The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1890-09-06

wagon Train as nelO QudTIeTudSteI. IL
putting premium on being young and
cheeky - besides absenteeism," he con-
tinues, growing blacker every minute.
"Well, captain, answers his adjutant,
injudiciously, II think you don't give
Hayne credit for coming back on the
jump the moment we were ordered out.
1t was no fault of his he could not reach
us. He took chances wouldn't take"
"Oh, yes! you kids all swear by Hayne
because he's good fellow and sings a
jolly song and plays the piano-and
poker. One of these days he'll swamp
you all, sure as shooting. He's in debt
now, and it'll fetch him before you know
it. What he needs is to be under a cap
tain who could discipline him little.
By Jove, I'd do ity' And Rayner's teeth
emphasize the assertion.
The young adjutapt thinks it advisable
to say nothing that may provoke further
vehemence. All the same, he remem-
bers Rayner's bitterness of manner, and
has abundant cause to.
When the next morning breaks, chill
and pallid, change has come in the as
of the dawn the red light of a light
draught river boat startled the outlying
pickets down stream, and the Far West,
answering the muffled hail from shore,
responded, through the medium of a
mates stentorian tones, "News that'n
rout you fellows out" The sun is hardly
peeping over the jagged outline of the
eastern hills when, with Rayner's entire
battalion aboard, she is steaming again
down stream, with orders to land at the
mouth of the Sweet Root. There the four
companies will disembark in readiness
to join the rest of the regiment.
All day long again the wagon train
twists and wriggles through an ashen
section of Les Mauvaises Terres. 1t is
a tedious, trying march for Hull's little
command of troopers-all that is now
left to guard the train. The captain is
constantly out on the exposed flank,
eagerly scanning the rough country to
the south, and expectant any moment OF
an attack from that direction. He and
his men, as we'll as the horses. mules and
teamsters, are fairly tired out when at
nightfall they park the wagons in a big
semicircle, with the broad river forming
a shining chord to the arc of white can
vas. Ali the live stock are safely herded
within the Enclosure; few reliable SOL
diers are posted well out to the south
and east to guard against surprise, and
the veteran Sergt. Clancy is put in COM
mand of the sentries. The captain gives
strict injunctions as to the Importance
of these duties, for he is far from easy
in his mind over the situation. The
Rifiers, he knows, are over in the valley
of the Sweet Root. The steamer with
Rayner's men is tied up at the bank
some five miles below, around the bend.
The -th are far off to the northward
across the Elk, as ordered, and must be
expecting on the morrow to make for
the old Indian ferry" opposite Battle
Butte. The main body Of the Sioux are
reported farther down stream, but he
feels it in his bones that there are num-
bers of them within signal, and he
wishes with all his heart the til were
here. Still, the general was sure he
would stir up war parties ON the other
shore. Individually, he has had very
little luck in scouting during the sum-
mer, and he cannot help wishing he
were with the rest of the crowd instead
of here, train guarding.
Presently Alr. Hayne appears, elastic
and debonair as though he had not been
working like horse all day. His voice
sounds SO full of cheer and life that Hull
looks up smilingly.
"Well, youngster, you seem to love
this frontier life."
every bit of it, captain. I was cut
out for the army, as father thought"
"We used to talk it over a good deal
in the old days when I was stationed
around Washington" answers Hull.
"4our father was the warmest friend I !
had in civil circles, and he made it very
for me. How little we thought
it would be my luck to have you for
quartermaster!'
1.-The fellows seemed struck all of a |
heap in the Riflers at the idea of your ap-
plying for me, captain. was ready to |
swear it was all on fathers account, and |
would have told them so only Rayner
happened to be the first man to tackle |
me on the subject, and he was SO crusty |
about it kept the whole thing to myself
rather than give him any satisfaction"
Larry, my boy, I'm no preacher, but
| want to be the friend to you YOUR
father was to me. You are full of en-
thusiasm and life and spirits, and you
love the army ways and have made
yourself very popular with the young
sters, but I'm afraid you are too careless
and independent where the seniors are
concerned. Rayner is a good soldier,
and you show him very scant respect,
I'm told" po0''
"Well, he's such an interfering fellow