SURROUNDED BY KIOWAS 



me a brief account of how they came to be here 

 at our camp instead of at the wagon. 



"Found come through to Fort Larned on time, 

 all right," he said, "and wanted to come back 

 with me, but I locked him in my room. It took an 

 everlasting time for Saunders to get his company 

 ready to move. Well, after we started, I con- 

 cluded that the Kiowas would hear us a-coming 

 and get away, unless we could get around in their 

 rear. So I got the captain to divide his men, 

 leaving twenty, under Lieutenant Wilson, to lay 

 around over about Ash Creek hollow until nigh day- 

 light, and then to move up onto the Injuns around 

 the wagon and start them this way, while with the 

 other thirty men we got around on this side of 

 them. WeVe been riding like the devil, but it 

 was a long ways to go to get around here, and 

 Lieutenant Wilson was to make the attack on his 

 side at daylight, anyway, and he's a-doing it all 

 right." 



By this time we had Prince saddled, and, spring- 

 ing onto him, as he galloped after Saunders's party 

 Bill called back to me: 



"Keep a sharp lookout, Peck, till we get back 

 here, for there may be some skulkers laying for 

 you in the timber 'round here." 



265 



