BILL RETURNS FROM HIS SCOUT 



As we entered the dugout and sat down to din- 

 ner I thought to ask: 



"What medicine is it that you want me to get, 

 Tom ? You forgot to tell me the name of it." 



With a mysterious wink at me when Jack was 

 not looking, he answered: 



"I'll write the name of it down on a piece of 



paper after dinner. You'd forget it if I told 





 you. 



When we went out to saddle up after dinner, 

 leaving Jack to clean up the dishes, Tom said: 



"The medicine I want you to get at the fort is 

 nothing but a pint of commissary whiskey, but I 

 didn't want to mention it before Jack. The doc- 

 tors use it in pneumonia as a stimulant, diluted, 

 an' given in tablespoonful doses. I've got every- 

 thing else I need, and I'll take my little medicine- 

 chest along with me down to the Injun camp in 

 case there should be other sick ones that I'd want 

 something for." Then he added: "You'd better 

 take Prince to ride over to the fort and back. I 

 rode him down to the camp, but he'll be good for 

 your trip. I'll ride ol' Vinegar down to the camp 

 this time; an' when you get back here to-morrow 

 you can leave Prince here an' ride the gray mare 

 or one of the mules down to the camp. By the 

 way, while I think of it, I must take along a couple 

 of candles an' a few more matches; for I'll have to 

 be getting up in the night 'tendin' to the old man, 

 an* there's no such thing as a light to be had in an 



213 



