THE REPRIMAND
"What luck have you had?" said Perkins, who had stood by the sentry
when Guy dashed by and now came up to see how much game he had secured
during his wild ride. "Say! the officer of the guard is just waiting
to give you fits. You know the orders are that you must not gallop
into the Fort unless there is something after you. Why, where have you
been?" he added, now for the first time noticing how white the young
officer's face was. "Did you see any Sioux?"
"Perk, I never was so glad to get inside of a stockade before," replied
Guy, handing his gun to his friend, removing his cap and wiping the
perspiration from his forehead. "Yes, sir; I have seen a Sioux Indian
and I was closer to him than I cared to be."
"Did he shoot at you?"
"No, but he said something to me."
"What did he say?"
"He told me to look out for the massacre that is coming in a few days."
"Aw! Get out!" exclaimed Perkins. "It is very likely that a Sioux would
tell you that, isn't it now? Go and dream something else."
At this moment an Orderly stepped up and, after saluting, informed Guy
that the officer of the day wanted to see him right away. Guy handed
his reins to Perkins and started to obey.
"Wait until I receive my reprimand and then I will tell you all about
it," said he. "I am telling you the truth. I met him just on the other
side of that hill."
Guy followed the Orderly to the quarters of the officer of the day and
found that gentleman there alone. His face wore a fierce frown as he
turned about in his chair and confronted the young officer.
"I have got back, sir," said Guy, raising his hand to his cap.
"So I perceive," responded Captain Kendall. "You have disobeyed orders
twice since you have been gone."
"I know it, sir, and I am willing to take the scolding which I deserve
for the first one, but if you knew all the circumstances you would not
reprimand me for the second. I couldn't help it, sir. My horse got away
from me."
The young officer's air, taken in connection with his pale face, made
his superior think there was something back of it, so he crossed his
legs, settled down in his chair and requested him to go on, and state
what the horse had seen to frighten him. Guy hardly knew how to begin,
for he was satisfied that he could not make the officer believe it.
"I followed two of those birds, but the second one got away from me and
flew over the ridge, sir," said Guy.
"We are well aware of that fact," said the officer of the day. "That
was the time when you should have faced about and returned to the
Fort."
"I know it, sir, and I confess to my weakness there; but what kept me
so long was an interview I had with a Sioux warrior on the other side
of the ridge."
The officer of the day began to prick up his ears when he heard this.
He straightened up a little in his chair and simply nodded his head as
if to tell Guy that he could go on. And Guy went on. He related the
whole of his interview with Winged Arrow without interruption from the
officer, and when he got through he showed him the letter which the
young savage had given him. He explained the crimson drops which were
represented as falling from the hand that was beckoning to Winged Arrow
to come home.
"That tells of the massacre that is to come, sir," said he. "They have
shot twenty of our men since we have been here at the Fort, but Winged
Arrow says this represents more than that."
"Why, they must be going to kill us all off," said the officer.
"It certainly looks that way, sir, and he says if I see one battlefield
I will never want to see another."
"And he gave it to you to save your life?" continued the Captain.
"That is what he told me, sir. He told me to keep it about my uniform
wherever I went."
"Perhaps the Colonel had better see this," said the Captain, after a
moment's pause. "But I shall have to come down on you hard to pay you
for going over the other side of the ridge."
"I know it, sir. I ought to have come back then."
"Well, the next time the Colonel trusts you, be sure and obey all
orders to the very letter. Now we will go and see what he has to say
about it."
Guy felt better than he did when he came into that room a little while
ago. Captain Kendall was noted for "coming down hard" on both officers
and men who did not obey the law, and so far Guy was all right; but how
was he going to fare when he saw the Colonel? He followed the officer
as he walked toward the office, and looked all around to see if he
could find Perkins or some of his roommates who would see him on the
way there. He saw Perkins, still holding fast to his horse, and when
the officer of the day was not looking toward him, he pulled off his
hat and took hold of his hair as if to show Guy that he was now about
to get a reprimand for going over the ridge. The officer sent in his
name by the Orderly and found the Colonel pacing back and forth as he
had seen him on a previous occasion. He faced about, took one hand from
behind him, and pointed it at Guy.
"What do you mean, sir, by coming into the Fort as if all the Sioux
were close at your heels?" said he.
"Colonel, if you will permit me, I should be glad to explain that
thing," said Captain Kendall; "here is a letter that tells all about
it."
"Sit down, Captain, and that boy can stand there until I get ready to
talk to him," said the Colonel. "Where did you find this letter, sir?"
Captain Kendall made answer for him, and it was not long before the
frown on his face vanished and a troubled expression came to take its
place.
"The next time we send out a party for wood is when the massacre
is going to take place," said he, when the Captain had explained
everything. "We must be on the lookout for that. Have you told this boy
what you think of him for going over the other side of the ridge?"
"Yes, sir. I have told him all about it."
"Then you may go."
Guy Preston was in no hurry to go just then, for there was Winged
Arrow's letter which the Colonel did not show any signs of returning
to him. He sat with his eyes fastened upon it, and then Guy looked at
the officer of the day. The latter gave him a wink as if to say that
it was all right, the Orderly opened the door for him, and Guy went
out. Perkins still kept charge of the horse, and Guy went toward him.
It was against the law for an officer to hire or appoint an enlisted
man to act as his groom, and so every officer had to take charge of
his horse himself. But the thing was done in spite of orders and is
done yet. Most men are not backward in regard to earning a quarter for
rubbing down a horse in time for dress parade, and many a coin which
the officers earn slips into their pockets. They do this when there is
no officer about. The minute the officer of the day or guard appears
upon the scene, they grab the brush and the officer finds them at work
grooming their horses. Perkins would have stayed there until he was
gray headed, for Guy had told him just enough of his adventures to want
to make him hear more, and he knew that he would have to come there
after his horse. He had gathered the rest of his roommates about him,
and they were all impatient for Guy's appearance.
"Here he comes now," exclaimed Arthur Brigham, one of the four who were
fresh from "The Point." "Now we will make him confess that he is making
that story all up out of his own head."
"You will not make me go back on a single word that I have said," said
Guy, taking his reins and gun from Perkins's hand. "Come in with me
until I rub down my horse and I will tell you all about it."
"But, Guy, did you really see an Indian and converse with him?" asked
another.
"I did, as sure as you're a foot high. He was a splendid-looking
fellow, and talked English better than I did."
"Oh, get out," said Arthur. "What chance had he to learn English?"
"He says he has been to school for eight years. He knows all the
treaties by heart."
"Oh, well, that accounts for it. How was he dressed?"
While Guy was leading his horse toward the stable, he was plied with
such questions as these, and he hardly knew it when the soldier who
now and then acted as his groom, took the reins from his hand, led the
horse to his place, and removed the saddle and bridle from him. Guy
leaned upon his gun while all the rest of the boys, except Perkins,
crowded about him to hear some more of his story. Perkins remained near
the door to keep an eye on the parade ground. He did not intend to let
the officer of the day catch a soldier grooming Guy's horse.
"Begin at the beginning and tell us all about it," said Arthur. "You
say he was a smart chap?"
"The smartest I ever saw wrapped up in the hide of an Indian," said
Guy; "he saluted me as if he had been in the army all his life, and
the language with which he addressed me fairly took my breath away. I
didn't know what to say to him in reply."
"Look out, boys," said Perkins in a whisper; "here comes Kendall."
The boys vanished as if by magic. Guy peeled off his coat, took the
brush from the hands of the soldier, and, striking up a whistle,
proceeded to rub down his horse; the others went, some to examine
their bridles and some to give their nags a good looking-over, and
not another word was said. Captain Kendall came in and walked the
whole length of the stable without any remark and then went out; but
the moment he disappeared the soldier took the brush, and the young
officers gathered about Guy again. Not a word was said about the joke
they had played upon Captain Kendall. Such scenes were an every-day
occurrence.
"What was in that letter he gave you?" asked Perkins.
"That letter won't do me much good," replied Guy, with a discontented
look; "the Colonel's got it and I guess he means to keep it."
"Not if it is going to save your life," said one of his roommates.
"But how is it going to do that? I must first fall into the hands of
the Sioux, and I don't want to do that, I bet you. I have not forgotten
those men that they killed."
"I will tell you what let's do," said Perkins. "Let's go and see Cyrus.
He will know whether or not there is anything to it."
This the boys decided to do; and when the soldier had finished grooming
the horse, they came out and turned their steps toward the guide's
headquarters.