to -be a perfect understanding, "you can't go. It'd be too long an' hard a -road for you an' would wear you out. You must stay right here till I -come back." - -Then, turning to me, he said: - -"You'd better get his chain an' collar an' I'll tie him to that post -there, an' he'll know by that that I don't want him to go an' he'll not -try to follow us after we leave." - -I brought the chain and Bill took it and tied the dog, petting and -talking kindly to him, and then making him lie down, which seemed to -satisfy Found that his master desired him to remain. - -"Let us hear from you, Bill," I requested, "as soon as you get back, -will you, for I'd like to know how the Kiowas are feeling." - -"Yes, I will," he replied; "if I don't come back this way I'll come -over from the fort soon after we get back." - -Mounting their horses--Adkins leading the pack-mule, while Wild Bill -rode behind to drive it up--they crossed the creek below the beaver -dam, and were soon out of sight behind the timber. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -VOLUNTEER TROOPS AT LARNED - - -Tom returned from Fort Larned that evening. He hoped that his -intercession for Flaherty would procure a mitigation of the usual -penalty; but desertion, even under extenuating circumstances, was too -serious an offence to pass without at least a form of punishment. The -culprit was put in the guard-house, with a fair prospect, however, of -being released and restored to duty before long. - -The long-expected three companies of volunteer cavalry had arrived to -relieve the old garrison, and as soon as the government property could -be transferred from the old officials to the new, the old garrison--two -companies of Second Infantry and one of Second Dragoons--would march -away to Fort Leavenworth. A week later our old comrades, the regulars, -were gone. - -On his return from his next visit to Fort Larned, two weeks later, Tom -had much to say about the lack of discipline shown by the volunteers -at the fort, and as we gathered around the mess box, after putting the -mules away, he continued his complaints. - -"The volunteers don't know anything about soldiering," said Tom, -"an' the officers are no better. It nearly broke my heart to see the -miserable imitation of military service they're gettin' off. - -"Now, to give you an idea of their style, compared with regulars, -what would you think to see a buck private in his dirty fatigues come -a-saunterin' up to the adjutant's office, flop himself down in a chair, -hoist his muddy boots up onto a table, push his hat back, an' say to -the commanding officer, who was occupying a similar position on the -opposite side of the table: 'Well, Joe, what do you think of this -layout, as far as you've got?'" - -"Oh, come now, Tom," said Jack with an incredulous smile, "you don't -expect us to believe such a yarn as that?" - -"It's gospel truth," exclaimed the old man. "Here's another sample -of how they do it: A captain was standin' in front of the adjutant's -office smokin' a cigar, an' a corporal strolled up to him an' asked: 'I -say, Cap, have you got the mate to that about your clothes?'" - -"Peck, do you believe him?" said Jack, appealing to me; and without -waiting for my answer, he continued: "I do be afeared Tom's been mixin' -his drinks." - -"Here's another one," said Tom. "A lieutenant an' about a dozen men -come out of their quarters an' started straggling off toward the -stables, an' I followed 'em to see what they were up to. They went -into the stable an' went to saddling their horses to go somewheres. -By and by the lieutenant got his horse saddled an' called back into -the stable: 'Are you all ready there, boys?' Some were ready, an' come -leadin' their horses out; but one fellow called back to him: 'Don't -you get in such a rush there now, for I've got to put my spurs on -yet.' Another fellow said: 'I've got a notion not to go, for I told -the sergeant not to put my name on this detail.' 'Oh, yes, John, you'd -better come along. We'll have a good time,' said the lieutenant, kind -of coaxing him. - -"Well, after callin' back again to the man who hadn't got his spurs -on, an' getting the answer that he was about ready, instead of giving -his commands in military style, to 'Lead into line!' 'Count fours!' -'Prepare to mount!' 'Mount!' 'Form ranks!' an' then move out 'by -fours,' how do you suppose he did it? Well, sir, he just says: 'Well, -get on your horses, boys,' an' climbed onto his horse, an' started off, -saying as he looked back over his shoulder: 'Come ahead, fellows.' An' -they straggled off after him. - -"Well, they're good enough men, on an average, I guess," continued -Tom, "an' will make good soldiers if they just had the right sort of -officers over 'em; for good officers make good soldiers, an' _vice -versa_. But how can the blind lead the blind? Their officers can't -instruct the men, for the officers don't know anything about military -matters themselves. An' it's one of the truest sayings that ever was -said that 'familiarity breeds contempt'; an' if an officer, or even a -non-com, expects to command the respect and obedience of them that's -subject to his orders, he's got to hold himself aloof from 'em, to a -reasonable degree; an' he's got to prove himself competent to command -'em." - -Naturally, Jack and I became very anxious to go over to the fort and -see things for ourselves, and when the time came for going after our -next mail and taking in another load of wolfskins Tom agreed to let us -both make the trip, on a strict promise from Jack that he would not -taste liquor. - -At the post we found the state of affairs about as Tom had represented. -Officers and men seemed equally ignorant of military affairs and -especially of frontier service. - -While loafing about the sutler's store next day, Weisselbaum came out -of his back room and, calling me to one side, said confidentially: - -"I've got a job for you, Peck, and there's good pay in it, too. It's -this way: There's a young man here, Lieutenant Lang, in command of one -of these companies; he's got plenty of money; his father's rich an' -furnishes him plenty. He's a first-rate fellow. But he's considerably -embarrassed just now," he continued; "the captain of the company -has been away from it for several months, leaving the lieutenant in -command, and during that time he has received a lot of government -property, for which he's got to account, of course, and he's kept no -accounts and has nothing to show what's become of this stuff. You see, -he's in a bad fix, and unless he can find some one who understands -these affairs to help him out, he's going to have to pay the government -several hundred dollars--maybe as much as a thousand or two--out of his -own pocket, or his daddy's rather. He stated his case to me and asked -if I knew of any one that he could get to straighten up his company -papers; and when I saw you I remembered that you used to be company -clerk in your old company at Fort Riley, and I thought you would know -how to help him out of the scrape, if anybody would. He'll be willing -to pay you big for it. What do you say to the job?" - -"I hardly know what to say," I replied. "I'll have to consult my -partners over at the camp before I can give an answer. It may be that I -can arrange with them to get away from the wolf hunting business long -enough to do this work for the lieutenant, but I can't promise it till -I consult Tom and Jack." - -"Well, come back into my office," said Weisselbaum, "and let me make -you acquainted with Mr. Lang, and you can talk it over with him." - -On following him into his back room I was introduced to a -pleasant-looking young officer of about twenty-five, who wore the -uniform and shoulder-straps of first lieutenant of cavalry, but whose -appearance showed evidences of dissipation. He seemed pleased to find -a man who understood Uncle Sam's ways of transacting business, and -still more gratified when I told him that I thought possibly I could -find means to relieve him of a part, if not all, of his accountability; -which he knew meant not only the saving of so many dollars, but would -prevent an official investigation that might result in his dismissal -from the service. I told him I could not promise to take charge of his -papers and begin on the work until I had consulted my partners. He -would pay me a hundred dollars, he said, to make the effort and do what -I could for him, and two hundred if I succeeded in clearing him of all -his accountability and put his company papers in good shape, so that -his company clerk could thereafter keep them straight. - -I promised him that I would return in a day or two probably prepared -to go to work on his accounts. This so pleased him that he called for -a bottle of champagne, in which, however, I declined joining him and -retired, leaving him and Weisselbaum drinking the wine. - -Jack and I had seen enough of the rawness of these volunteers to fully -corroborate Tom's reports, and as we drove back to camp I informed my -comrade of the proposition I had received for straightening out the -tangles in which the lieutenant had involved himself. - -"How long's it going to take you?" he asked. - -"About two or three weeks, I think," I replied. - -"Well, of course we'll let you off for that long, in consideration of -the big pay you'll be getting." - -When we got to camp and I had stated the proposition to Tom, he replied -promptly: - -"Jump onto it, by all means. You won't often find such chances as that -for making money layin' around loose on the plains or anywhere else. -That's big money for a little work. Jack an' me'll give you a leave of -absence long enough to make yourself a nice little wad on the side." - -"No, Tom," I answered. "I won't have it that way. We have agreed, all -along, that this is a full partnership of the firm of Vance, Flannigan -& Peck and that whatever we make or lose we are to share equally. Jack -insisted on this rule when he captured Black Prince, and I shall insist -that whatever I make on this work shall be turned into the general -fund." - -"Well, suit yourself about it," said Tom indifferently; "any way to -keep peace in the family. We'll call it detached service you're on, -then, instead of a leave of absence." - -The matter being settled, next day I rode Prince over to the fort -and began looking up material to begin the work in hand. By searching -the adjutant's office and quartermaster's store I found the requisite -blanks and books for opening up a full set of company accounts, -including muster and pay rolls, for I found the lieutenant had little -or nothing in the way of papers except the invoices of property he had -received. Having duly established an office in one of Lang's rooms and -got everything ready for business, I said to the lieutenant: - -"Now, Mr. Lang, in order that you may get the full benefit of my -services in this work, it is best that you have your first sergeant and -company clerk in attendance here whenever they can be spared from their -other duties, and let me be instructing them, so that they can continue -the work after I get things straightened out for them." - -"A good idea," he admitted. "I'll go over to his office and have a chat -with the sergeant about it, and if he thinks he'd like to learn your -style of keeping accounts I'll invite him to come over and see how you -do it and bring his clerk along." - -"Why, lieutenant," I said in some surprise at this evidence of slack -discipline, "I thought you were in command of the company." - -"So I am; so I am. Why?" - -"Well, in that case, it's your place to order the attendance of your -sergeant and clerk and their place to obey promptly." - -"Yes, yes. That's the way you do in the regulars, I suppose; but, you -know, we ain't so particular in the volunteers, and I find it's best to -keep on good terms with my first sergeant 'cause he'll make trouble for -me if I cross him." - -"Well, excuse me; I forgot myself," I replied with ill-concealed -disgust. "I wasn't employed by you to teach you discipline. But if you -can persuade your sergeant to come over, I'll see if I can interest him -in these papers." - -But the sergeant refused to take instructions from "one of them -swell-headed regulars who think they know it all." The company clerk, -however, cheerfully placed himself under my tutelage and picked up the -work rapidly. - -By taking invoices of the property Lieutenant Lang had on hand and -comparing them with the invoices of what he had received, I soon -found what was deficient. I then set his men to work looking about -the post and gathering up, from among the rubbish and castaway -property abandoned by the outgoing garrison, every old article of -quartermaster's and ordnance stores and camp and garrison equipage that -could be found. I then asked the lieutenant to call on the commanding -officer for a board of survey, who inspected and condemned the stuff -and ordered it burned, thereby relieving Lang of his accountability for -it. - -There was still a considerable shortage of arms and things that I could -not pick up about the post and get condemned, but, on learning that -this company had been engaged in a skirmish with the rebels in Missouri -recently, I covered a considerable deficit on the returns as "lost in -action," on the affidavits of soldiers, and accounted for some other -stuff as legitimately "worn out or expended in the public service." - -By these and other methods usually resorted to in the regular service -to cover deficiencies I soon had Lieutenant Lang's accountability -reduced to the property he actually had on hand; and, while doing so, -instructed his company clerk so that thereafter he could easily keep -the accounts in safe shape. - -My work for Lang attracted considerable attention from the other -company commanders and they soon got to dropping in to consult me in -regard to making out papers and all sorts of military matters. - -At the expiration of my contract, Lieutenant Lang cheerfully paid me -the two hundred dollars--which I deposited with Weisselbaum to the -credit of the firm--and expressed himself as glad to get out of his -recent dilemma so cheaply. - -While at this work I was often one of the busiest men about the post. -These officers, though inexperienced, were gentlemanly fellows, and -not having had that regular army legend ground into them about the -impassable gulf between the enlisted man and the commissioned officer, -though knowing that I had but recently been a private soldier, -treated me as an equal. Even the major commanding often consulted me -on technical affairs, and offered to use his influence to procure me -a commission in the regiment if I would join his command, which kind -offer I declined with thanks. I had made up my mind not to bind myself -to Uncle Sam again, though--after this wolf hunting campaign--I planned -to enter the service as a scout or wagon-master or in some civilian -capacity that would give me more freedom than as a soldier or officer. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -BILL RETURNS FROM HIS SCOUT - - -During the time I had been at work on Lieutenant Lang's papers there -had been another heavy snow, but it had soon passed off. Tom had -come over to the fort once or twice, reporting all serene at Camp -Coyotelope; and about the time I had finished my job and was preparing -to return to wolf skinning, Wild Bill and John Adkins came into the -post, returning from the main Kiowa camp by way of old To hausen's -village on Walnut Creek. - -"When are you going over to Camp Coyotelope?" asked Bill after first -greetings. - -"To-morrow morning," I replied. - -"Well, I've got to make my report to the commanding officer an' turn in -my pack-mule," said the scout, "an' if there's nothing special for me -to do here right away I reckon I'll ride over with you an' take a few -square meals with the boys." - -"All right," I replied. "I'll be glad to have you go along with me. -Will Adkins come, too?" - -"No. He says he's got to go back to Rath's ranch in the morning, soon -as he can get his voucher from the quartermaster for this trip an' get -it cashed at Weisselbaum's." - -"So this new quartermaster is short of greenbacks and has to pay off in -vouchers, hey?" - -"Yes, an' Weisselbaum only discounts 'em twenty-five cents on the -dollar. But I won't sell my voucher at any such robbery figures. I -don't need the money very bad here, an' so I'll just let it stand till -the quartermaster gets the funds, or if he don't get the truck by -spring I'll take my vouchers to Fort Leavenworth where I can get all -they call for." - -Finding nothing requiring his immediate attendance at the post, Bill -easily obtained permission to go over to our camp, notifying the -quartermaster where he could be found in case he was needed. - -As we rode along he told me about his trip to Satank's village. - -"As I expected, we picked up the Kiowas' trail over on the Smoky Hill, -followed it up, an' found 'em in a snug-timbered camp over on the -Solomon. They'd moved to this camp from another one a few miles up the -river since the blizzard, because while that big snow was on the ground -they'd had to chop down all the cottonwood-trees about that camp to -furnish feed for their ponies and in case of another big snow catching -'em in the same camp, the feed there would have been pretty scarce. -An' they'd just about got settled down in the new camp when this last -snow come on. Me and Adkins were in luck, too, for this last snow come -next day after we reached the Injun camp; an' during all the time it -lay on the ground me and John were making ourselves as agreeable an' -comfortable as possible in ol' Satank's lodge. I knew what a sour ol' -cuss he is, an' the best way to get on the good side of him an' find -out what he is up to was to go right to his tepee, an' let on that we'd -come to pay him a special visit. - -"We found that the Injuns didn't have much of anything to eat but meat, -so we brought out our sugar an' coffee an' hardtack an' bacon an' -treated the ol' man an' his family to some extra good grub--for them; -an' I'd took along some beads an' colored handkerchiefs an' trinkets -for the women an' youngsters. But, sir, that durned old rascal would -eat my chuck an' take presents, all right, but when I'd try to pump him -he was the most ignorant Injun you ever saw--I couldn't get a thing out -of him. But then I didn't expect to find out much from Satank himself, -for I know him of old. - -"I made friends with Satanta and Big Tree, too, an' gave them some -presents, an' now an' then invited 'em over to headquarters to smoke -an' eat an' drink coffee with us, but they were pretty foxy, too, and -didn't seem to know anything when I tried the pump on them. So when I -found the head men were so close-mouthed I dropped them an' let on as -though I wasn't seeking for information; but I made myself solid with -the women by making them presents of a lot of little trinkets, an' I -knew if I went about it in an offhand way they'd tell me all they knew, -for, you know, I can talk their language just like a Kiowa. - -"It pleases them women for a white man to take notice of 'em an' talk -to 'em an' be sociable like, for their own men don't pay 'em much -attention. - -"I soon found out about all the women knew, which wasn't much, however; -but from what I picked up amongst 'em, an' from the general signs, the -head men ain't a-feeling very friendly toward the whites, an' as soon -as grass comes in the spring I suspect we'll have trouble with 'em." - -"Do you think they'll go on the war-path, Bill?" I asked. - -"No, I don't think they'll go to war openly or in a body, but they'll -probably scout around in little bands, watchin' their chances an' doing -a little mischief here an' there on the sly, whenever they see a good -chance to dodge in, hit a lick, an' dodge out again without making an -open rupture. But they promised to come down to Fort Larned, as soon -as the grass begins to come in the spring, to have a powwow with the -officers an' Injun agent, 'cause there's a chance of some presents in -that, an' they're always ready to take all they can get an' more, too." - -"What seems to be their principal grievance against the white men?" I -asked. - -"Well, it's the old song about the white men killing off their game. -But, then, we all know that's just an excuse, for the game on the -plains is plenty enough for all an' what little the whites get away -with ain't missed. Of course, if they were to come around here an' see -how many buffalo bones you fellows are leaving on the prairie they -might think you were getting more than your share. But you've got just -as much right to kill buffalo an' wolves, or any other game, as the -Injuns have. Anyway, it ain't likely they'll get down this way before -grass comes, an' you fellows'll be done skinning wolves an' gone before -that time." - -"I hope so," I replied. "I have no desire to renew my acquaintance with -Satank. How about old To hausen, Bill; is he still camped at the same -place?" - -"Yes, his band was still camped about twenty or twenty-five miles down -Walnut Creek from your camp; but To hausen was getting ready to move up -your way, too, an' I reckon by this time he's moved. I told him about -you fellows a-poisoning wolves and that you were particular friends -of mine, an' asked him not to move up close enough to you to bother -your work, an' he promised me he would keep far enough away so's not -to trouble you. He's a pretty good ol' Injun, To hausen is, an' he's -always been a good friend of mine, an' I'm sure he'll not let any of -his people interfere with you. Some of his outfit'll be apt to look you -up in a few days, an' if they come to see you you must treat 'em well." - -"Of course we will," I replied, "for we want to keep on good terms with -them." - -At Camp Coyotelope, which we reached in time for dinner, Bill had to -repeat to Tom and Jack all he had told me about his trip to the Kiowa -village. During the afternoon we lounged about camp and at the approach -of evening Jack and I saddled up and made the round of the wolf baits, -putting out fresh strychnine for the night, and returned to camp in -time to help demolish an excellent supper. - -That evening Tom suggested to the scout: - -"Bill, while you're here, suppose you an' me ride down to ol' To -hausen's camp to-morrow to see where he is an' make sure that he ain't -a-crowding on our huntin'-ground--what do you say?" - -"It's a whack, Tom; I'll go you!" replied Bill, "an' we'll have a fair -understanding with the ol' man about how far he's to allow his people -to range up this way." - -In the morning they saddled up and started to go to the Indian camp, -but to our surprise Bill and Tom were back at camp by noon, just as -Jack and I were getting ready for dinner. - -"Why, what brought you back so soon?" I asked as they rode up and -dismounted. - -"Well," replied Tom, as they began unsaddling, "we found their camp -only about eight miles down the creek--a little closer than I like to -have 'em, but the Injuns promised that they wouldn't hunt up this way -any farther or do anything to drive off the game in our range; but -what brought us back so soon was that when we got there we found ol' -To hausen sick in bed, an' I think he's threatened with a severe spell -of pneumonia; an' after having a friendly talk with his people and -watching the ol' man's symptoms, I made up my mind what was the matter -with him, and I concluded that I'd hurry right back to camp and get -some medicine for him and then go back and try to fetch the old man out -of it. I'm sure he's got a serious case of lung fever, and if something -ain't done to head it off pretty _pronto_ he'll go up the spout. I -learned a good deal about doctoring when I was hospital steward, an' I -think I've got everything except one that I need for the treatment of -this case in my little medicine-chest. Bill's going back to Fort Larned -after dinner, and I want you to go with him and bring out the medicine -that I'm lacking. You can go over to the fort this afternoon and get -the stuff an' come back to-morrow forenoon and then bring it down to -the Injun camp to me in the afternoon; for I'll go right back after -dinner and go to work on the old man and try to head off that fever -before it gets too strong a hold on him." - -As we entered the dugout and sat down to dinner I thought to ask: - -"What medicine is it that you want me to get, Tom? You forgot to tell -me the name of it." - -With a mysterious wink at me when Jack was not looking, he answered: - -"I'll write the name of it down on a piece of paper after dinner. You'd -forget it if I told you." - -When we went out to saddle up after dinner, leaving Jack to clean up -the dishes, Tom said: - -"The medicine I want you to get at the fort is nothing but a pint of -commissary whiskey, but I didn't want to mention it before Jack. The -doctors use it in pneumonia as a stimulant, diluted, an' given in -tablespoonful doses. I've got everything else I need, and I'll take -my little medicine-chest along with me down to the Injun camp in case -there should be other sick ones that I'd want something for." Then he -added: "You'd better take Prince to ride over to the fort and back. I -rode him down to the camp, but he'll be good for your trip. I'll ride -ol' Vinegar down to the camp this time; an' when you get back here -to-morrow you can leave Prince here an' ride the gray mare or one of -the mules down to the camp. By the way, while I think of it, I must -take along a couple of candles an' a few more matches; for I'll have to -be getting up in the night 'tendin' to the old man, an' there's no such -thing as a light to be had in an Injun lodge without a body goes to -the trouble of starting up a blaze in the fire. - -"I've got to keep on the right side of that old medicine-man that's -doctoring the old chief now," said Tom; "and I'd like to teach him -something if I could." - -Soon we were ready and started, Bill and I cantering off on the trail -while Tom struck out down the creek. - -On arriving at Fort Larned, knowing that Lieutenant Lang always kept a -demijohn of whiskey in his quarters, I procured a pint bottle of the -"medicine" Tom desired and spent the night at his quarters. - -Just before going to the officers' mess for supper with Lieutenant Lang -that evening, thinking that it would be an interesting trip for him, I -had suggested to him that he go out to our camp and see something of -the Kiowas with whom later he might have some dealings. He declined to -go on the ground that the weather was wintry and the ride a long one. - -Captain Saunders, who was present, expressed surprise that Lieutenant -Lang did not jump at the chance and said to me: - -"Mr. Peck, if I can get leave of absence from the major, may I -accompany you on this trip to the Indian camp?" - -"Certainly, captain," I replied. "I'll be delighted to have you go -along." - -The captain joined us later and told me that he had easily obtained -the desired permission, but asked me to say nothing about it to other -company officers, lest more of them should wish to go, for the major -didn't think it best to spare more than one on such an errand. - -The next morning we set out and, after a long, cold ride, reached Camp -Coyotelope. During the whole ride the captain kept plying me with -questions about our past frontier service, evidently wishing to gain -all the information he could about his new line of duty. He was a very -pleasant and gentlemanly, young man, and although ignorant of military -usage, he evinced a commendable eagerness to inform and qualify himself -for his position. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -A NIGHT IN THE KIOWA CAMP - - -We reached the dugout just before noon, and after unsaddling, watering, -and feeding our horses and partaking of a good dinner that Jack had -prepared we saddled up again. I now rode the gray mustang, as Tom had -suggested, and on one of our mules packed my bedding for the use of -Captain Saunders and myself at the Indian camp. We struck out down the -creek for the Kiowa camp, I leading the mule and the captain bringing -up the rear. This kind of campaigning was a revelation to Captain -Saunders and seemed to interest him greatly. - -At the Indian camp Tom was anxiously awaiting me, and seemed surprised -to see me accompanied by the officer, whom I introduced, explaining the -occasion of his visit. - -Under the impulse of his long and strict military training, Tom came -to "attention" and saluted and seemed somewhat surprised at the -captain's proffered hand. In the regular service hand-shaking between -an officer and a soldier or ex-soldier would be considered a breach -of army etiquette. Quickly comprehending the situation, Tom grasped -the extended hand and thereafter appeared to feel on terms of perfect -equality with the officer. - -"I can't allow you to see old To hausen," Tom explained, "he's too sick -to see company; an' I can't devote much time to your entertainment -myself, captain, but I'll tell the Injuns to try an' make your visit -agreeable; an' you an' Peck'll have to get along the best you can." - -Tom turned to an old Indian, who, he said, was next in rank to To -hausen, and explained to him in Mexican who we were and the object of -our visit. The old warrior then in a loud voice made an announcement to -the camp in the Kiowa tongue, after which he repeated to Tom what he -had told his people. - -"This old fellow," explained Tom to the captain, "is named Lobo. -He told the Indians that I said: 'These two white men are our good -friends. One of them is a captain of soldiers from the fort. They heard -that our chief was very sick and they have come all the way from the -fort to bring some more good medicine for To hausen. They are good men -an', Kiowas, you must be good to 'em. Our camp an' all that we have is -at their service. Make them welcome, Kiowas.' - -"Now," continued Tom, "as Lobo says, 'the camp is yours.' He has given -orders to his women to unsaddle your horses an' unpack your mule, an' -some of the youngsters will drive your animals out an' put 'em in -the herd. He has also ordered the women to clear out one half of his -lodge for your use, an' your saddles an' beddin' will be carried in an' -placed there, where you are to sleep. You are at liberty to go where -you please about the camp, enter any lodge you choose, an' you'll find -'em all friendly and agreeable; an' you an' everything you have will -be perfectly safe so long as you are their guest. Now, you'll have to -excuse me, for I must go to my patient." - -"By the way, how is the old chief?" asked the captain. - -"Pretty feeble. His age is against him, for he must be up in the -seventies. I'm getting the fever pretty well under control, and if he -gets no backset I think I can pull him through. I have my bed close by -him an' I try to keep the lodge at as even a temperature as possible; -but I have to do most everything myself, for these Injuns can't be made -to savvy how to take care of the sick. Now, I must go." - -After seeing our animals sent out to the herd and our saddles and -bedding taken into Lobo's lodge, we went inside, spread our bed, and -then took a stroll about camp. Everything here--the Indians, their -dress and habits--was new, strange, and deeply interesting to Captain -Saunders, who had never before seen a wild Indian. - -Noticing To hausen's dilapidated old ambulance standing near his lodge, -I said: - -"Captain, do you see that old government ambulance?" - -"Yes," he replied, "and I have been wondering at it and was going to -ask you if many of the Indians have such vehicles?" - -"No. I don't know of another Indian on the plains who sports an -ambulance or any other wheeled vehicle to ride in. I must tell you how -he came by this one. In the spring of '59 the Kiowas were becoming -restless, and disregarding the warnings and advice of the old chief, -who was always friendly to the whites, they were inclined to follow the -lead of Satank, who is always unfriendly. They were threatening to go -on the war-path. Our command of four companies of First Cavalry, under -Major John Sedgwick, was sent out on the plains from Fort Riley with -orders to range along the Arkansas River to try to keep the Indians -in subjection. The Pike's Peak gold excitement was at its height -then, and an outbreak of the Indians would be a serious affair. Old -To hausen tried hard to keep the Kiowas peaceable, but succeeded in -holding only this small band of about a hundred warriors, the rest of -the tribe following Satank. To hausen often visited our camps and our -officers often gave him and his adherents presents. Our quartermaster, -Lieutenant James B. McIntyre, had this old ambulance on hand, and, -as it was about played out, he got it condemned by a board and was -thinking of burning it to get rid of the old trap, when it occurred -to him to make a present of it to To hausen if he would accept it. -The old fellow was very much pleased to think of riding about in such -a rig as our commanding officer sometimes used. Lieutenant McIntyre -had his blacksmith put the old rattletrap in serviceable shape; and -then put harness on a pair of the old chiefs mustangs and had them -broken to work by some of the soldiers and turned the outfit over to To -hausen. But neither he nor any of his men could learn to use the lines -and, after a few efforts they dispensed with the lines altogether, -and, putting a boy on each bronco of the team, they have since -navigated the ambulance in that shape. Indian-like, they generally -travel at a gallop, whether the ground is smooth or rough, and often -break something, but they tie it up with rawhide to hold the parts -together till they can get to Fort Larned or Fort Lyon, and then the -quartermasters have their men patch it up again for the old man." - -As evening approached we returned to the home of Lobo, where a good -fire burning in the centre of the lodge made it quite comfortable -except for the smoke that nearly blinded us; but by lying down on our -blankets we found we could avoid this discomfort. - -Tom dropped in for a few minutes to see how we were getting along and -to tell us that under the stimulating influence of the whiskey I had -brought the old chief was showing a decided improvement. - -Two women had for some time been busy cooking a meat stew in a kettle -that hung over the fire. After a time I brought out and gave them some -coffee, sugar, and hardtack that I had brought in my saddle pocket to -add to the meal. After lifting the big kettle off the fire, the women, -with a great horn spoon, ladled out a dishful of the stew to each of -the guests first, and then to Lobo. - -We ate hungrily. Lobo was the last one to "throw up the sponge" and -announce his perfect satisfaction by a prolonged Indian grunt, and then -as he leaned back against a pile of bedding, he added: "Muy wano!" - -Before eating I had handed a plug of tobacco to Lobo, who had whittled -off enough to fill a great red-stone pipe and then returned the plug to -me. I tried to induce him to keep the plug, but he declined. As Tom had -intimated would be the case, a number of men dropped in after supper -to call on Lobo and his white visitors, and the big red pipe was then -brought out, lit with a coal of fire, and put on its travels, each -taking a puff and passing it to the next. - -The Indians evidently appreciated the free tobacco I was furnishing, -for the pipe was soon smoked out, refilled, and emptied again and -again, till all were fully sated. After this some talk was indulged in, -and then the visitors went out one by one, till only the captain and I -and Lobo's family remained. Saunders and I soon after removed our coats -and boots and turned in. - -During the evening the woman had carried in several armfuls of wood and -piled it convenient to the fire in the centre of the lodge, and, the -weather being quite cold, she got up several times during the night to -replenish the fire. - -Saunders and I were both awake by daylight, but, as our host and his -family and the dogs still seemed soundly sleeping, we kept our bed for -a time to avoid disturbing them. Finally, old Lobo crawled out and, -wrapping his buffalo robe around him, went outside the lodge. In a few -minutes we heard him, in a loud voice, haranguing the camp, and a few -minutes later the camp was all astir. - -After breakfast, on telling Lobo that we wished to return to our camp, -two of his boys drove the herd into camp and roped our animals, which -were quickly saddled and packed. - -I took the remains of the plug of tobacco and the packages of sugar, -coffee, and hardtack out of our saddle pockets, carried them into -Lobo's lodge, and laid them down. - -Captain Saunders, feeling disposed to reward the two boys for taking -care of our animals, offered each a silver half dollar. Their young -eyes brightened at sight of the money, for they knew it would buy them -something nice at the trader's store, but a hesitating glance at -Lobo seemed to decide them to refuse the proffered gifts, and with a -pleasant, "No quiero, seńor" ("Don't want it, sir"), which their looks -belied, they turned away. - -"Give them to me, captain," I said, "and I'll place them where they -won't reject the money." I carried the two silver pieces into the lodge -and put them with the other things. No objection was made to my leaving -these presents where they could be found, but Indian hospitality -forbade them openly to accept gifts from a guest. - -At dinner Jack proposed that Captain Saunders and he should go out that -afternoon and kill some buffalo and put out some poison. The captain -was eager to go, for he was quite without experience in this form of -sport. After Saunders was armed, equipped, and mounted he and Jack rode -away and I turned to and attended to the dinner dishes. - -It was near sunset when they got back to camp, reporting that they had -killed and poisoned some buffalo, and Captain Saunders had killed also -an antelope, the carcass of which he had tied on behind his saddle and -brought in. - -"L'ave the captain alone for the makin's of a plainsman," exclaimed -Jack as he dismounted and began unsaddling. "He'll need but little more -instruction from any of us. He catches on quick. He'll soon be like an -old hand at the business. An' that horse of his is all right, too. -Ain't a bit afeard of a buffalo an' goes at 'em like he was used to it." - -"Possibly the captain has had more experience of this kind," I -suggested inquiringly, "than we have supposed." - -"Not a bit of it," replied Saunders. "This is actually my first glimpse -of frontier life; but I have always been interested in such matters and -have read everything I could find on the subject and have talked to old -plainsmen and in that way have acquired some ideas of such things. I -wish I could stay with you a week or two and hunt buffalo and antelope, -for it is noble sport; but this isn't what Uncle Sam is paying me for, -and I must go back to Fort Larned to-morrow. Still, I consider this -time well spent, for the experience I am getting out here is certainly -valuable to one who expects to do service on the plains." - -"We shall be sorry to lose your company, captain," I replied; "but, -if you are going in to-morrow, why not take your antelope along as a -trophy of the trip? The weight will not be much, and we can fit it -behind the cantle of your saddle and tie it on so it will ride nicely." - -"Yes," added Jack, "but that will have to be done to-night, for it'll -freeze hard before morning, and then you can't fit it on. I'll fix it -now." - -He placed Saunders's saddle upon some sacks of grain, bent the antelope -carcass to fit snugly behind the cantle, tying the feet down to the -cinch rings, and left it to freeze in that position. - -After supper Jack played the fiddle awhile, and we sang some songs; -but Saunders seemed more interested in drawing us out to tell of our -soldier experiences on the frontier and kept us yarn spinning till late -bedtime. In the morning, after breakfast, he struck the trail for Fort -Larned. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -WE TRADE WITH INDIANS - - -For the next week or two, although the weather had turned stormy, Jack -and I put in all the time we could at poisoning and skinning wolves. It -was now getting well along in February--nearing the close of the season -for taking pelts. We had already taken about twenty-five hundred and -were anxious to make our winter's catch an even three thousand before -quitting. - -Tom's patient, old To hausen, had so far recovered that Tom had -returned to our camp, but still made an occasional visit to the Kiowa -village, where, on account of his success in treating the old chief -and others, his services as medicine-man were now much sought by the -afflicted Indians, to the utter neglect of old Broken Nose, their own -medicine-man, who seemed jealous of Tom's popularity. - -One day Jack had gone out alone, riding old Vinegar the buckskin -bronco, to kill some buffalo, and in a short time he came back to camp -afoot, carrying his saddle and bridle. - -"What's happened? Where's Vinegar?" we asked anxiously. - -"Vinegar's done for--dead," he answered as he threw down the saddle -and bridle, "an' I'm in big luck myself to be here to tell it. It was -this way: I was chasin' a bull, an' shot him but had got too close -or the bronco was too slow turnin' to get away--anyway the bull got -his head under Vinegar an' heaved both him an' me into the air, an' -we come down in a heap; but by good luck the buffalo went on without -stopping to make further fight, or he might easy have finished both of -us. I scrambled to my feet, Vinegar still lying where he fell, with his -paunch ripped open an' entrails hanging out. With a great effort he got -up onto his feet, but his insides were hanging to the ground, and there -he stood a-looking at me pleading like an' a-groaning as much as to ask -me to put him out of his misery, which was all I could do for him; so I -put my pistol to his head and finished him." - -On Tom's next trip to the Kiowa camp, on mentioning to old To hausen -the bronco's being killed, the old chief had his herd driven in, and -selecting a good pony--one he had used in his ambulance and so knew its -working qualities--he insisted on Tom's taking it to replace Vinegar. - -About this time, the weather having apparently settled for a mild -spell, Captain Saunders and Wild Bill came over from the post on their -way to the Kiowa village. - -Since returning from nursing the old chief, Tom had said little about -the ill feeling that he had stirred up in old Broken Nose, the Kiowa -medicine-man, but, overhearing a conversation between him and Wild -Bill, I learned that Tom was feeling uneasy about this. He suspected -that Broken Nose had sent a message to Satank which, he feared, boded -us no good. He asked Bill to try to find out something about it. - -After their return next day, at supper Tom informed us that while at To -hausen's camp Bill had discovered that old Broken Nose had really sent -to Satank a secret message, the bearer of which had not returned. Bill -could not learn what the message was, but from the old Indian's evident -hostility toward Tom, and from certain unfriendly remarks he had been -heard to make concerning our killing so many buffalo and other game, -there were good reasons to suspect that his purpose was to stir up -Satank's well-known animosity toward the whites in general, and direct -his attention to us in particular, in order to even up with Tom by -bringing the hostiles down on us. - -Some of To hausen's people had told Bill, in a friendly way, to warn -us to be sure to close up our work and get away from here, or else -look out for trouble from Satank's band as soon as the new grass began -to come; but they did not seem to think that Satank's horses would be -in condition for him and his warriors to make a raid on us before the -grass got up. - -The fact that a few of To hausen's followers denied the report that -Broken Nose was trying to make trouble for us led Bill to conclude -that some of them were not so friendly to us as they pretended. After -stating the situation, Tom went on: "Bill says it ain't likely that -Satank will be in a condition to make any move for two or three weeks -yet, and by that time we'll be done skinning wolves and out of here; -but there's a possibility that the old rascal may make a forced march, -in order to catch us before we can get away. In that case we may have -to fight. He might be able to find a few of his ponies that are able -to travel and mount a party of his men and ride over here to see what -we're doing; or, if he and his bucks get very anxious for a row, they -might make the trip afoot. Anyway, from now on, we've got to keep a -sharp lookout for Injuns or fresh signs in this neighborhood, an' also -a close watch of To hausen's camp; for if Satank should come over this -way he'd be apt to go there first thing. To hausen himself an' most -of his people are friendly to us, but it's more'n likely that some of -'em'll be ready to give Satank any information about us that he wants." - -Wild Bill had seemed rather serious and thoughtful this night--and -it was so uncommon for him to remain serious long at a time that it -attracted my attention--and as we were about to turn in he remarked: - -"Boys, as Tom says, it's best to be prepared for emergencies, and if -anything serious should happen to you, such as Satank an' his warriors -a-looming up of a sudden and a-jumping your camp or corralling you, an' -you could manage to send word to me, the captain an' I'll mount some of -his soldiers and come right over. Now, I'll tell you how you can send -me word"--untying a bead necklace which he wore around his neck. "I'll -leave this with you. Hang it somewheres handy, and if you have need -of help just write a few words on a slip of paper, tie it 'round the -necklace, then hold the necklace to Found's nose and let him get the -scent; then tie it 'round his neck, point to the fort, and say to him: -'Go to Bill!' He'll savvy, for he's been trained to it, and he'll go -a-flying till he gets to my quarters. Now, mind you, you may not have -any occasion to send for me at all; you're likely to finish up your -wolf skinning an' get away from here before Satank gets around; but if -anything should happen that you need us, do as I've told you, an' we'll -come a-curling and help you out. Is it a whack, Cap?" appealing to -Saunders. - -"It is," replied the captain, "and to be prepared for such a -call--though I hope they'll have no occasion to make it--I'll have an -understanding with the major when I get back, so that if it should come -in the night I will be allowed to take my company out of the post as -quickly as possible, without calling on him or disturbing the rest of -the garrison." - -"That's a good idea," added Bill. "It'll save a heap of time." - -"Well," said old Tom, "we'll try an' not put the captain an' Bill to -so much trouble unless it's a case of dire necessity. I hardly think -that Satank will make war on us, an' if he should, we're pretty well -fixed for fighting an' can give him a good tussle before we call on our -neighbors for help." - -"I'm not scared about it," replied Bill, "an' I know you boys ain't, -for this is just an emergency arrangement. But I tell you right now, -Tom, if there's any fighting an' you don't give me a show I won't like -you for it." - -I took the bead necklace and hung it in a conspicuous place on the -wall, little thinking that we would ever have occasion to use it, and -sincerely hoping that we would not; but I felt that both Bill and Tom, -who understood Indian ways best, really anticipated trouble with them -and were mentally preparing to meet it. - -After the departure of our guests next morning each of us went about -his accustomed duties as usual. - -After several days had passed and nothing had occurred to arouse our -uneasiness we gradually regained our accustomed assurance, but I know -that while out hunting or skinning wolves I was more keenly watchful -than formerly, and several times on returning to camp I had noticed Tom -coming down from the nearest bluff with the field-glass in his hand, -indicating that he had been scanning the surrounding country. - -I noticed, too, that lately, whenever the team was sent over to the -fort, in addition to the usual batch of baled wolfskins, Tom was now -sending other stuff, such as surplus grain and provisions--anything, in -fact, that could be dispensed with in the camp and reduce our outfit, -as he said, to "light marching order," for we thought now in a couple -of weeks more we would be ready to break up camp and go in. - -Of the three, Jack was by far the most indifferent, for, as he said, -"It's time enough to bid the divil good morning when you meet him." - -Since To hausen's band had located near us we had had frequent visits -from some of his people, when the weather was fair, and had struck up -quite a profitable trade with them for buffalo robes, dressed deer and -antelope skins, with a few otter, beaver, panther, wildcat skins, and -the like, paying for them in coffee, sugar, flour, or tobacco. And -since returning from his attendance on the old chief Tom made it a -point to visit him every few days, ostensibly to see how the old fellow -was getting along, but more particularly to try to find out if any -intercourse was passing between Satank's band and To hausen's. - -To hausen seemed sincere in his efforts to befriend Tom and, so far -as he could, kept Tom informed; but for obvious reasons he had to be -secret about it. Not much going and coming between the two bands was -to be expected, however, for the weather was still quite severe and -stormy a great part of the time, the distance between the two camps -considerable, and Indian ponies at this season of the year were poor -and weak. - -In our traffic with the old chief's people we had given them a liberal -exchange for their skins and peltries--far more than they would have -received from the traders--we being satisfied with about one hundred -per cent. profit on the goods we traded them instead of three to four -hundred per cent. as was the custom with men regularly engaged in the -trade. - -The Indians were not slow to see that we were giving them more for -their stuff than they usually received from the traders, and our -commerce with them increased. Soon we found that we were gathering -in so much of this material that it became a serious question how we -were going to smuggle it into our storeroom at Fort Larned, or beyond -there, without Weisselbaum's knowledge, or, in case we sold our skins -to him, how to account for those we had traded from the Indians. He -had a trader's license from the government, and we had nothing of the -kind. According to law, we were trespassing on his rights, in which -the commanding officer at Fort Larned was in duty bound to protect him. -When we began trading with the Indians we had not thought of these -difficulties, but, having got into it, we determined to bluff it out -and trust to luck for some future plan to suggest itself to us for -getting through. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -JACK'S CLOSE CALL - - -On the plains a prairie fire is always something to be dreaded, for -with the usual breeze, which often amounts to a gale, a fire in heavy, -dry grass is almost invariably uncontrollable and a source of terror to -the luckless traveller who happens to be in its track. - -Such a fire originates most commonly from the embers of a -camp-fire--left by some careless or inexperienced traveller--blown by -a rising wind out into the adjacent dry grass or, in the spring of the -year, by fires purposely set out in the old grass by the Indians to -clear the ground for the next crop. - -An essay might be written on prairie fires and the dangers from them -and on the best means of fighting them. I have now only to tell of how -one of us was caught in one. - -For the next few days after Wild Bill and Captain Saunders had left us -we were all busy taking in wolf pelts. The season was fast passing, and -we yet lacked several hundred skins of the three thousand that we had -declared that we would gather before quitting. - -One cold, windy day, when a gale was blowing from the northwest, Jack -started out alone and afoot--he said it was too cold and windy to -ride--to kill a few buffalo wolf baits. - -Crossing the creek below the beaver dam, to look for buffalo in the -prairie beyond, he soon passed out of sight, while Tom and I busied -ourselves taking up the dried skins and baling them. We heard the -report of Jack's carbine occasionally and knew by the direction of the -sounds that he was to windward of camp--about northwest. - -After Jack had been out for some time Tom took the field-glass and -went up onto the bluff south of our camp, from which he could view the -prairie north of the creek. - -He gazed long and intently through the glass in Jack's direction and -presently started back to camp on a run. - -I knew that something unusual was up. We had heard no uncommon firing -from Jack, but, on seeing Tom hurrying down the hill, my thought was: -"Indians about or Jack's in trouble." Dropping my work, I rushed -down into the dugout, seized both rifles, and, with a few blocks of -cartridges, ran back up onto the bank again, looking first toward Tom -and then to the timber north of us. There was no sign or sound of an -enemy. - -When the old man arrived, breathless from running, he noted my -preparations for war and gasped out as fast as he could catch his -breath: - -"No! no Injuns! See the big smoke over the tree tops? Prairie's all -afire out that way! Comin' fast! I'm afraid Jack's caught in it. I saw -him just before I noticed the fire. He was out in the bottom 'bout -midway between the timber and the lodge-pole trail, a-working on a -buffalo he'd killed, and just then I noticed a lone Injun riding along -the trail the other side of Jack; and I saw the infernal rascal halt -when he got right to windward of Jack, and dismount and squat down in -the grass; and then come a puff of smoke and the prairie was afire. And -then the Injun got on his pony and galloped along the trail a piece and -fired the grass again. And this he repeated several times. The cuss had -seen Jack and fired the grass to try to burn him up, and I'm afraid -he's done it, for I don't see how Jack could escape without he could -fly, for when I left the bluff the fires had all run together and were -a-coming toward Jack like a race-horse, in a wall of flames that seemed -to leap twenty feet high at times." - -"What can we do, Tom?" I asked. "Can't we do something to help him?" - -"I don't see what we can do," replied the old man with a look of -despair, "but you run down to the stable and clap the saddle onto -Prince, and be ready to go and look for what's left of him soon as the -fire burns out. It'll stop when it gets to the creek and quick as the -smoke clears away so's you can stand it, you be ready to light out." - -I rushed to the stable and he followed me, talking as I saddled up. - -"Near as I could make him out through the glass, I believe it's that -infernal old Broken Nose that's done this job. It looked some like him -and I noticed he climbed on and off his pony like an old man." - -I soon had Prince saddled and led him up onto the bank, where we -impatiently waited what seemed an endless time but was really only a -few minutes. - -The fire was now roaring and crackling just beyond the strip of timber -bordering the creek. The smoke would probably have been stifling in our -camp by this time, but on striking the timber the wind had given it an -upward pitch that sent most of it above us. - -The fire kept up such a roaring and rushing noise that I began to fear -that the wind might carry some of it across the creek, but as soon as -it entered the timber on the north side, where the grass was shorter, a -marked subsidence was apparent. - -I mounted and moved up to the south bank of the creek, anxious to be -off on my search for Jack, but a dense cloud of smoke and flying ashes -whirled through the trees from the burnt ground for some minutes after -the fire seemed to have exhausted its fury, and, impatient as I was, -I yet had to wait before venturing to enter the burnt district. As -soon as I could endure it I crossed the creek and started, still half -blinded and choked by the flying smoke and ashes, which so obscured my -vision that I could see but a short distance ahead. The fire now was -all gone except here and there a few buffalo-chips still burning, but -the hot smoke-and-ashes-laden air was stifling. - -I struck a gallop, to hurry through the worst part of the ground, and -soon began to get out into a little clearer atmosphere, and was greatly -rejoiced to see Jack coming toward me though yet some distance off. I -noticed that though he was coming with the wind he walked unsteadily, -as though nearly exhausted, stopping now and then to sit down and rest. -The air was yet so murky that he had not noticed me until I came near -him, when, staggering to his feet from an old buffalo skull he had been -sitting on, he waved his hand weakly and tried to whoop, but the effort -set him to coughing as he halted and leaned on his rifle. As I reached -him I noticed that his wolfskin overcoat that he wore at starting from -camp was missing and his other clothes were much soiled, apparently -having been wet in places, coated with adhering soot and ashes, and now -frozen by the cold wind. - -"Why, Jack!" I exclaimed as I reined up and dismounted, "how in the -world did you live through the fire? And how did you get your clothes -wet?" - -"In the buffalo," he answered as he again began coughing. - -"In what?" I asked in perplexity. "In a buffalo?" - -As he attempted to explain, still coughing, I interrupted him with: - -"Never mind, Jack; don't try to talk. I savvy. Here, let me help you on -Prince, and when we get to camp you can tell us all about it." - -Helping him on the horse, I walked alongside of him to camp, but -insisted that he should not try to talk until his lungs got clear of -the smoke and ashes he had inhaled. - -When he had answered my questions as to how he had escaped the fire -and got his clothes wet by replying, "In the buffalo," I was at first -puzzled; but gradually the explanation dawned on me. He had tried the -exploit I had read of to him and Tom the other night out of Cooper's -"The Prairie." - -On reaching camp I hurriedly told Tom of Jack's exploit and his -condition and suggested that no questions be asked for the present. We -helped him into the dugout and put him to bed. I explained to Tom how, -as I conjectured, Jack had escaped the fire but the Irishman was not in -a condition to tell us about that, though it was with difficulty that -we kept him from trying to talk. - -By the next forenoon our Irishman was able to talk without much -difficulty. - -"Well, sir," he began in a weak voice, "I believe it's the closest call -I've had this long time, and I never want to get into such another -tight place, where breath is so scarce. I'd killed the buffalo and -begun ripping open the hide to skin it back, and just then I got a -smell of grass a-burning, and, looking up, I saw in a jiffy what a trap -I was in and no way out of it unless I could fly. Suddenly I thought of -that skame that Peck read about the other night, and in a minute I was -cutting and slashing in blood up to my shoulders. - -"I ripped open the throat and cut off the windpipe and cut loose -everything around the lights inside as far as I could reach. Then I -started in behind the brisket and ripped open the belly and reached in -and got a holt of the windpipe and begun pulling the entrails back, and -all the time I was too busy to look up to see how nigh the fire was -a-getting; but I knew by the smoke thick around me and the roar of the -fire that I didn't have any time to fool away. - -"When I got the in'ards dragged out I placed my wolfskin coat over the -opening I'd made in the breast and then propped up the short ribs and -flank with me carbine so's I could crawl in, and in I went, pulling -my carbine in after me; and none too soon, either, for the fire was -roaring around me and I could smell the wool a-burning in a second -after I'd got inside. - -"And then's when I begun to smell hell for sure! The little bit of -fresh air that was inside the buffalo soon gave way to hot smoke, and -oh, man! it was horrible! I hope I may never come so nigh suffocation -again. - -"After the fire had passed and I began to breathe again, I felt -weak and all gone, like I hadn't strength enough to crawl out of -the carcass. I wondthered whether you would ever find my remains. I -laid there awhile and by and by I began to feel better, and then I -crawfished out backwards. After shaking myself together I says to -myself, says I, 'Never say die, Jacky boy! You're better than two dead -men yet, so you are!' And picking up my carbine I made a brave stagger -for camp, but if you hadn't met me with the horse it's a long time I'd -'a' been getting here, so I would." - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -SATANK ARRIVES - - -Early March found us closing up our affairs at the camp, preparatory to -starting back to the settlements. We had succeeded in taking a few more -than our three thousand wolfskins; and in addition to these we would -have nearly a wagonful of bales of the dressed buffalo robes and other -skins we had traded for with To hausen's people, together with the -beaver, otter, antelope, and other pelts we had taken in our camp. - -We had hauled all our baled wolfskins over to Fort Larned and stored -them there as fast as they accumulated, but retained in camp for the -last load our otter and beaver skins and the peltries we had gotten -from the Indians; for we thought it best not to bring these latter -under the notice of Weisselbaum, for fear he should make trouble for us -for encroaching on his Indian trade. - -As a prospective buyer he had kept close watch of our wolfskins, as -we stored them, and was anxious to buy our whole catch; but we had -stood him off, saying that we thought we could do better with them in -Leavenworth. We had heard that Kitchen's freighting train from New -Mexico was on the road, going in empty, and would pass Fort Larned in -a few days, and had decided that if we could not get Weisselbaum up to -our figures, we would ship them in that way. - -After an early dinner, Tom and Jack had started for the fort with the -mule team, taking a partial load of the last of our wolfskins--a half -dozen bales--and some camp plunder. - -I do not think that my comrades were as much alarmed as I was at the -thought of the hostiles dropping in on us. They seemed to be borrowing -no trouble on that account and, for fear of being ridiculed by them for -my cowardly fears, I had kept my thoughts on this subject to myself. - -On this day we had all seemed unusually jolly; even Tom's grim features -occasionally relaxed into a pleasant smile at some sally from our wild -Irishman. Our spirits were high, for we had grown tired of buffalo -hunting and wolf skinning, with all the attendant hardships and -excitements, and were now eager to get back into "God's country" with -our profitable cargo of skins, to reap the reward of our winter's hard -work. - -As I stood looking after Tom and Jack as they drove away, I thought: -"To-morrow they'll be back, and the next morning we'll load up the last -of our camp outfit and will soon be beyond the reach of Satank and his -crowd." - -While still standing on top of our dugout watching the receding wagon -a growl from Found, at my feet, caused me to look down at him; and -following the direction of his look, down the ravine toward the timber, -I saw an Indian boy afoot stealthily approaching, every now and then -casting furtive glances behind him as though fearful that he might be -seen by some one in the timber. I at once recognized the boy as one of -To hausen's sons and, quieting the dog, awaited his approach. Following -a path skirting the edge of the water in the ravine, when he had -reached the platform between our dugouts, he again looked cautiously -about and beckoned me to come down where he stood. - -When I neared him he said in his broken English: - -"To hausen, my fadder, he say tell you, 'look out! Satank comin'!'" - -And then asked, looking anxiously into my face: - -"You savvy?" - -"Yes, but where? When?" I hastened to ask excitedly. - -"Kin savvy seńor," replied the boy, "that all To hausen, he say, that -all; 'look out, Satank comin'!' Pretty _pronto_, I 'speck. Now I mus' -vamose. Satank he see me here, he kill me." - -And quickly turning he sneaked down the ravine till he reached the -brush and disappeared. - -To say that I was alarmed at the sudden shock to my recent feeling of -confidence is to put it mildly; but I realized that there was no time -to waste in idle regrets at the unfortunate turn of affairs. I felt -almost helpless and could not decide what to do to prepare for the -danger. - -Rushing into the dugout I seized my carbine and, going again up onto -the dirt roof, I fired several shots in the hope that possibly the -sound might reach my companions, who were still in sight, slowly -climbing the hill about two miles away. It was no use--the wind was -blowing from them to me, and they moved steadily on, evidently not -hearing me. - -I was hesitating whether to jump on Prince, ride after them and hurry -them back to prepare for a probable call from the hostiles when a surly -growl and bark from Found drew my attention another way, and I was -almost frightened out of my wits to see two mounted Indians coming, one -behind the other in single file, along the trail leading from the ford -below the beaver dam. - -They were on the opposite side of the ravine--the stable side--so I -moved down onto the platform between the dugouts, where I would have a -better position, still hoping that they would turn out to be some of To -hausen's people; but a thrill of something akin to horror ran through -me on looking closely at the foremost Indian when he had reached the -top of the bank a few feet from me, for I recognized the sinister -countenance of Satank. - -To let him know that I recognized him and understood his probable -feelings toward me, I swung my carbine into a threatening position and -called out, "Halt!" at the same time making the sign to him to stop -where he was. - -He halted at the command, as did the other Indian in the rear, and, -while keeping a close watch on both to see that they drew no gun on me, -I demanded in a defiant tone: - -"Halloo, Satank, what do you want here?" - -Satank made no reply, but motioned his companion to his side. - -I recognized the man as a half-breed, called Mexican Joe, who had -sometimes been used as an interpreter at Fort Wise. Joe was evidently -to act as interpreter now. - -In my defiant attitude and speech I was assuming much more -self-confidence than I really felt; but I wished to impress them that I -distrusted them, understood their intentions, and was prepared to stand -them off or fight. However, neither of the savages made any threatening -movement--the time was not ripe for declaring war--they had evidently -come on a reconnoitring expedition. - -As soon as the interpreter had moved up to him Satank spoke a few words -to Mexican Joe, who asked in broken English: - -"Where your pardners? Other mans? Where wagon?" - -"Gone down to To hausen's camp," I said. - -"He say, 'Maybe so you lie,'" said Joe, making the sign of the forked -tongue; then continued, "Any mans in casa--house?" nodding toward the -dugout. - -"Yes," I replied. - -Apparently wishing to see the inside of our house--or to get the drop -on me in some way--after a few more words between them, Joe said: - -"He say: 'White man come to Kiowa's camp Kiowa feed him. Satank he -hungry. Want to go in casa, eat with white man--be good amigos.'" - -I replied: - -"Food all gone. Pardners gone with wagon to bring some buffalo meat. -Tell him to come again when pardners get back. I'll give him plenty to -eat." - -Of course, Satank did not believe this, and I did not care. I wished -to stand him off, for I was determined that he should get no closer -inspection of our situation than he already had. I felt sure that he -had a party of his warriors close about--probably in hiding in the -timber--and that he had come on a spying tour. - -Satank evidently recognized me as one of the actors in an episode that -took place at Fort Wise when I was in the service, and asked a number -of questions about it. To all these I replied by denying any knowledge -of the event. The interpreter said, however: - -"He say: 'You can't fool him. He know you.'" - -I was in dread all the time that they might lift their eyes to the -upland prairie in the direction of Fort Larned, where our white-covered -wagon was still in plain view; but a little swell of the prairie hid it -from them. - -After exchanging a few more words in their own language, Joe turned to -me and said: - -"Adios, good-by, seńor. We go--vamose." - -Backing away a few steps, they turned off around the butt of our -haystack, and made for the crossing of the ravine just above our -dugouts. Here they examined the ground closely, evidently looking for -fresh tracks of our wagon and mules to see which way they had gone. - -As soon as they crossed the ravine I returned to my station on the -dirt roof of our dugout where I could watch their movements. When they -reached the higher ground and our Fort Larned trail the fresh tracks of -the team gave them their clew. Pointing to the fresh signs, Satank's -eyes followed the course of the trail until he caught sight of the -wagon in the distance, just as it seemed to reach the crest of the high -prairie about three miles away. With an excited exclamation he pointed -out his discovery to his companion, and then mounting rode off at a -lively gait. - -I conjectured that Satank would either pursue the wagon or bring his -men to attack my position--probably both. In either case it was of -the utmost importance that I warn my comrades, which now seemed an -impossibility; and while fretting at my helplessness I looked down at -Found, at my feet, and the inspiration came. - -"Good!" I shouted, "I'll send the dog!" - -Rushing down into the cabin I seized a piece of paper and hastily wrote -on it: - - _Look out for Satank and his gang! They are after you! I am O. K., - so far._ - - PECK. - -Quickly tying this slip to Found's collar and taking down an old cap of -Tom's from which to give the dog the scent, I hurried back on top of -the dugout. I spoke to the dog and then pointed to the covered wagon, -still plainly visible, and for fear he did not see it I lifted him up -in my arms, pointed again to the far-off wagon, repeating the names, -"Tom--Jack!" - -The intelligent creature looked up into my face, as I set him down, and -then at the wagon, barked and wagged his tail vigorously as though he -thought he understood me. I then pointed again to the wagon, held Tom's -old cap to his nose, and said, "_Go to Tom_," motioning with my hand -toward the wagon. - -Found looked carefully all around, as though to see if there were any -Indians about, and then instead of following the wagon tracks, as I -supposed he would, he started down into the bottom of the ravine, the -head of which led toward the wagon; and after going a few rods, -stopped and looked inquiringly back at me, as if to ask: "Am I right?" - -[Illustration: "Go to Tom."] - -"Yes, yes," I answered impatiently as I motioned him away, "go to Tom! -go to Tom!" - -The dog seemed now fully to comprehend my wishes, and lit out up the -ravine on a lively run, now and then disappearing from my view for a -moment in the sinuosities of the gulch. - -I turned to go down into the cabin to get the field-glass, the better -to watch the progress of the dog, and in doing so I instinctively cast -my glance in the direction of the point of timber where Satank and Joe -had entered a few moments before, and there saw a party of mounted -Indians hurrying out of the woods and starting across the prairie after -the team. - -The Kiowas were about as near the wagon as Found, and it seemed that -it would be a close race between the dog and Indians as to which would -reach the team first. With the field-glass I watched the advance of -Indians and dog with excited anxiety. The pursuers and my messenger had -entered broken ground between the creek valley and the upland, and I -could catch only occasional glimpses of them. To get a better view I -climbed up on the derrick, where we usually hung our fresh meat, which -gave me a few feet more of elevation. I tried to count the Indians as -they started in pursuit of the wagon and made out that they numbered -about forty. - -I had watched first Found and then the Kiowas through the glass until -the dog had proceeded so far that he had passed out of sight on the -upland, still running; and the Indians could only be seen at intervals; -but I could not tell which was nearer the wagon. The Indians were -approaching it from the right and rear, while Found would be coming -from nearly behind. Tom and Jack, I knew, would be sitting on the seat -in the wagon, under cover of the sheet, unsuspicious of danger; the -rattling of the wagon would drown any noise of the galloping Indians; -and their first intimation of the presence of the Kiowas--unless Found -reached them in time--would be a volley of bullets and arrows as the -redskins surrounded them. - -I focused my glass steadily on the white wagon cover, knowing that -the halting or turning of the team would indicate that my messenger -or the pursuers had reached them. If Found got there first the team -would stop; Tom and Jack would discover the Indians and then quickly -jump out, unhook the mules and tie them to the wheels of the wagon; and -then I would hear the reports of their rifles first. If the Indians got -there first and surprised my comrades I would probably hear the reports -of the Kiowas' rifles before the wagon stopped, and the frightened -mules would then start on a run. - -Riveting my gaze on the wagon, I was presently gratified to notice it -halt, and a moment later the two familiar reports of Sharp's carbines -assured me that they, Tom and Jack, had got my warning and had fired -the first shots. - -"Good!" I shouted when I heard their rifles. "Ten to one an Indian -saddle or two was emptied by those shots!" - -Then a straggling rattle of firearms, with now and then the report of -a Sharp's, indicated that the fight was on. The bobbing up and down of -the heads of galloping Indians passing between me and the wagon showed -that the redskins were circling around the team; and as they passed -to right and left of the wagon they seemed to be keeping a respectful -distance. - -The firing slackened. Just then some mounted men and animals -came running in my direction, and as they came near enough to be -distinguishable through the glass I made out that the two team mules -had gotten away from Tom and Jack, after being unhitched from the -wagon, and were now making for camp, chased by a number of Kiowas. The -Indians soon caught the mules and led them back. - -The firing had now nearly ceased. Of the wagon I could only see the -white cover. The Indians seemed to have formed a circle around my -comrades and were probably waiting for night to enable them to crawl up -near enough to make their rifles effective. This they could do in the -darkness, and by digging rifle-pits at close range around the wagon -they would have Tom and Jack under a circle of rifle fire by daylight. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -SURROUNDED BY KIOWAS - - -As the shades of evening crept over the plain it became impossible for -me to see anything distinctly. The occasional reports of their carbines -assured me that my companions were still standing off the savages. - -I kept asking myself: "What can I do to help them?" But there was no -reply. - -I had no inclination to eat or sleep but prepared for a long, dismal -night of watchfulness. After attending to the horses in the stable I -went into our dugout and carried out some blankets and a buffalo robe, -and, making a snug bed in the remains of our haystack, where I could -command a pretty good view of our camp and surroundings, I settled down -for a long night of torturing anxiety. - -I had scarcely got settled when a slight noise from up the ravine -attracted my attention, and, quickly jumping to the conclusion that -some of the Indians were already looking for me, I strained eyes and -ears to locate the one who had made the noise. - -I soon discerned a dark object coming down the hollow, but, instead of -the catlike tread of an approaching Indian, with rushing gallop and -joyous bark Found came bounding up to me. In the semidarkness I saw -something whitish about his neck, which I knew must be a message from -Tom and Jack. - -Rushing into the dugout, I lit a candle, and, untying from Found's -collar a piece of paper, I read Tom's hastily scrawled note: - - PECK: _The Injuns have got us corralled and got the mules. Both of - us wounded but not bad. Laying under the wagon with the bales of - wolf skins around us. Send us a few carbine cartridges by Found, - and put Bills necklace on him, so we can send him on for Bill. - Look out for yourself._ - - TOM. - - -"No time to be lost," I said to myself; and, sitting down, I quickly -wrote on the reverse side of Tom's note: - - BILL: _Come quick with soldiers. Tom and Jack are about three - miles out on Larned trail. Read other side. I am O. K. at camp, so - far._ - - PECK. - -I fed the good dog, and, tying up four packs of Sharp's rifle -cartridges--ten in a pack--in an old handkerchief, I made ready to send -Found off. I first intended to tie the package around his neck but -decided that he could more easily carry it by the mouth. - -I tied my note to his collar, gave him a secure hold of the -handkerchief of cartridges in his teeth, and taking down Bill's bead -necklace from the wall I held it to his nose a moment to give him the -scent, repeating as I did so, "Go to Bill! Go to Bill!" according to -his master's instructions. - -Found wagged his tail and looked at me as though he understood my -wishes. I felt sure he would first go to Tom and Jack, who would take -the cartridges, read my note to Bill, take off the necklace and give -him a fresh scent, and send him on to the fort. - -The tired dog had before him a long and dangerous run of about twenty -miles, during which he would have to pass twice through the cordon of -watchful Indians surrounding my comrades; but it was the only hope of -saving the men, and Found seemed able and willing for the undertaking. - -I felt confident that if the Kiowas did not kill or cripple him, -Found would make the trip quickly. He had already evaded the Indians -in returning to camp, and I felt strong hopes that his almost human -intelligence would carry him through. - -Found's first move on going out of the dugout was to go up on the roof -and stand there for a little while sniffing the air. Then he turned and -trotted to the ravine, up which he went at a run. - -My nest in the hay was a good enough point for observation but not for -defence, but I went back there to think things over. - -The waning moon would rise about midnight. If the Indians waited till -then before attacking I should command a somewhat clearer view of my -surroundings. - -I thought that the dog should reach the wagon in an hour after leaving -me and felt sure that it would not be long after that before he set out -on his longer run to the fort. This should take two or three hours, and -I could only guess the time that would be occupied in awakening Bill -and his dressing and rousing Saunders and then getting out Saunders' -company. It seemed to me the troops ought to be on the way by midnight -at the latest, and they ought to reach my companions in two hours from -that time. - -I had heard no shots from the direction of the wagon since dark, -but a long time after the dog had left me, and while I was watching -for the rising moon, I heard a shot or two, apparently from the -rifles of the Indians, with no reply from the guns of my comrades. I -supposed--rightly, as I afterward learned--that Found had reached the -wagon and that the two men, by lighting matches to read my note, had -drawn the fire from the Indians. On the other hand, it seemed to me -possible that the Indians might have seen the dog and killed him. - -At length a little light appeared in the east. The moon was about to -rise, and it must be after midnight. When the moon looked over the tops -of the timber and the light grew, I began to scrutinize objects in my -vicinity and thought that a little way down the ravine I saw something -like a wolf. It seemed to change its position a little several times, -but remained too long in one place to be a wolf. - -I was considering going into the dugout to get the field-glasses but -had not yet moved when suddenly a streak of fire, rocket-like, shot up -from the object I had been looking at, described a graceful curve, and -struck in the hay a few feet from me. It was a fire-arrow shot by an -Indian, to set fire to the haystack. The Indian could not have known -that I was lying in the hay but thought that by firing it he would draw -me out of the dugout and in the light of the fire would get a good shot -at me. - -I knew it would be folly to try to extinguish the blaze that at once -sprang up. I jumped up, gathering blankets and buffalo robes in my -arms, to run across to the dugout, and as I rose and showed up against -the blaze I heard the crack of a rifle, and felt the shock of a bullet -in the bundle in my arms. I was not hurt and dashed for the cabin door, -and as I entered on a run I heard the report of another rifle from up -the ravine and the spat of the bullet on the door-frame. The hay was -now burning briskly, but I felt no anxiety for our horses in the stable -almost under the fire, for the thick dirt roof protected them. - -I closed and barred the door and then scrambled through the tunnel up -into the tent and looked out through a port-hole which gave a good -view for fifty yards up and down the valley. - -I caught a glimpse of the Indian who had fired the hay as he looked -out from behind a projecting bank, but could not see enough of him to -justify shooting in the uncertain light. Of the Indian who had come -near hitting me as I entered the cabin, I could see nothing. As I -turned to look again at the first Indian I saw him stealthily move out -from his concealment, crouching down, apparently peering at the cabin -door. Pushing the muzzle of my carbine through the port-hole in front -of me, I took as careful aim at him as I could and fired. I saw that -I had hit him, for he dropped his rifle, fell, and rolled into the -water but quickly scrambled back to his hiding-place and did not again -show himself; but the flash of my rifle had been seen by my watchful -neighbor up the ravine, who an instant later sent a bullet through the -top of the tent over my head. - -Presently the hay burned out and only the faint light of the moon -showed the indistinct objects to me. Still I could see well enough up -and down the ravine so that neither Indian could approach the door of -the dugout without being seen. I had been standing on a bale of skins, -which enabled me to look out of the port-hole, but now got down and -cut another port-hole near the bottom of the tent, so that while lying -protected by the bales I could watch for the flash of my neighbor's -gun when next he fired. I could not see that the other Indian had -attempted to recover his rifle and was disposed to think that my first -shot had perhaps made him no longer dangerous. - -While still lying among the bales of fur, looking out of the new -port-hole I had cut, my neighbor up the gulch sent another bullet -through the tent, above me, that would have hit me if I had remained in -my former position. - -I fired at the flash of his gun, but could not tell whether I had done -him any harm. At all events, he seemed discouraged, for no more shots -came from either Indian. - -The hole I had cut near the bottom of the tent was on the east side, -facing the stable door. The two doors of the tent were on the north and -south sides. These I untied and propped a little open so that I could -look out either way occasionally; I saw no further signs of activity of -the enemy, and toward morning, as the air grew cold, I cut the thongs -that bound a bale of buffalo robes and made a fairly comfortable bed, -whence I could keep a sharp lookout. - -It was a long, dreary, wretched night of anxiety. The soldiers did not -come, and without them I could see no hope of escape for my comrades or -myself. - -As everything seemed so quiet in my vicinity I slipped down into the -dugout, through the tunnel, and brought up some more cartridges and -some food and cold coffee. - -On looking out of my port-hole again I noticed with a hopeless feeling -that daylight was fast coming and as yet no sign or sound of the -hoped-for rescuers. - -Suddenly I detected the sound of tramping horses' feet, and springing -to my feet to get a better view out of the tent door, I looked in the -direction from which the sounds came and could see indistinctly a party -of mounted men, on the trot, skirting along the foot of the bluffs just -southeast of camp, as though intending to pass it from the direction of -To hausen's village. - -"Could they be a reinforcement of Kiowas going to join Satank's party?" -I asked myself. "No, they were keeping too well closed up for Indians. -It must be Captain Saunders' company, and they have somehow missed the -trail that would have taken them to the besieged wagon. But why don't -they come here, instead of going by on the trot?" - -While putting these puzzling questions to myself I was standing with -the folds of the tent door slightly parted, peeping out stealthily, -lest the bullet of my lurking foe might find me. When the party of -mounted men were nearly opposite our tent I noticed one from the head -of the column branch off and strike a gallop in my direction, and a -moment later the welcome voice of Wild Bill called out: - -"Halloo, Peck, are you still a-kicking?" - -Answering him with an affirmative shout, I stepped out, forgetting -for the moment the Indian who was watching for a shot at me. He failed -to take advantage of the opportunity, for he saw that he was trapped -and made a dash up out of the ravine and ran for the nearest point of -bushes just back of our burned haystack. - -I called to Bill, who was on the same side of the ravine as the fleeing -Kiowa: - -"Head him off, Bill! Kill him! Kill him!" - -The scout instantly turned his horse and dashed after the Indian, -who, seeing that he could not reach the brush before being overtaken, -halted, turned, took deliberate aim at the oncoming horseman, and fired. - -Down went horse and rider in a heap. The Kiowa dropped his rifle, drew -his knife, and started forward to finish his fallen foe. As Bill was -now between me and the Indian I was afraid to fire for fear of hitting -my friend, who, I saw, was struggling to free himself from his dead -horse. I ran across the ravine to where I thought I could help Bill, -and before I reached the top of the bank on the other side I heard a -shot and then Bill's war-whoop. - -When I got in sight of them again Bill was still lying down, one foot -under his dead horse, and the Kiowa was lying a few feet from him. - -I rushed to him and helped to free him from his horse. On getting on -his feet he assured me that he was not hurt, and then, looking toward -the Kiowa and noticing that his enemy was not yet dead, with an -exultant war-whoop Bill whipped out his knife, sprang to his dying foe, -anxious to scalp him. - -I had been so absorbed in this affair that I had not noticed that -Captain Saunders with his troopers had turned out of his course and now -came galloping up to us; seeing which Bill called out impatiently to -the captain, waving him back: - -"Don't stop here, Cap! There's only one Injun here, and I've fixed him! -We're losing time, and we've lost too much already. I'm afraid them -Kiowas out yonder'll get away from us yet. Shove your men along out -that way lively." - -And then suddenly stopping to listen to a rattle of firearms out toward -the wagon, he exclaimed: - -"There, do you hear that? Your lieutenant's opening the ball out there -right now and them Kiowas'll be coming a-tearing this way in a few -minutes. String your men out so's to catch them. I'll overtake you." - -"But what will you do for a horse?" asked Saunders as he gave command -for moving: - -"I'll borrow Peck's black horse." - -Saunders immediately put his men on the gallop toward the wagon on the -prairie. - -Taking Bill's hint of a remount, I rushed to the stable and got Prince -out, while he was getting his saddle and bridle off his dead horse; and -while hurriedly saddling the black horse Bill was giving me a brief -account of how they came to be here at our camp instead of at the wagon. - -"Found come through to Fort Larned on time, all right," he said, "and -wanted to come back with me, but I locked him in my room. It took an -everlasting time for Saunders to get his company ready to move. Well, -after we started, I concluded that the Kiowas would hear us a-coming -and get away, unless we could get around in their rear. So I got the -captain to divide his men, leaving twenty, under Lieutenant Wilson, to -lay around over about Ash Creek hollow until nigh daylight, and then -to move up onto the Injuns around the wagon and start them this way, -while with the other thirty men we got around on this side of them. -We've been riding like the devil, but it was a long ways to go to get -around here, and Lieutenant Wilson was to make the attack on his side -at daylight, anyway, and he's a-doing it all right." - -By this time we had Prince saddled, and, springing onto him, as he -galloped after Saunders's party Bill called back to me: - -"Keep a sharp lookout, Peck, till we get back here, for there may be -some skulkers laying for you in the timber 'round here." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -CAPTAIN SAUNDERS' FIGHT - - -Glancing around as Bill galloped away, I plainly saw, in the bushes at -the edge of the timber back of our burnt haystack, two Indian ponies -tied to some bushes, with saddles and bridles on. They were the mounts -of the two Kiowas who had entertained me throughout the night and one -of whom Bill had just killed. - -The other fellow, who set fire to the haystack, I supposed had made -good his escape. - -And, as I thought this, I naturally turned to look at the spot from -where he had fired the burning arrow. - -"I'm sure I hit him when I shot at him out of the tent," I said to -myself. "I wonder if I hurt him much? I'll just step down there and see -if there is any blood on the ground." - -As I approached the spot I saw something like the end of a dirty -blanket showing from behind the jutting bank where he had been -concealed, and, fearing that the Indian, wounded, might be lying there -waiting to shoot me, I cocked my rifle and crept cautiously around -to where I could see behind the projecting bank; and there lay the -Indian, sure enough, but without sign of life. On a nearer approach I -found he was dead and cold--probably having bled to death soon after I -had shot him. - -On turning the body over to get a good look at his face, I was -somewhat astonished to recognize the features of old Broken Nose, the -medicine-man from To hausen's camp. - -Leaving the body where it was, I hurried back to the tent to climb up -on the derrick with the field-glass, anxious to see what I could of the -fight between the Kiowas and soldiers out on the prairie. There was not -much to see. - -Saunders' party had been delayed too long in making the detour to get -in the rear of the enemy. Lieutenant Wilson had made his attack at -daylight, according to orders, and the Indians, abandoning their siege -of the wagon, were retreating to the nearest point of the Walnut Creek -timber. - -From my stand I could see Saunders' party trying to cut off the fleeing -Indians from the timber, but they seemed to succeed in intercepting -only a few of the hindmost ones. Saunders, Wild Bill, and party went on -in pursuit of the fleeing Kiowas until they passed out of sight behind -a point of timber. - -Turning my glass toward the wagon, I could see a party of soldiers -gathered around it. Soon the wagon started moving toward our camp, -accompanied by the mounted men. The soldiers must have recaptured the -mules and harness. - -As the wagon party came down the grade from the upland at a brisk trot, -it occurred to me that they would all be as hungry as coyotes, and, -rushing down into the dugout, I began doing what I could to prepare -something for them to eat. - -Lieutenant Wilson came galloping on ahead to tell me the results of the -fight at his end of the line, not knowing that I had witnessed nearly -all of it through the glass. Jack and Tom, he said, were both wounded, -but not seriously. They had killed three Kiowas and two ponies before -the soldiers arrived, and the latter had killed five more Indians and -captured several ponies in the attack at daylight. - -I told the lieutenant what arrangement I had planned for feeding his -men--which he said would be satisfactory--and also that we had grain -enough to give his horses a feed but no hay. - -As the wagon came up I rushed to it to congratulate my comrades on -their escape and to ascertain the extent of their injuries. - -"Only a few scratches," said Jack indifferently, in spite of his pale -looks, as he climbed out of the wagon with his left arm in a sling. "I -got an arrow through me arm, but Tom is worse hurted--a bullet through -his thigh but no bones broke. Have you anything to eat?" - -I helped Tom out and supported him on one side as he hobbled down to -the dugout. Meantime, the lieutenant and his troopers were taking care -of their horses, after which some of them unharnessed the mules for us -while others started a fire and began to cook their breakfast. - -As I entered the dugout with Tom, I noticed my blankets lying on the -floor, where I had dropped them on my hurried entry the night before, -and after helping the old man to a seat I gathered up the bedding to -make him a pallet. In doing this the bullet that old Broken Nose had -fired into the bundle dropped to the floor. - -"There, Tom," I said as I picked it up and handed it to him, "is a last -token from your old friend, Broken Nose." - -"What? Has the old rascal been here? Why didn't you kill him?" he asked -eagerly. - -"I did. He's lying down the ravine yonder, a little way. He and another -had me corralled here all night, but I got Broken Nose and Wild Bill -got the other." - -While I cooked breakfast I told them all about my little affair of the -past night. - -"While the coffee's a-boiling, lieutenant," said Jack after I had -finished, "come on and we'll go and take a look at the dead Injuns. I -want to make sure that they're good and dead." - -As they started out I called to them: - -"While you're at it, go over to the brush yonder, behind the burnt -haystack, and bring in the two Indians' ponies. I haven't had time to -gather them in yet." - -In a little while they returned, bringing the horses and tying them to -the wagon. - -"You and Bill sure did a good job on them two," said Jack as he and -Wilson re-entered the cabin. "I'm only sorry I didn't have the pleasure -of doing the business for old Broken Nose myself, for I was owing him -that." - -We had just finished eating our breakfast when one of the soldiers -called out: - -"Here comes Wild Bill riding like the devil was after him! Wonder -what's up?" - -Looking in the direction that Saunders's party had gone, we saw the -scout coming back alone, riding rapidly. - -When he reached us he said that Captain Saunders and two of his men -were wounded, one horse killed and several wounded. One soldier was -thought to be fatally hurt; and Bill had come for our team and wagon to -haul them to our camp, as the two soldiers were unable to sit on their -horses. - -We were soon busy hitching up the mules while Bill gave us the -particulars of their fight. It appeared that in chasing the fleeing -Kiowas, Bill, accompanied by several soldiers, had become separated -from Saunders and the main party, and the scout, not being at hand to -guide the captain, the latter in his eager pursuit of the enemy had -made the mistake of closely following the Indians into the timber, -which blunder they had anticipated and had ambushed the soldiers. - -"I thought Cap. knew better than that," said Bill, "but it was partly -my fault. I knew he'd never fought Injuns before, and I ought to have -stayed with him and stopped him short of the brush." - -In spite of his crippled condition, old Tom came hobbling out of the -dugout, with his little medicine-chest and a bundle of rags under his -arm for bandages, and insisted on going with the team to do what he -could for the wounded. - -Jack's wounded arm prevented him from handling the team, so we left -him in camp and I went along to drive the mules. Lieutenant Wilson had -received orders to remain at our camp with his detachment until further -orders. - -After being helped into the wagon, Tom's foresight prompted him to call -to me: - -"Peck, throw in some bedding and get some grub--sugar, coffee, -hardtack, and meat--to take along, and a camp kettle and frying-pan and -a few tin cups." - -I remembered the bale of buffalo robes I had cut open in the tent -the night before for my own comfort and, calling one of the soldiers -to help me, brought them out and tumbled them into the wagon, with -the desired rations and utensils. I then took the lines and whip and -started at a trot, guided by Wild Bill riding alongside. - -As we trotted along I asked the scout: - -"How many Kiowas did you and Saunders' party kill?" - -"The returns are not all in yet," replied Bill, "but I think we got -seven or eight. I got three of them for my share. That was all I could -catch before they got into the timber; and, of course, when they got to -the brush I had to give up the chase and let them go." - -"It's most too good a thing to hope that old Satank'll be found among -the killed," said Tom. - -"No, I'm afraid we'll not find him among them," replied Bill -regretfully, "for I reckon his luck has saved him again, unless he may -be among them that were killed out near the wagon. If I can get time -I'll ride around over the prairie and take a good look at all of them, -and the old rascal may be found among them; but I'll be surprised if he -is, for he has wonderful luck in getting out of tight places." - -"Don't you think, Bill," I asked, "that this was rather a badly managed -expedition of old Satank's, considering that he has the reputation of -being such a successful raider?" - -"Yes, he's made a bad mess of it this time, sure, and a few more such -failures'll cause his followers to choose another leader. I think he's -losing his grip on the war-path, and we'll soon see Satanta or Big -Tree coming to the front as leader of the hostile Kiowas. When what's -left of these fellows get back to their big village and count noses, -there'll be such a howl against old Satank that I don't believe he'll -ever be able to get much of a following again. You mark what I tell -you, Satanta or Big Tree is going to be the war chief of the Kiowas -hereafter." - -We found Captain Saunders and his men about two miles above our -camp, dismounted in the edge of the timber near the old Indian camp, -anxiously awaiting our arrival. Saunders himself had his head roughly -bandaged with an old handkerchief because of a glancing arrow wound -above his right ear, which had bled profusely over his face and clothes -but was not serious. His horse had received a bullet in the shoulder -which lamed him badly. - -Supposing from Saunders' appearance that he was badly hurt, Tom was -going to him to dress his wounds when the captain said: - -"Never mind me, Mr. Vance; I'm not hurt much; but if you can help poor -Dolan there, lying behind that tree, do what you can for him. He is -badly hurt--spitting blood and growing weaker--" talking as he led the -way to where the wounded man lay. "An arrow went through his breast and -lodged in the neck of a horse a couple of rods behind him. I had no -idea they could shoot those arrows so viciously." - -On examining Dolan's wound, Tom's experience told him that the man was -past any help that he could render, for the arrow had gone through the -lung, and an inward hemorrhage seemed to be slowly sapping his life. -Dressing the wound and giving the man a stimulant, Tom and the captain -consulted together for a moment and then informed the patient that, -though his case was quite serious, it was not altogether hopeless and -that his only chance was to be hurried back to Fort Larned, where the -post surgeon could give him proper attention. - -The other man who had been reported wounded had a broken arm. Tom -splinted and bandaged it, and the two were soon made comparatively -comfortable among the buffalo robes in the wagon. Several others had -received slight wounds but were "able for duty." - -While this had been going on, Saunders' men had gotten out the grub and -utensils, fried some meat and made some coffee and now called us up -to eat. This was the first intimation to Saunders that there was such -a luxury as food in the outfit, and as he sniffed the pleasant aroma -of the boiling coffee he turned to Tom and me and thanked us for our -thoughtfulness. - -"Captain," said Tom after we had eaten, "it's time that team was on the -way to Fort Larned. What are your plans for getting these men there? If -I can help you in any way, I'm at your service." - -"Thanks," replied Saunders. "My plan is to send a half dozen men along -with the wagon as an escort and some responsible man in charge. I will -then move down to your camp and, taking Wilson and party from there, -move on down to To hausen's village and try to find out whether his -people have been harboring these hostiles; and then to-morrow we'll all -move into the fort. I will send a requisition in by the team to bring -out some grain for the horses to-morrow and any other supplies that we -may need. It will be best that we stay and see you all safely into Fort -Larned." Then turning to Wild Bill, he asked: "Do you think, Bill, that -six men will be a sufficient escort to go with the wagon and wounded -men--do you think there is any danger of their meeting hostile Kiowas?" - -"None but dead ones," replied Bill. "The team can go through all right -now." - -"Well," said Saunders, "I had thought of asking Mr. Vance or Mr. Peck -to take charge of the wounded men and see them through." - -"Tom'll be the man for that," suggested Bill, "for the wounded men may -need some help on the way." - -"Well, that's settled," said Tom impatiently, as he started for the -wagon without waiting for the captain's decision. "Captain, please -detail the escort and start them on after me; they can soon overtake -us." And, climbing into the wagon, he took up the whip and lines and -started. - -The captain quickly mounted the escort and hurried them after the -wagon; and then he himself mounted the horse of one of the wounded men -and we set out for our camp, I riding one of the Kiowa ponies captured -in the fight. - -The horses were a rather scrawny-looking lot, as the Indian ponies -generally are at this season of the year--the result of starvation -through the winter--but, no doubt, there was in them good mettle that -would show itself as soon as the grass came; for the Indian warrior -always selects his fleetest and toughest horse to ride when going on -the war-path. - -Arrived at the camp, Captain Saunders had his men unsaddle and water -their horses and picket them out for an hour's rest before starting -down to To hausen's village. - -Some of Lieutenant Wilson's men had killed several antelope and had -cooked up a great lot of the meat, anticipating that Saunders' men -would come in hungry, as they did. Saunders, Wilson, Bill, and I -adjourned to the dugout to eat the meal Jack had prepared for us. - -While we were eating I told Captain Saunders something of my experience -of the previous night and exhibited the bullet that old Broken Nose had -fired into the bundle of blankets in my arms. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -WE PART FROM FRIENDS - - -The captain's party returned from To hausen's village about sunset. -He said that he had had an amicable and satisfactory talk with the -old chief and his followers, all of whom reiterated their former -professions of friendship for the whites and declared that they would -have no intercourse with the hostiles. - -"We've got to take that," said Wild Bill, who had been interpreter at -the talk, "with a grain of salt, for while I was there I found out, by -pumping some of their youngsters and women, that they were pretty well -posted about the whole affair up to the time that Lieutenant Wilson put -in an appearance and stampeded them this morning, which goes to show -that a few of To hausen's bucks were with Satank up to that time; and -in the stampede these fellows must have skedaddled back to To hausen's -camp and told about the fight as far as they had been in it. But they -didn't seem to know about our part of the fight up the creek nor about -old Broken Nose and this other Indian getting their medicine here. I -told them about that part of it. And, to make it appear like old Nosey -had gotten just what was coming to him, I told them that the man who -got away with him was the same one that old Nosey had tried to burn up -when he set fire to the grass out in the bottom that day." - -"Good for you, Bill!" exclaimed Jack. "I don't want to rob Peck of the -credit, but it's better to let his people think that I evened up with -the old rascal at last." - -After supper, as night settled down, the cold wind reminded us of -another difficulty that few of us had yet thought of. What were we to -do for bedding for the soldiers who had come away from the garrison in -a hurry without any thought of being out overnight? - -About tattoo the rattling of a wagon was heard out on the trail toward -Fort Larned. It seemed impossible that Tom could be coming back from -the fort so soon with our mule team, but a wagon was approaching from -that direction. - -We were all out upon the bank looking and listening and speculating as -to who the coming parties could be when we heard the sentry on that -side of the grounds challenge: "Halt! Who comes there?" And then, -apparently assuming the right to pass upon the credentials of the -newcomers without the regulation formality of calling for the sergeant -of the guard, the sentry admitted two mounted men, who came cantering -up to the camp-fire. - -The arrivals were two troopers who reported that a little way behind -them two six-mule teams were coming, escorted by a dozen cavalrymen -under charge of a sergeant. They had been sent out by the commanding -officer, at Tom's suggestion, as quickly as they could be hitched up -after our team with the wounded men had arrived at the fort. - -In a few minutes the teams and escort came up, admitted by the sentry. -We soon learned the results of Tom's trip. The badly wounded soldier, -Dolan, had died shortly after Tom's arrival at the post. On reaching -the fort Tom drove immediately to the adjutant's office and reported -to the commanding officer the result of the fight and the condition of -the wounded, and then hurried on to the hospital, followed by the major -and several other officers and soldiers, all eager to learn all the -particulars. - -By this time Tom's wounded leg had made him so lame that he realized -the impossibility of his returning to our camp with the supplies; and -our mule team, also, was not in condition to return immediately, so -he suggested to the major that a couple of six-mule teams be quickly -hitched up and started under escort for the camp with rations and feed -for Saunders' men and horses; and he very thoughtfully, also, advised -sending the blankets of Saunders' troopers, all of which was promptly -ordered. - -One team would have been ample to have taken the supplies to Saunders, -but Tom calculated that by sending two the second team, in the absence -of our own, could be used, in returning next day, to move our plunder -into the post. - -Captain Saunders could not say enough in praise of the old man's -forethought and unselfishness. "He is certainly a valuable man among -soldiers," he said, "for he always seems to know what to do and how to -do it." - -"Cap," interjected Wild Bill, "you will please bear in mind that I -suggested that Tom was the man to send on that trip." - -"So you did," admitted Saunders, "and you certainly knew your man." - -I had assigned the use of our tent to Captain Saunders' guard detail; -and by stuffing a bale of skins into the mouth of the tunnel under the -tripod, to stop the draught, and carrying the other bales outside, they -made for themselves very comfortable quarters. - -The other men made their beds on the open prairie, outside the tent, -with their saddles for pillows; and most of them turned in early, to -get out of the cold night wind and from weariness, while a few still -sat around the camp-fire talking over the events of the day. - -The officers and Wild Bill prepared to sleep with us in the cabin, and -after we had spread down our beds I spoke to Bill about the events of -the morning and the loss of his horse. - -"Yes," said he, "there ain't but one horse in the country that's as -good as my Charlie, and maybe a little better in some ways, and that's -your Black Prince; and I'm going to try to coax you boys to sell me -that horse because I've fell in love with him and I need him bad in my -business." - -"Why, Bill," said Jack, laughing heartily at the scout's guilelessness, -"you ain't no sort of a horse trader. When you want to buy a man's -horse you should run him down and make him out no account instead of -bragging on him." - -"If I was dealing with horse-jockeys I might do that way," returned -Bill, "but when I'm a-dealing with honest men who I know won't take any -advantage of me I like to deal on the square with them; and I tell you, -honest Injun, that Black Prince is about the best horse I ever threw a -leg over. I've heard that you boys have refused an offer of two hundred -and fifty dollars from some of the officers at the fort. Now, I'll tell -you what I'll do, I'll give you three hundred for him; and if that -ain't enough I'll give you more. I ain't got the money with me, but -when we get over to the fort I can get it from Weisselbaum. Now, what -do you say to that?" - -It was amusing to listen to the unsophisticated proposition of this -free-hearted, unselfish fellow. He did not take into consideration -that he had just rendered each of us a service of far greater value -than several such horses. He did not consider that we were in any way -indebted to him on account of his horse being killed in our service. -No; that was merely one of the misfortunes of war. - -But Tom, Jack, and I, although we had not said a word to each other -about it, had each mentally decided that we ought to present the black -horse to Wild Bill to make good his loss and to show our appreciation -of his manly response and priceless service in our hour of need. - -In reply to his question, "What do you say?" and an expressive look -from Jack, I said: - -"Not having consulted my partners about the matter, Bill, of course I -can't speak for them, but I think it's a safe guess that you'll get -the horse; and there is plenty of time in the future to settle on the -price." - -"Well, now, that's the way I like to hear you talk," said he with a -gratified smile. "When we get over to the fort, you and Jack can talk -it over with Tom and let me know the price you agree on, and I'll dig -up the money." - -The night passed quietly. As Bill had said, the hostiles had been too -badly whipped to think of returning to attack us. After breakfast next -morning the horses were saddled and the wagons packed; and marching out -on the Fort Larned trail, the company moved first in "column of fours," -followed by the two six-mule teams, and then came the "cavvy-yard," -driven by the men of the guard acting as "rear-guard." Bill, Jack, and -I rode at the head of the column with the company officers. - -As we reached the crest of the grade coming onto the upland, about two -miles from our recent camp, with the officers we turned out on the -side of the trail as the command marched by, to take a parting look -at Camp Coyotelope; and we noticed what appeared to be a number of -Indians--some mounted and some afoot--moving about in the vicinity of -the dugouts. - -"Some of To hausen's people," suggested Bill, "looking after the bodies -of old Nosey and his pard and gathering up the leavings about the old -camp. They'll take them two dead bucks back to their camp and bury -them." - -I had dismounted and taken out our field-glass to get a better view -of the Indians and verified the scout's surmise, for I could plainly -see a group gathered about the body of each of the two dead Indians, -apparently lifting them onto their ponies. - -"There, Peck," said Bill, noticing the field-glass I held, "is another -thing I'd like to buy or trade you out of, for I got mine broke -yesterday morning when my horse fell with me; and I need glasses, and -you're going back to Leavenworth where you can easy get another pair." -As he took the glass to examine it, he asked: "How much is it worth?" - -"It cost us twenty dollars in Leavenworth," I replied. "They are handy -things to have on the plains, but we won't need it much going back -to the settlements. I'll speak to Tom about it and I guess we'll let -you have it when we get ready to start on the home-stretch from Fort -Larned." - -"Well, it ought to be worth more out here than it cost you in -Leavenworth and I'll pay you whatever you think it's worth. Of course, -I ain't got the money now, for it's going to take all I can borrow, I -reckon, to pay you for this horse; but if you'll trust me till I come -in to Leavenworth, I'll pay you then--that is I'm supposing that you -fellows will hang up in Leavenworth for a while--anyway, till you blow -in your money." - -"Well, as to Tom and me," remarked Jack, "I believe each of us has -planned to take a trip East when we get in, but I think it'll be a -safe wager that you'll find Peck about Leavenworth, for there's a -curly-headed girl there that he talks about in his sleep." - -"Well, that do settle it," said Bill with a chuckle and a wink at Jack. - -As we passed over the recent battle-field, we rode around and looked at -the bodies of all the dead Kiowas, hoping though hardly expecting to -find Satank, but were disappointed--the murderous old fiend had escaped -again. These bodies were all considerably torn by the wolves, but their -features were still in good enough condition to have enabled us to -identify him had he been among the fallen. An inscrutable Providence -permitted this bloodthirsty demon to roam the plains for several years -longer. - -As we neared the post, several officers and soldiers came out to meet -us, anxious to hear all about the fight. The cavvy-yard of captured -ponies, with their Indian saddles and bridles, together with other -trophies of the fight carried by Saunders' men, attracted much -attention. Saunders' men seemed much elated over the fact that this, -their first engagement with the Indians, had been so successfully -planned and executed. - -As the captain with his company turned off to their stable, Bill, Jack, -and I, accompanied by the six-mule team carrying our plunder, moved on -through the garrison and established our camp about a half mile below, -in a snug bend of Pawnee Fork. - -After unloading our stuff from the wagon, we sent the team back to the -garrison and then set about pitching our tent and making ourselves -comfortable, for we expected to have to remain here several days, -partly on Tom's account and partly to wait for Kitchen's train, which -was coming in from New Mexico, by which we expected to ship our -wolfskins to Leavenworth, provided we did not sell them here. - -After getting everything in shape, leaving Jack to mind camp and cook -dinner, Bill and I returned to the post to call on Tom at the hospital, -to release Found, who was still locked in Bill's room, and to bring our -mule team back to camp. - -We found the old man still badly crippled from the wound in his thigh, -but the doctor thought he would be able to travel in a few days. - -The faithful dog was glad to see us and to be released. He was quite -hungry, for he had had nothing to eat since the feed I gave him in the -dugout before starting him with the message to Bill. - -As I was hitching up our mule team at Saunders' company stable, the -captain came by and insisted on my going with him to the commissary and -loading in some rations and feed which he had procured a requisition -for, to replace the supplies that his men and horses had consumed at -Camp Coyotelope. - -The work of settling up our business affairs and getting everything -ready for the return trip now devolved upon me, though I had the -benefit of consultation with Tom on all matters of importance. - -As already stated, our winter's catch of wolfskins numbered something -over three thousand. These were all dried and baled in one of -Weisselbaum's warerooms. About one fourth of these pelts were of the -large gray wolves, or "lobos," as the Mexicans call them, which, at -that time, were rated on the plains at one dollar and twenty-five cents -each. The other three fourths were coyotes, worth seventy-five cents -each. Besides these, there were several bales of the skins of the -little yellow fox, worth twenty-five cents each. At these figures, the -entire lot should bring us something over twenty-six hundred dollars. -On Tom's advice I offered the whole to Weisselbaum for twenty-five -hundred, but he seemed to think he could get them for less and held off. - -One day when negotiations had reached this stage, Kitchen's mule train -rolled in and camped near us. This brought business to a focus with -Weisselbaum and he immediately hurried down to our camp, accepted my -offer, and wrote me out a check on Clark & Gruber[E] (M. E. Clark & -E. H. Gruber), bankers of Leavenworth city, for twenty-five hundred -dollars. In addition to this, I drew from his safe the three hundred -and fifty dollars that we had deposited with him. - -It is a well-known fact that in the dry, pure atmosphere of the plains, -flesh wounds heal with astonishing rapidity. It may have been, in Tom's -case, that the satisfactory closing up of our business affairs had -something to do with it, but about this time Jack and I were astonished -as well as pleased to see Tom come limping into camp and report for -duty. - -Bill had sent word by Tom that he, Captain Saunders, and Lieutenant -Wilson were coming down to take supper with us, and just after retreat -all three rode into camp accompanied by Found. - -"Now, boys," said Bill as he dismounted and tied Black Prince to the -wagon, "you haven't told me yet how much you're going to tax me for -this horse, and if you'll let me know I'll go right up to Weisselbaum's -and get the greenbacks for you, for he said he'd let me have them." - -"We've talked the matter over, Bill," said Tom, speaking for our party, -"an' have concluded that, seeing as how you lost your best horse in our -service, and in consideration of the good service you've done us all -the way along, an' old-time friendship and so forth, that it'll be no -more'n right for us to make you a present of Black Prince, subject only -to the condition that if the rightful owner of the horse ever turns up -and claims him you'll then have to make terms with him; but that's a -very remote possibility." - -"Do you mean it, Tom? Is that so, boys?" asked the scout in confused -astonishment at such good luck as he looked around from one to another -of us. "Am I to have that fine horse without paying you a dollar?" - -"That's what! That's the job we've put up on you," we replied. - -"Well, now, boys--" stammered Bill in a diffident sort of way as he -seemed to be trying to study up a nice little speech of thanks. - -"Aw, give us a rest!" interrupted old Tom in his rough and good-humored -effort to help Bill out of his embarrassment. "The horse is yours, and -I don't want to hear anything more out of you about it." - -Knowing that Bill was an expert shot with rifle or pistol, it had -occurred to me, since he had expressed a desire to buy our field-glass, -to exact of him a sample of his marksmanship as his signature to a -promissory note for the price of the glass; and accordingly I had -selected the ace of diamonds from our old, much-soiled deck of cards -and had written across the face of it: - -[Illustration: - - $20. - On demand, after date, I promise to pay - to R. M. Peck the sum of Twenty Dollars, - ($20.), for value received. - - his - - Wild [diamond] Bill. - - mark. - - FORT LARNED, KAN. - Mar. 17, 1862.] - -"But, Bill," I put in after Tom had cut him off short about the horse, -"I ain't going to let you off so cheap on that field-glass deal. You'll -have to give me your note for the twenty dollars." - -"Well, I guess I can borrow that much from Cap Saunders or Mr. Wilson, -here, and pay you the cash," he replied. - -"No, I don't want the money--I want your note written on this card, -signed by a bullet shot by you through the centre of the ace at ten -paces." - -Saying which, I produced the card I had prepared and read the -inscription to him. - -"Now, I'll tack the card up on this tree here," I continued, "and you -are to stand with your back against the card, pistol in hand, step off -ten paces, 'bout face, and fire a bullet through the ace. And if you -don't knock the centre out it's no go--I'll have to write another note -on another ace and you'll have to try it again." - -"Huh! that's easy," said Bill with a grin of confidence. "You won't -have to waste any more of your cards." - -I knew he could do it, even at twenty paces, for I had seen him -perform such feats before. With the utmost indifference, he backed -up to the card on the tree, stepped off ten paces--good, long-legged -measure--made a graceful "officer's about face," instantly firing, -without apparently taking aim, as he came around facing the card; and -we could all see the hole in the centre of the bright-red ace. - -"By George, that's good shooting!" exclaimed Saunders in unfeigned -astonishment. "Can you do it again, Bill, or was that just an accident?" - -"I'll put another ball in the same hole for you," replied the scout -carelessly as he threw up his pistol and fired. - -Saunders' and Wilson's incredulity prompted them to step up to the tree -and examine the card closely. - -"Guess you must have missed the whole tree that time, Bill," said the -captain after scrutinizing the card and tree carefully. "The hole isn't -made any larger that I can see and I can't find any other hole in the -tree." - -"Of course not. I didn't want to spoil the card; but the second bullet -is in there, right on top of the first one, and I'll bet a horse on it. -Now, stand out of the way till I show you another trick. I'm going to -take off the right-hand point of the diamond this time." - -And at the crack of his pistol the right point disappeared--the last -hole just cutting into the edge of the first one. - -"Now, look out for the left-hand point." - -And the left point was gone--all the red being obliterated but a little -streak above and below the first hole. - -"There, Peck," he remarked regretfully as he began reloading his -pistol, "I had to pretty nigh spoil the card to show these fellows I -wasn't a-faking." - -"Don't that beat the devil?" remarked Wilson, looking from the target -to Bill and from Bill to the target in undisguised astonishment. - -"Well, I've heard of such phenomenal shooting," said Saunders, "but -never saw the like before and wouldn't have believed it possible if I -hadn't seen it. Ain't there some trick about it, Bill?" - -"Not as I know of--nothing but what you've seen. Now, if you think that -second shot missed the tree, Cap," remarked the scout as he took down -the card and passed it around for inspection, "take that axe, there, -and chop 'em all out, and if you don't find four navy balls in there -I'll eat the chips." - -Lieutenant Wilson seized the axe and soon cut out the four battered but -distinct bullets. - -"I'd give a good deal if I could shoot like that. How do you do it, -Bill?" asked the captain. - -"Dunno how I do it," replied the scout. "I always could put my bullets -about where I wanted to and can't tell how I do it, either. I don't -try very hard, but just throw her up and turn loose without taking -any particular aim, and somehow the ball goes right where I look. Of -course, I keep in good practice, and that helps some, I suppose." - -"Practice won't explain it, captain," said old Tom. "It's a gift--a -natural talent that some men find themselves possessed of. The same -as some men have the natural gift of writing a beautiful hand, and do -it with all ease, while others, with ever so much practice, can only -acquire moderate skill. Now, Peck, Jack, or me, by constant practice, -can do fairly well with a pistol or rifle; but we can't hold a candle -to Bill. The best we could probably do, on an average, at fifteen to -twenty paces, would be to put three to four bullets out of six in a -playing-card, which would be good shooting at a man, but Bill can -put every ball just where he wants 'em to go. I've seen him shoot at -a five-spot and put a ball in each spot just as somebody would call -them off to him, like this, 'Centre! upper right! upper left! lower -right! lower left!' putting the balls through the centre of each spot -as accurately as you could punch them with a nail and hammer. And he -can do nearly as well, too, mounted and on the run. But, come, men, -supper's getting cold." - -After supper, although his recently wounded arm was still somewhat -sore, Jack got out his fiddle and played several tunes, and we all -joined in singing songs. - -In course of conversation I had asked Captain Saunders what had become -of my former patron, Lieutenant Lang, not having seen him about the -garrison recently. - -"Oh, Lang's out and gone--resigned by special request. Went in on -the last Santa Fé mail-coach," replied the captain. "Although you -straightened up his company papers and saved him--or his rich daddy, -rather--from having to pay Uncle Sam a lot of money to square up -his accounts, still it was evident in many ways that he was totally -incompetent to manage a company, and he was given a hint from -headquarters that his resignation would be acceptable." - -Tom, Jack, and I had previously discussed the propriety of our making -a present of some kind to the two officers, in testimony of our -appreciation of their extremely prompt and timely response in the hour -of our extremity, and, as we had nothing else available or appropriate, -we had decided to abandon the plan of each having made a fine fur -overcoat out of some of our beaver and otter skins and to give to each -officer enough of the furs for that purpose. - -At late bedtime, when the officers and Bill were getting ready to start -back to the garrison, Tom brought out and gave to Saunders and Wilson -each a package of beaver skins, telling them of the overcoats we had -intended to make of them and suggesting that they use them for the same -purpose. We also gave each officer a couple of choice buffalo robes. - -"Now, men," said Saunders deprecatingly, "don't rob yourselves of these -furs to reward us for doing our simple duty. We don't expect anything -of the kind, are not entitled to any reward, and I don't think we ought -to accept them, and----" - -"But, Saunders," interrupted Lieutenant Wilson, "when you come to think -of the princely overcoats these beaver furs will make, it seems to me -there would be no harm in accepting them--not as pay for doing our -duty but just as tokens of friendship and good-will from these men." - -"Now you're getting it through you," said Tom approvingly. "That's the -idea--just a friendly gift." And before Saunders could enter another -remonstrance he added, as he gathered up an armful of the robes and -skins: "Come, Jack, bring the rest and we'll tie them on their horses -for them." - -As the three men mounted we bade them a cordial good-by and expressed -a hope to soon meet them again in Leavenworth. We each gave Found an -affectionate farewell hug, for we sincerely regretted parting with him. - -"You'd best keep Found tied up for a few days, Bill," suggested Jack as -they started off, "lest he should scent our trail and follow us. And -always take good care of him, for he's got more genuine nobility in him -than lots of the so-called men I've met with." - -"You bet Found'll never want for good treatment while I'm around," -answered Bill; and then, "Ta, ta, fellows, I'll see you in Leavenworth -before long," he called back as they rode away into the darkness. - -During this day Mr. Kitchen, the proprietor of the neighboring train, -had visited our camp and, after inspecting our wagon, team, and camp -outfit closely, had asked if it would be for sale when we got through -to Leavenworth. - -I answered: "Yes." - -"What will you take for it delivered to me there in as good condition -as it is now?" he asked, adding: "I shall be close on your heels going -in." - -After conferring with my partners we agreed to deliver the outfit in -good shape at Jim Brown's livery stable, Fourth and Shawnee Streets, -Leavenworth, for five hundred dollars. Kitchen readily agreed to take -it and paid us a hundred dollars down to clinch the bargain. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI - -BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY - - -We were a cheerful trio next morning as we started out of camp on the -home-stretch for "God's country," with Jack singing: "Ain't we glad to -get out of the wilderness!" - -I had brought my captured ponies along, thinking to use them for riding -stock going in and to realize something on them after we reached -Leavenworth, and for the first day tried them--Jack riding one and I -the other--but they were in such poor condition that by the time we -had reached Charley Rath's ranch, the first evening, I saw that they -were not going to be able to stand the travel on grass alone--and I had -been unable to teach them to eat grain--so I left them with Charley, -with a note to Wild Bill requesting him to dispose of them to the best -advantage for me, which he did, turning in the money to me a few weeks -later in Leavenworth. - -Our bales of peltries made a bulky but not heavy load, and our two -mules and two broncos hauled it with ease, and, though we were all -anxious now to reach the end of our journey, still we were under -contract to deliver the team to Mr. Kitchen in Leavenworth in good -condition and, therefore, must not overdrive. - -Of course each one of us was now doing some lively planning for the -future. - -"Well, taking all things into consideration," remarked Jack, the first -evening after we had got settled in camp, "though we're glad to get -out of the wilderness for a while, we've done pretty well this winter. -We've had lots of fun, some lively adventures, and we've made more -money than we had any idea of when we started into the business." - -"Yes," I replied, "we'll each have something over a thousand dollars in -clear cash for our winter's work, when we divide up, and that's more -money than I ever possessed before--how is it with you fellows?" - -"Same here," said Jack. - -"Me, too," said Tom. - -"Well," I continued, "I suppose each one of you is studying out how he -can quickest blow it in before re-enlisting?" - -"I don't know about that," replied old Tom. "I expect to re-enlist -after a bit, of course, for soldiering's the only trade I know and -I haven't really much use for the money, but I'll not squander it -foolishly. I've studied out a better use for it. I have a widowed -sister with several children living on a little farm back in -Pennsylvania, and they only make a poor, cornbread living off the -place by close economy. I've made up my mind that the best use I -can put this money to is to go back there and fix them up in good -shape--and then I'm off to the war." - -"Good for you, Tom," I said approvingly, "but then I naturally expected -that you would put your money to a sensible use. How is it with Jack?" - -And Tom and I turned our inquiring looks to the Irishman. - -"I know what you think," retorted he quickly. "You think you know -what'll get away with Jack's money. In your minds you see my money -going for whiskey and me never drawing a sober breath till I'm down -to bed-rock. But I'm going to fool you. I've been doing some thinking -for myself--and that's a rare thing for Jack, you know--an' I says to -myself, says I, 'Jacky, boy, this is the time of your life to do some -good for your poor kindred in ould Ireland.' I haven't heard from any -of them for several years and don't know who of them is living an' who -is dead. But I've made up my mind that when we get into Leavenworth -not a drop will I touch, and soon as I crook me fingers on that money -I'll hit the trail for New York, take passage for the ould dart, and -if I can find any of my family living I'll bring them back with me to -this glorious land of liberty, where one man's as good as another and a -blamed sight better if he behaves himself decently. And mind you, now, -I'm not going to touch a drop of liquor till I get back from the ould -country. And then, of course, I'll re-enlist, for soldiering's my best -hold." - -Before he was done speaking each of us had extended a hand to give him -a hearty hand shake of encouragement in his good resolution. - -"My boy," said old Tom, with tears in his eyes, as he took one of -Jack's hands in both his, "you don't know how glad it makes me to hear -you talk that way. If you'll only stick to it, I'd give the half of my -possessions to help you carry out that resolution." - -"Same here, Jack," I added. - -"Well, I'm going to show you that I can and will do it." - -After a little pause Tom inquired: - -"But now about yourself, Peck. What do you expect to do with yourself?" - -"Well, I've made up my mind that I'll not re-enlist," I replied. "I've -had soldiering enough, I think; but I suppose I'll have to enter -Uncle Sam's service in some shape or other. I noticed when we were in -Leavenworth before that the quartermaster's department at the fort is -fitting out a good many trains of new six-mule teams; and, as that is -something to my notion, I think I'll try for a job as wagon-master." - -When we reached Council Grove, then the gateway of the border -settlements, we felt as if we were really getting back into "God's -country." As we passed the place where we had had the controversy with -the jayhawkers, we stopped a little while to have a chat with the old -storekeeper and told him the disposition we had made of the black -horse. He had never heard of any owner of the horse and did not think -it probable that Wild Bill would ever be disturbed in his possession -of him. He had heard nothing more concerning the jayhawkers after they -were gobbled up by the soldiers and taken to the military prison at -Fort Leavenworth. - -When we reached Leavenworth City, we again put up at Ned Welch's -boarding-house, on Seneca Street, and our team at Jim Brown's stable. - -A few days later, on the arrival of Mr. Kitchen's train, we transferred -our team and camp outfit to him, as per agreement, divided up the cash -proceeds of our expedition, and the wolf hunters disbanded, promising -to keep track of each other in the future by correspondence. - -Then Jack and Tom started East, intending to travel together as far as -Pennsylvania. - -I parted with my dear comrades with sincere regret, fearing that in the -vicissitudes of the great war then getting under good headway, I might -never see them again. - -When next I heard from Jack he had re-enlisted and was back in the old -company again. In the war he did gallant service and received some -honorable scars, re-enlisted again after the war and in his last -enlistment took service in the Seventh Cavalry, and was one of the last -remnant of that doomed band who with their gallant leader met a heroic -death on that fatal knoll by the Little Big Horn River on Sunday, June -25, 1876. With few serious faults, and many virtues, our untutored, -wild Irishman was a brave, unselfish, and manly man. - -Tom carried out his plan of using his money for the benefit of his -widowed sister and her children on the little farm in Pennsylvania, saw -them comfortably fixed, and then went to Washington, where, through the -influence of army officers who had known him in the service he obtained -a commission as captain in a volunteer cavalry regiment, soon rose to -be colonel of the regiment, and at the close of the war was a brevet -brigadier-general, commanding a brigade. - -He had hoped when the war ended to obtain a commission in the regular -army, but his wounds so far disabled him as to unfit him for active -service in the regulars. He was, therefore, compelled to accept a -pension and retired to the little farm to try to content himself with -the dull life of citizen. - -After years of perilous adventures and desperate encounters on the -frontier, Wild Bill was finally assassinated in the city of Deadwood, -South Dakota, by a wretched gambler. - -And I? Well, of course, I married "the girl I left behind me" in -Leavenworth City, for which piece of wisdom--or good fortune--I have -always congratulated myself. After getting married I took service with -Uncle Sam as a wagon-master, in which capacity I served through the -Civil War, in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and the Indian Nation. - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[A] Afterward Fort Lyon, on the Arkansas River, and later abandoned. -The site is within a few miles of the present town of Lamar, Colorado. - -[B] James Butler Hickock, better known as Wild Bill, was a famous -character in Kansas and the West from 1860 to 1876. In 1861 he was -sometimes called "Indian Bill" or "Buckskin Bill," but the nickname -"Wild Bill" soon became so firmly fixed that few people knew his real -name. - -Wild Bill was the son of New England parents, born in Vermont, who -moved to New York immediately after their marriage, which occurred in -1829 or 1830. From New York they moved to Illinois, settling first in -Putnam County and later in La Salle County. Here, near the village of -Troy Grove, the son, James Butler, was born, on May 27, 1837. - -He went West when only a boy and for some time served as scout at -different military posts and afterward as marshal and sheriff in -various new towns in Kansas. He was a man of unflinching courage and -a natural shot with the pistol and had many extraordinary adventures, -in all of which he was successful. A remarkable incident told of him -was the killing of Jake McCandless and his gang of twelve men in a -hand-to-hand fight near Fort Hayes, Kansas. - -In 1873 or 1874, with William F. Cody and John Omohundro and a number -of Pawnee Indians, he appeared for a short time on the stage in one of -Ned Buntline's dramas of the plains, but his career as an actor was -brief. - -In March, 1876, Wild Bill was married to Mrs. Agnes Thatcher Lake -and that summer went to the Black Hills, where he prospected. Here, -in Deadwood, South Dakota, August 2, 1876, he was murdered, while -playing cards, by Jack McCall, who walked up behind him and shot him -in the back of the head. McCall was tried at Deadwood and acquitted. -Subsequently he was rearrested by Colonel N. J. O'Brien, then sheriff -of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and was taken to Dakota, tried, convicted, and -executed during February, 1877. - -Wild Bill was in no sense a desperado. He was a mild-mannered, pleasant -man who avoided trouble when it was possible, but when trouble came he -met it with a strong heart. - -[C] Tom Carney, wholesale groceryman of Leavenworth City, was, a year -or two later, elected governor of Kansas. - -[D] There were no metallic cartridge shells in use in those days, the -cartridges for Sharp's rifles and all firearms being put up in paper. -The Sharp's rifle carbine, which was one of the earliest breech-loaders -brought into use on the frontier, had been adopted by the government -for the cavalry service and was also a favorite buffalo gun among -frontiersmen generally. Their extreme effective range was eight hundred -yards, the longest-range guns then in use on the plains. The Colt's -navy pistols we used then would shoot with the force and accuracy of a -rifle for about three hundred yards. I remember seeing a sergeant in -the Second Dragoons kill an antelope one day with a Colt's navy (taking -a dead rest) at a distance of three hundred paces. The regulation -"pace" is thirty inches. - -[E] This firm about this time minted private gold coins known as Pike's -Peak coins. - - - - -TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: - - Italicized words are surrounded with underscores: _italics_ - - Obvious spelling and punctuation errors have been standardized. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wolf Hunters, by Robert M. Peck - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOLF HUNTERS *** - -***** This file should be named 55720-8.txt or 55720-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/5/7/2/55720/ - -Produced by David E. 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