Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-21
GAl.RIN5

lily. as he sprang from the saddle to take down
a piece of paper, pinned to the bark of the
tree on the side next the road
Sure enough, it was written by Charlie, and
the colonel read it aloud; Il was dated,
80 2. NJ. June 22d. d,
Boys wrote Charlie, taking for grantetd
that we were upon his trackl they are
bound for Fort Rice, with the mules: No time
to tell how found out. Shall follow them
if they 60 to the head of the Missouri. They
think somebody is after them, and are going
like blazes. Come on as fast as you can.
CHARLIE"
Here was news, indeed! Bound for Fort
Rice fully two hundred and fifty miles from
the spot where we now stood. Eight days OF
hard riding through hostile Indian coun-
try-for some of the Upper Missouri tribes
were exceedingly unfriendly at that time, and
even since they have given Uncle Sam consid-
rable trouble at different periods. was the
boy crazy?
Twenty mules are not worth the risk,
said Uncle Ben, almost mpatently. he
boy is now in far greater danger from Indians
than thieves: but we must hunt him up at
all hazards, and if | once get my eyes on hlm,
he shall not get out of my sight again I'LL !
have him safe at home"
Away we went. not stopping again until
we reached small stream, skirted with cot
tonwoods. and called Platte Creek.
As it was now sunset, we camped Tor the
night in the edge of a grove. Alter the
horses were picketed and our supper cooked
and eaten, the colonel said:
BOYS we must have guard out tonight
I will stand until midnight, and you two
must divide the rest of the night between
YOU. We must run no risk of losing these
horses"
Jud and / insisted on dividing the watch
equally with him, but he would not hear a
word from us, and finally ordered us to
| roll in"
So we drew our blankets around us, lay
down beneath large tree close to our fire,
and were soon sound asleep
When | came to consciousness again, Jud
was bending over me, shaking me gently, and
reminding me that my turn to stand guaro
| had come.
at is now two O'Clock in the morning, y
said he. and it will be daylight at four. Keep
good watch of the horses"
| sprang up at once. but almost doubling his
word in regard to the hour, for 1t did not
seem to me that | could have been asleep
more than twenty minutes; but he had the
colonefs watch in his hand and, looking,
saw that he was correct.
The colonel was rolled in his blanket, fast
asleep and Jud laying himself down, was
soon in the same condition.
This was my first experience standing guard
I looked aronnd, and queer sensation stole
| over me. We were camped in the edge OF a
grove in deep, narrow gorge, not more than
| thirty or forty yards wide on the bottom
and through the centre ran the turbid little
Platte Creek.
The night was very dark, though the star,
were twinkling overhead, and the tops of tall
! treeG were outlined against the sky-sombre
weird and ghost-like.
At nv feet f1ickered the sckly little camp
fire, and the cracking of the few branches
which it fed upon, the steady cropping, of the
grass by our animals and the gentle breath
ing OF the sleepers near me were all the
sounds that came to my ears.
Not breath of air was stirring, and it
seemed to me that | must not stir or breathe
aloud The steep, dark side of the gorge op'
posite me. black and menacing, seemed ready
| io overwhelm me at any moment. Strange
thoughts and feelings came to me. wonder
ed if Jud had felt so. All at once | remem-
bered that we were in the edge of the coun.