BLACK SCOUTS ON THE TRAIL.
After a hearty breakfast, Buffalo Bill confided to Captain Keyes his
experience, for he wished to keep the story of finding the negro,
Black Bill, a secret from all save the commanding officer.
“Now, captain, I wish to pick my men and go at once on the trail,
for, from what that negro tells me, I fear those people are in a bad
way.
“I know they have no right in the Big Horn country, but they are
there, in great danger, and there are women and children to be
rescued.
“Now, I have every confidence in Sergeant Mobile Buck, and I wish a
corporal who is an equally good man for the work ahead.
“Then I feel I can trust the men with Buck in his corral, and I wish
twenty-six all told, so, if you will pick out the balance to make up
the number, I know I will have just the band I can rely on.
“Then, too, sir, I wish to take all the tools you may have along,
every lariat, stake line, and rope in the outfit, plenty of
provisions on pack animals, and the cannon powder, as I may need it
for blasting, from what Black Bill tells me.
“Now, Captain Keyes, if you will fit me out at once with the men and
things I need, it will be a great favor, and we’ll be on the return
trail within a couple of hours.”
“I’ll do it, Cody, for what you tell me about these people interests
me greatly.
“I know just the men to send with you, and all we have in the outfit
which you can use is at your disposal,” said Captain Keyes.
Sergeant Buck was at once called, and Buffalo Bill told him he wished
him, a corporal, and twenty-four men to take the trail with him,
Captain Keyes adding:
“Yes, and we are to pick the men, sergeant, for Chief Cody will only
take colored soldiers, and they are to be his scouts.”
“I’m mighty glad, sir, and I know we can get good men, sir,” was the
answer.
A corporal was first selected, and though he was the hue of ink,
he rejoiced in the nickname of Milk White, being generally called
“Corporal Milk.”
With his aid, and he was a splendid soldier, strong as a giant, and
an all-round good man, the twenty-four colored scouts were selected,
the entire squad of Sergeant Buck’s original escort being taken
along, save the wounded, for all wished to go with “Massa Buf’ler
Bill.”
The scout took along extra rifles for all, carried on the pack
animals, every horse was picked for speed and endurance, a large
supply of provisions was taken, with every rope and lariat in the
command, and a big supply of ammunition and cannon powder.
Within two hours, as Buffalo Bill had said, the band of black scouts
mounted and rode away from the command, all wondering what the reason
might be for the strange expedition.
Buffalo Bill rode at the head, the sergeant following with fourteen
men, and then came the corporal with his ten men as a guard to the
pack animals and a reserve force.
Buffalo Bill felt proud of his black scouts, and determined to
push rapidly on to the lone camp of Black Bill, where a halt for a
couple of days’ rest was to be made, and to enable the wounded and
half-starved negro to recuperate.
Buffalo Bill also intended to take this time to mount his own pack
animal, which would be fresh, and try and strike the trail of Ginger
Sam, who would not be expecting him back from the fort for some days.
He had by no means given up hope of capturing that gallows bird.
So Buffalo Bill pushed rapidly on with his scouts, and halted only
when it was near sunset, for dinner and supper combined, and the men
turned in for sleep until after midnight.
Then a start was made, and early that afternoon the camp of Black
Bill was reached.
To the sergeant and corporal the scout had told of his coming upon
the starving and wounded negro; but to the men the surprise was very
great, upon coming across the lone camp.
Black Bill greeted the chief of scouts with a shout, saying that he
was getting well fast, and he knew he would be ready for the trail at
once, if need be.
“No, take a couple of days more, for I do not wish you to move until
really able to do so.”
The chief of scouts did not remain long in camp, but started, mounted
on his pack animal, to go to the place where he had left Ginger Sam
and try to pick up his trail. He was confident that the man had a
cabin somewhere near there, as he had known the cliff trail so well,
and by leaping from it into the stream he could make a landing and
escape.
The scout felt sure that Ginger Sam was in that country looking for
gold, and doubtless allied with the Indians, while again he might
have another comrade with him. He was determined to know and capture
the outlaw if he could, to kill him if he had to do so.
He reached the place where the man had landed from the stream, and,
to one of his great scouting skill, he readily trailed the tracks of
the large and heavy boots, soaked as they had been with water.
It soon became a hard trail to follow, but after a mile it led into a
cañon, and there the scout beheld a small, rude cabin.
The door was closed, and the scout slipped up cautiously, to find it
tied on the outside. It was empty, but it was evident that Ginger Sam
had been there, for he had changed his wet boots for others.
The ashes in the fireplace were cold, and Buffalo Bill seemed to
grasp the situation, for he said:
“He came here and left without weapons; he has gone, and where but to
the Indian village to get more.
“That will take him a week or longer, so I will visit him upon our
return, for he doubtless has a gold find near here, so that keeps him
alone in these wilds, for alone he certainly is.
“He may have struck it rich, and so will I when I find him, as there
are old scores to settle with that man.”
Then, fastening the door as he found it and returning to where he had
left his horse, for he had followed the trail on foot, Buffalo Bill
started for the camp of his black scouts.
The negro courier from the penned-up settlers of the valley had made
himself solid with one and all of the black scouts, who did all they
could to hasten the recovery of his strength. He had recuperated
wonderfully, and was so anxious to start upon the trail of rescue
that Buffalo Bill decided to make a start the next afternoon and
travel by half-day trails until Black Bill was able to stand what the
others could.
So the next day the chief and his scouts started upon the trail of
rescue.