Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-11-10
pIoK sAvEn rAr ooMPAMY.
a Dog Proved OF fnestimablo value Ia
Great Emergency


Great Emergency.
All this story was being told Of Dick
the company dog, way back in thai
summer Of 90, out in Indian territory
He camo from the east with us
joined in Jersey City. How did he come
70 join? Wen, to be honest, we were
waiting on the platform for the train tc
baos, in, and when the handsome dog
camo up and made friends, soldier-lile,
we just smuggled him on board. Our
company was ordered to march to the
next fort and bring down supply
train. Steam? Not mnchl Six-mule
wagons So one morning off we started,
Dick with us as usual,
''To make long story short, the next
afternoon found us surrounded by 400
or 800 Indians, our wagon animals
killed, and we unable to move, in
trenched as best we might, with our
wounded as comfortable as we could
make them in the center of our circle.
Safe? OF course we were-that is, some
of us got hurt OF course. but they
couldn't break our circle. And no moro
could we move. There we were out on
wide prairie, only few drops Of
water ia our canteens, and cut from
any way Of getting moro. That made
IL question Of moving and getting
killed, staying still and dying OF thirst
or getting aid from the fort. Night
came and volunteers for water tried to
steal through the Indian lines. Get
through? No, sir. Those plains Indians
knew Just the kind of box they had
as In, and no man. white or red. could
have got past them. Every man that
made the trial came running back for
his life.
Next day ii was worse-hotter than
overland what little water there was
was kept for the wounded. And the
meanest part OF it was to look at the
reds, some on horseback, some on the
ground stretched out enjoying them
selves out ofrange, and all of them free
to ride over to the stream whose cotton
wood-covered banks were in plain sight
few miles away.
Might came again and heard some
body whistle; then Dick was called
softly After bit every man got
orders not to let Dick inside the lines
A message to the fort for aid had been
rolled up in piece Of rubber blanket
and tied around his mock. Our only
hope was that he would start off for
the fort and carry it, and that someone
would unite the roll and read the mes
mage.
Every now and then Dick would try
TO come up to where lay in the circle.
But it was only TO be met with clods
Of earth that drove him of to try to
find some friend who would welcome
him as of old.
But every mans hand was against
Dick that night and after long time
word was passed around that Dick was
gone. Nobody could see him at all
events. But we had TO wait for day
lightto make sure the poor old boy was
not lying down little way from us,
waiting for the dawn and the recogni-
ton we had never failed in giving him
before.
Daylight came at last. Then every
eye was strained to find Dick. But he
was not there And after the field
glasses had searched In vain for him
there rose a cheer on the morning air
that brought the Indians to their feet.
anxiously scanning the horizon all
around for the cause
''Well, that little dog made his way
10 the fort over the dark prairies and
tho streams, until just after
taybreak, about the time we were
'heering him back there in the camp,
ne trotted up to the stable guard Mt one
IF the cavalry company's stable tired
)ut.
We'll, it wasn't long after that that
We saw our relief coming And they |
brought Dick with them How we did |
pet himl But often wondered what |
,he little fellow thought that night |
lfter we had driven him off, as he
rotted along through the dark to the
ort Pittsburgh Dispatch.