The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-06-12

knew" said the colonel.
"Oh, colonel, this isn't any thing. and
she'd be proud OF me anyhow" said
Jeoffrys with smile, you know how
mothers are, sir. Good-by, sir"
"Good-by," said the colonel, holding
out his hand.
And Jeoffrys rode out silently into the
moonless night.
lie pushed on steadily, through des-
erts, through the narrow belts of wood
that edged the water courses, across the
almost stagnant streams. When dawn
began to break he dsmounted and led
his horse into a tangle of brush, on the
bank Of little creek. lie loosened the
girths, watered the horse, and select
ing a small, partially open spot in the
Jungle, settled down to spend the day.
He drowsed along until nearly noon,
when suddenly, something-not noise,
he was sure there was none, but a sense
of approaching danger-brought him TO
his feet, and he saw through the leaves
six Indians coming straight toward
him. They were about 500 yards away.
He whispered "down" to his horse, and
owing to the perfect training of our
cavalry horses, down the creature went.
Jeoffrys crouched beside him, a pistol
In each hand. The brush was so thick
near the ground that he could not see,
but he could hear the Indians as they
came nearer.
After what seemed an interminable
length OF time, they were close beside
his hiding place. He decided not to
fire until they were upon him--and they
passed by! For a moment everything
whirled before his eyes, and then the
temptation to shoot came on him. 1t
was SO strong that he had to lay down
his pistols and clnch his hands until
the nails cut the flesh.
lie kept his horse down nearly all day,
ara started out again as soon as it was
/ dark. At dawn he tied his horse and
climbed tree to take a survey of the
country, and what should he see, not
lhree miles off, but the Seventeenth,
baggage train and all
They had been concealed from him
when he was on the ground by slight
elevation. lie scrambled down the tree,
mounted, and started toward the com
mand, shouting in a rush Of exuberance
of spirits AS he went down the other
side OF the elevation he came face to
face with three Indians who had been
hiding under bushes, watching the
! troops.
II Jeoffrys had been boy up to that
minute, it all died in him then. 1t did
not occur to him to value his life for
personal reasons-all he wanted was to
accomplish what he had started out to
do before he was killed.
When the troops came up--for the
firing attracted them at once-they
found Jeoffrys' horse dead, two desper-
ately wounded Indians lying on the
ground, and Jeoffrys and the third In
dian yelling and hopping around each
other, the Indian trying to thrust his
knife into Jeoffrys, and Jeoffrys trying
TO lunge his saber into the Indian.
The red men were soon disposed of
Jeoffrys patted his dead horse good-by
with honest sorrow, mounted one of the
Seventeenth's led horses, and the COM
mand started toward the camp under
his guidance.
The Indians had been keeping faithful
watch, but had made no attack on their
bagged game. 1t had been their inten-
ton to starve them awhile, and then to
fall upon them, torture and butcher
them.
The men in camp were haggard ind
worn. They had given up all hope OF
rescue, and when, three days after
Jeoffrys' departure, there was sudden
uproar among the Indians, the ready
soldiers turned to meet an onslaught
with sublime recklcssness-and while
they were in the thick of it, they heard
the bugles OF the Seventeenth calling
promising quick re
lief! Surely never had music been SC
sweet before!
There was a sharp fight-and wheI
the remaining Indians were gallopinl
away for their lives, the Fourteenth anC
the Seventeenth rushed into each Others
arms. The Baby Trumpeter was eheereC
until the heavens rang. The men pulled
him from his horse and Rugged him, anC
the colonePs eyes were wet as he claspeC
the young mans hand.
"You have saved your regiment by
rislting your own life, my boy" he sale
twas he thinking again of the little DO,
who diedO, land you will get media
of honor. l shall recommend you TO,
examination for promotion from tn,
ranks as soon as we get home. You
have won your right to it by brillian
service on the field of battle"
Jeoffrys, who had been white before
now became deadly white.
"Colonel-my mother"-he gasped
and he fell back into the arms of tn,
men who were crowding around him
They had not noticed that the blous,
over his shoulder was saturated will
blood.
Hes wounded" shouted many
voices, and though the wound was onl,
painful and not at all dangerous, tn,
transformation of the boy into a lioI
was complete.
The homeward march was begun
They were two weeks on the way, an,
it was weary time for Jeoffrys, for h,
had to travel in an ambulance, and wa
Lot allowed to move about much fol
fear his wound would open.
Hicks, a private, who rode with him