BILL RETURNS FROM HIS SCOUT 



The captain joined us later and told me that he 

 had easily obtained the desired permission, but 

 asked me to say nothing about it to other com- 

 pany officers, lest more of them should wish to go, 

 for the major didn't think it best to spare more 

 than one on such an errand. 



The next morning we set out and, after a long, 

 cold ride, reached Camp Coyotelope. During the 

 whole ride the captain kept plying me with ques- 

 tions about our past frontier service, evidently 

 wishing to gain all the information he could about 

 his new line of duty. He was a very pleasant and 

 gentlemanly, young man, and although ignorant of 

 military usage, he evinced a commendable eager- 

 ness to inform and qualify himself for his position. 



215 



