The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-05

night, and the moon was UP when the
sun went down. We was dead tired af-
ter long march and no time for chuck,
and by o'clock we was nigh beat. Cur
Gus for Injuns, they kept on fighting af-
ter dark for 1t was a fine moonlight night,
see? There was a bit of hill with
scrub bushes on it back of the creek.
and Daddy-he did it fine. too, retreated
90 that hill, where we might hold the
red devils off until Phil could come UP.
I'VE couldn't get there at onct, though.
The Injuns saw what Daddy was after,
and they got there before we did. Well,
we was fighting down on the creek side
and Buck Bill, he went and got killed,
and, worse'n that-he'd dropped off his
horse, bein' wounded-he got scalped. Bill
was alright, he was, an we liked him.
we did. When we tumbled to what he'd
got, we got mad, and Daddy was mad.
too. We charged an scattered the black
guards for a time, and we got Bills body
before they had time TO mutilate IL, save
the scalping. We liked Bill, we did, and
Daddy liked him. He was a fine build
Of a man. The troop held the position.
Hot shooting it was. and we dug grave
and we buried Bill 10 save him from mu-
tilation. We blew taps over him. too,
and all the time the In1une were tearing
like mad. Being so, we hadn't time to
dig the grave very deep. but we put Bill
under all according to the rules and regu-
lations and Revised Statutes. We was
sorry and we was mad, for Bill was a
fine build of man and played a good
game at poker.
"We'ell, we had to hurry up bit, and
then we retreated in good shape, got over
the creek, cleared out the Injuns from the
haA fnn0 n
think what we was doing. We threw UP
a few bits of rife pits, and got bite
to eat Mind you. all the night the Co
manches were circling round the HILL and
putting in a good, steady fire. Il looked
almighty rough for us, for there was no
chance to send out a runner with word
to Phil. So. when 1t was near morning,
Daddy spoke up.
Bows says he, we're trapped says
he. There's no way to get help sent 10
us. So,' says he, as them devils are all
about us. and we're short of chuck and
water and ammunition he says-not just
like that, but them was his meanings-he
SAYS, I'm going to cut my way out. Is
1t right?' he says.
fright il was. 1t was our only chance,
for we were completely surrounded. and
what he said about the ammunition was
correct. We had Fred Colville with us.
the bugler-you've heard of him. He'd
played taps over Buck Bill when we bur-
led him There was no use in laying low.
We didn't care how much row we made.
Fred up and gives a roaring call. full
blast and to hell with the rest. Boots and
saddles! Yupl l never got my fingers
twitching at a call as l did that time. Up
we went into the saddles. reviewers at the
carry carbines loose in the boots, and
faced the reds. l never thought ia live
through IT, but all / was mad about was
to empty them six chambers into the
Comanches that were thick about us They
saw what we were up to. Trust them.
They're cute. The beggars got together
on the only road we could take to ind
the command, and waited Give me
Comanche for square fight. They form
ed up in the gray OF the morning to meet
us, and says l to myself, says l, it's
massacre. so II IL. for they were about
five TO our one. Boys says Daddy, cool
as icechests. you see,' he says, I'm go
ing to charge in column of fours.' he says.
and cut. through. Look out for your
selves. and luck to US all. Trumpeter,' he
says, sound the boots and saddles again.
It's a dandy he says. IT'S a good def
he says
And at that Fred Tipped the bugie,
and Il went to rouse the land You'd
have thought they'd have heard II at
Washington. Whoopee
Again yells Daddy, for he seen it
put blood into us, an seemed to scare the
reds.
Fred let her go again, and was look
ing at the other side Of the creek where
we'd buried Buck Bin. between where the
Injuns were and the water. / guess 1
cried out, for Daddy howied at me: