THE PONY EXPRESS RIDER.
One day when he had ridden into Leavenworth Buffalo Billy met his old
friend, Wild Bill, who was fitting out a train with supplies for the
Overland Stage Company, and he was at once persuaded to join him in the
trip West going as assistant wagon-master.
Putting a man on his mother's farm to take care of it, for as a farmer
Billy was not a success, he bade his mother and sisters farewell and
once more was on his way toward the land of the setting sun.
Having been at home for several months, for his mother not being in the
enjoyment of good health he hated to leave her, Billy had been attending
school, and had been a hard student, while in the eyes of his fellow
pupils, girls and boys alike, he was a hero of heroes.
On his trip West with Wild Bill he had carried his books, and often in
camp he had whiled away the time in studying, until he was asked if he
was reading for a lawyer or a preacher.
But when well away from civilization his books were cast aside for his
rifle, and he was constantly in the saddle supplying the train with
game.
Without any particular adventures the train arrived in due season at
Atchison, and there so much was said about Pony Riding on the Overland
that Buffalo Billy decided to volunteer as a rider.
Resigning his position with the train, Mr. Russell gave him a warm
letter to Alf Slade, a noted personage on the frontier, and to him Billy
went.
Slade was then stage agent for the Julesberg and Rocky Ridge Division,
with his head-quarters at Horseshoe, nearly forty miles west of Fort
Laramie, and there Billy found him and presented his letter.
Slade read the letter, looked Billy carefully over, and said:
"I would like to oblige you, my boy, but you are too young, the work
kills strong men in a short time."
"Give me a trial, sir, please, for I think I can pull through," said
Billy.
"But are you used to hard riding and a life of danger?"
"Yes, sir, I've seen hard work, young as I am."
"I see now that Russell says you are Buffalo Billy," and Slade glanced
again at the letter.
"Yes, sir, that's what my pards call me."
"I have heard of you, and you can become a pony rider; if you break down
you can give it up."
The very next day Billy was set to work on the trail from Red Buttes on
the North Platte, to Three Crossings on the Sweet Water, a distance of
seventy-six miles.
It was a very long piece of road, but Billy did not weaken, and ere long
became known as the Boss Pony Rider.
One day he arrived at the end of his road to find that the rider who
should have gone out on the trip with his mail, had been killed in a
fight, so he at once volunteered for the run to Rocky Ridge, a distance
of eighty-five miles, and arrived at the station even ahead of time.
Without rest he turned back and reached Red Buttes on time, making the
extraordinary run of _three hundred and twenty-two_ miles without
rest, and at an average speed of fifteen miles an hour.
This remarkable feat won for him a presentation of a purse of gold from
the company, and a fame for pluck and endurance that placed him as the
chief of the Pony Riders.