KILLING HIS FIRST INDIAN.
When the train and beef-herd, with which Billy Cody had gone, arrived in
the vicinity of old Fort Kearney their first serious adventure occurred,
and for a while the boy thought of his mother's prediction, that he
"would be killed or captured by Indians."
Not expecting an attack from red-skins in that vicinity, the party had
camped for dinner, and most of them were enjoying a _siesta_ under
the wagons, Billy being among the latter number, while but three men
were on duty as herders.
But suddenly they were aroused by shots, wild yells, and rapid
hoof-falls, and down upon them dashed a band of mounted warriors, while
others had killed the three guards and the cattle were stampeding in
every direction. But the train hands quickly sprung to their feet,
rallied promptly for the fight, and met the advancing red-skins with a
volley from their Mississippi yagers, which were loaded with ball and
buck-shot, and checked their advance.
Knowing that they could not hold out there the train-master called out:
"Boys, make a run for the river, and the banks will protect us."
All started, when Billy called out:
"Don't let us leave these wounded boys."
They turned at his word, to find that two of their number had been
wounded, one seriously in the side and the other in the leg.
Raising them in their arms they started at a run for the bank, ere the
Indians had rallied from the fire that met them, and reached it in
safety, though the man who had been shot in the side was dead ere they
got there.
A short consultation was then held, and it was decided to make their way
back to Fort Kearney, by wading in the river and keeping the bank as a
breast work.
A raft of poles was constructed for the wounded man, and the party
started down the stream, protected by the bank, and keeping the Indians
at bay with their guns, for they followed them up closely.
As night came on, utterly worn out with wading and walking, Billy
dropped behind the others; but trudged manfully along until he was
suddenly startled by a dark object coming down over the bank.
It was moonlight, and he saw the plumed head and buckskin-clad form of
an Indian, who, in peering over the bank to reconnoiter had lost his
balance, or the earth had given way, and sent him down into the stream.
He caught sight of Billy as he was sliding down, and gave a wild
war-whoop, which was answered by a shot from the boy's rifle, for though
taken wholly by surprise he did not lose his presence of mind.
Hearing the war-whoop and the shot, and at the same time missing Billy,
the men came running back and found him dragging the red-skin along in
the stream after him.
"It's my Injun, boys," he cried exultantly.
"It are fer a fact, an' I'll show yer how ter take his scalp," replied
Frank McCarthy the train-master, and he skillfully cut off the
scalp-lock and handed it to Billy, adding:
"Thar, thet is yer first scalp, boy, an' I'm willin' ter swear it won't
be yer last, for Billy, you is ther boss boy I ever see."
Billy thanked McCarthy for the gory trophy, gave a slight shudder as he
took it, and said significantly:
"I ain't so tired as I was, and I guess I'll keep up with you all now,
for if the bank hadn't caved in that Injun would have had me."
At daylight they came in sight of Kearney, and after a volley or two at
the Indians still dogging their steps, made for the fort and reached it
in safety.
The commanding officer at once sent out a force in pursuit of the
red-skins; but they neither found them or the cattle they had driven
off.
After a short stay at Fort Kearney Billy returned with a train to
Leavenworth, where the papers dubbed him the "Boy Indian-Killer," and
made a hero of him for his exploit on the South Platte.