CAPTAIN SAUNDERS' FIGHT 



following again. You mark what I tell you, Sa- 

 tanta or Big Tree is going to be the war chief of the 

 Kiowas hereafter." 



We found Captain Saunders and his men about 

 two miles above our camp, dismounted in the edge 

 of the timber near the old Indian camp, anxiously 

 awaiting our arrival. Saunders himself had his 

 head roughly bandaged with an old handkerchief 

 because of a glancing arrow wound above his right 

 ear, which had bled profusely over his face and 

 clothes but was not serious. His horse had re- 

 ceived a bullet in the shoulder which lamed him 

 badly. 



Supposing from Saunders' appearance that he 

 was badly hurt, Tom was going to him to dress his 

 wounds when the captain said: 



"Never mind me, Mr. Vance; I'm not hurt 

 much; but if you can help poor Dolan there, lying 

 behind that tree, do what you can for him. He is 

 badly hurt spitting blood and growing weaker " 

 talking as he led the way to where the wounded 

 man lay. "An arrow went through his breast 

 and lodged in the neck of a horse a couple of rods 

 behind him. I had no idea they could shoot those 

 arrows so viciously." 



On examining Dolan's wound, Tom's experience 

 told him that the man was past any help that he 

 could render, for the arrow had gone through the 

 lung, and an inward hemorrhage seemed to be 

 slowly sapping his life. Dressing the wound and 



273 



