SURROUNDED BY KIOWAS 



next he fired. I could not see that the other In- 

 dian had attempted to recover his rifle and was 

 disposed to think that my first shot had perhaps 

 made him no longer dangerous. 



While still lying among the bales of fur, looking 

 out of the new port-hole I had cut, my neighbor 

 up the gulch sent another bullet through the tent, 

 above me, that would have hit me if I had remained 

 in my former position. 



I fired at the flash of his gun, but could not tell 

 whether I had done him any harm. At all events, 

 he seemed discouraged, for no more shots came 

 from either Indian. 



The hole I had cut near the bottom of the tent 

 was on the east side, facing the stable door. The 

 two doors of the tent were on the north and south 

 sides. These I untied and propped a little open 

 so that I could look out either way occasionally; 

 I saw no further signs of activity of the enemy, and 

 toward morning, as the air grew cold, I cut the 

 thongs that bound a bale of buffalo robes and 

 made a fairly comfortable bed, whence I could keep 

 a sharp lookout. 



It was a long, dreary, wretched night of anxiety. 

 The soldiers did not come, and without them I could 

 see no hope of escape for my comrades or myself. 



As everything seemed so quiet in my vicinity I 

 slipped down into the dugout, through the tunnel, 

 and brought up some more cartridges and some 

 food and cold coffee. 



261 



