Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-11-21
CHAPTER w.


Out on the rolling prairie, barely four
hundred yards from where the ambu-
lance and mules were backed into a
tangle of traces and whif1etrees and
fear-stricken creatures, another butfa-
10 had dropped in heap; swarthy
rider had tumbled off his pony, cut
slash or two with ever-ready knife, and
then, throwing a -bedizened left
leg over his eager little mount, had
gone flashing away after his fellows,
not without a jeering slap at the halt
ed soldiery. Then, in almost less time
than it takes to tell it, the pursued and
pursuers had vanished from sight over
a low ridge mile to the north. only
a hunting party!" said one of the
nervous recruits, with gulp of re-
lief. "Only hunting party" gasped
Burleigh, as presently he heaved him
self up from the floor, land | thought
I'd never find that damned gun of
mine. All this fuss for nothing!" he
continued, his lips still blue and quiv-
ering. THAT green youngster up there
in front hasn't learned the first princi-
Piles of plainscraft yet. Here, Brooks"
he added, loudly, "it's high time you
were looking after this sub of yours, -
and Brooks, despite his illness, was in
deed working out of the back door ofhis
yellow trundle bed at the moment, and
looking anxiously about. But the en-
gineer stood pale and quiet, coolly
studying the fustered growler, and
when Burleigh's shifting eyes sought
that young scientists face, what he
read there-and Burleigh was no fool
told him he would be wise to change
the tune. The aid had pushed him in
front of the troop and was signaling to
Dean, once more in saddle and scan
ming through his glass the big band
afar down the valley.
''Take my horse, sir" said the ser
geant, dismounting, and the officer
thanked him and rode swiftly out to
join the young commander at the
front. Together they gazed and con-
suited and still no signal came to re-
sumo the advance. Then the troopers
saw the staff officer make q broad
sweep with his right arm to the south,
and in a moment Deans hat was up
lifted and waved well out in that di-
rection. Drop carbine," growled the
sergeant. "By twos again. Incline to
the right Damn the Sioux, / say!
Have we got to circle five miles around
their hunting ground for fear of hurt
ing their feelings? Come on, Jimmy"
he added to the driver of the leading
wagon. Jimmy responded with Wig
orous language at the expense Of his
leading mules. The quartermaster and
engineer silently scrambled in; the
ambulance started with a jerk and
away went the party off to the right
of the trail, the wagons jolting
bit now over the uneven clumps of
bunch grass.
But once well up at the summit of
the low divide the command refined in
for a look at the great Indian caval-
cade swarming in the northeastward
valley, and covering it's grassy surface
still a good mile away. Out from
among the dingy mass came galloping
half dozen young braves, followed
by as many squaws. The former soon
spread out over the billowy surface,
some following the direction of the
chase, some bounding on southwest
ward as though confident Of finding
what they sought the moment they
reached the nearest ridge; some rid
ing straight to the point where lay
the carcasses of the earliest victims
of the hunt. Here in full view of the
soldiery, but vouchsafng them no
glance nor greeting whatever, two
young warriors refined in their lively
ponies and disdainfully turned their
backs upon the spectators on the di
vide, while the squaws, with shrill
laugh and chatter, rolled from their
saddles and began the drudgery of
their lot-skinning and cutting up the
bufaloes slaughtered by their lords.
'Don't you see,' sneered Burleigh,
sits nothing but village out for
hunt-nothing in Gods world to get
stampeded about. We've had all this
show of warlil1e preparations for moth
ing" But he turned away again as
he caught the steady look in the en-
gineer's blue eyes, and shouted to his
more appreciative friend, the aid-de-
camp: ''Well, pardner, haven't we
fooled away enough time here, or have
we got to await the pleasure of people
that never saw Indians before?''
Dean flushed crimson at the taunt
He well knew for whom it was meant.
He was indignant enough by this time
to speak for himself, but the aid-de-
camp saved him the trouble.
II requested Mr.. Dean to halt few
moments, Burleigh. It is necessary
/ should know what band this is, and
how many are out"
''Well, be quick about it," snapped
the quartermaster. ST want to get to
Reno before midnight, and at this
rate we won't make it IN week"
A sergeant who could speak a little
Sioux came riding back to the camp,
grin on his sun blistered face. "Well,
sergeant, what'd he say?'' asked the
staff officer.